Zucchini and Yellow Squash Au Gratin

This stunning side dish consists of perfectly cooked zucchini and yellow squash slices baked in a delicious cream sauce with a browned breadcrumb-Parmesan topping. Zucchini and Yellow Squash Au Gratin so good, you will want seconds!!! This recipe serves 8 but can be easily made in half for 4 servings.

WHAT IS AU GRATIN?

Au Gratin is a French culinary technique in which the ingredients are placed in an oven-proof baking dish and are covered with a topping consisting of breadcrumbs, grated cheeses, egg, cream, and/or butter. The topping is then browned by baking in the oven or under a broiler.

In the French language this dish, Zucchini and Yellow Squash Au Gratin is translated, “Courgettes et Courges Jaunes Gratinées”. The word gratin actually derives from the French word “gratter”, meaning “to grate”. It refers to the browned crust that is formed on the top of this dish from baking or broiling. Some think that gratin has to have breadcrumbs but that is not the case. My recipe for Gratin Dauphinois is basically sliced potatoes, cream, and cheese with no breadcrumbs at all. Whether it has toppings or not and browned, it can be considered “au gratin”.

INGREDIENTS TO MAKE ZUCCHINI AND YELLOW SQUASH AU GRATIN

• Butter, divided
• Zucchini
• Yellow squash
• Shallots
• Garlic cloves
• Heavy cream
• Panko breadcrumbs
• Parmesan cheese
• Salt and ground black pepper

HOW TO MAKE ZUCCHINI AND YELLOW SQUASH AU GRATIN

• Preheat the oven to 450°F and butter a 13×9-inch oven-proof baking dish; set aside.
• Sauté the zucchini and yellow squash in two batches.

• In a large skillet over medium-heat, melt the 2 Tbsps butter.
• Add the zucchini, half of the shallots and garlic, ½ tsp salt, and ¼ tsp ground black pepper.
• Cook until zucchini are crisp-tender, about 4 minutes.
• Transfer the zucchini to a plate.
• Melt 2 more Tbsps butter to the large skillet.
• Add the yellow squash, the remaining shallots and garlic, ½ tsp salt, and ¼ tsp ground black pepper.
• Cook until yellow squash are crisp-tender, about 4 minutes.
• Add the cooked zucchini to the yellow squash and stir in the heavy cream.
• Cook until the cream is slightly thickened, about 5 minutes.
• Remove the skillet from the heat.
• Stir in ¾ cup panko and ½ cup Parmesan.

• Transfer to the buttered baking dish.
• Sprinkle with the remaining ½ cup panko and ½ cup Parmesan.
• Season the top with salt and pepper.

• Bake until the top is lightly golden brown and the cream in bubbling on the sides, 10 to 15 minutes.

NOTES

• Try adding 1/2-1 cup Gruyère cheese along with or in place of the Parmesan. Gruyère cheese is a cow’s milk, hard cheese made in Switzerland. It’s taste is sweet and salty with a slightly nutty flavor. It’s often used in baking because it’s a good melting cheese and it’s taste is not overpowering.
• ASSEMBLED AHEAD: This dish can be assembled before hand on the same day that it will be baked. Just assemble the dish, cover in plastic wrap, and refrigerate until baking. It’s best to take it out of the refrigerator to sit at room temperature 30 minutes before baking in the oven.
• HALVE THE RECIPE: This recipe can easily be made with 4 servings instead of 8. Simply use half of each ingredient.
• This recipe can be made with all zucchini or all yellow squash.

FOR ANOTHER DELICIOUS AU GRATIN, TRY MY RECIPE:

• Gratin Dauphinois