Cook Patty Pan Squash

The patty pan squash is a popular summer squash known for its small shape and scalloped edges. Most patty pan squashes are yellow or white in color, and they are often no more than 2 to 3 inches (5 to 7.6 cm) in diameter. This vegetable can be cooked in a variety of ways, but here are a few of the simplest and most popular methods.

Ingredients

Roasted

Makes 1 to 2 servings

• 2 medium patty pan squash
• 2 to 3 Tbsp (30 to 45 ml) olive oil
• 1 Tbsp (15 ml) dried oregano
• 1 Tbsp (15 ml) dried thyme
• Salt and ground black pepper, to taste

Sautééd

Makes 3 servings

• 3 large shallots, sliced
• 12 small patty pan squash
• 3 Tbsp (45 ml) unsalted butter
• Salt and ground black pepper, to taste

Steamed

Makes 1 to 2 servings

• 1 lb (450 g) patty pan squash
• 1 Tbsp (15 ml) butter
• 1 Tbsp (15 ml) brown sugar or honey
• 2 Tbsp (30 ml) fresh basil, chopped
• 1/4 cup (60 ml) shredded cheddar cheese or Parmesan cheese
• Pinch of salt

Fried

Makes 2 servings

• 2 to 3 patty pan squash, each 2 to 3 inches (5 to 7.6 cm) wide
• 2 cups (500 ml) cornmeal
• 3 eggs
• Salt and ground black pepper, to taste
• Vegetable oil

Grilled

Makes 1 serving

• 1 lb (450 ml) small/mini patty pan squash
• 2 Tbsp (30 ml) olive oil
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Stuffed

Makes 6 servings

• 6 large patty pan squash, stem and blossom remove
• 6 bacon slices
• 1/2 cup (125 ml) diced onion
• 1 1/2 cups (375 ml) soft bread crumbs
• 1/4 cup (60 ml) grated Parmesan cheese
• Salt and ground black pepper, to taste

Steps

Roasted

1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit (230 degrees Celsius). Lightly grease a small baking dish with oil or nonstick cooking spray.
   • Alternatively, you could line the baking dish with nonstick aluminum foil.
2. Cut the squash into quarters. Cut off the green stem ends before cutting each squash in half, and then into quarters. Remove the seeds, if desired.
   • You can remove the seeds simply by punching them out with your fingers.
   • If you notice any debris or dirt on the squash, clean them first by scrubbing them with your fingers under cool running water.
   • Note that it is not necessary to peel the squash. The rind of a patty pan squash is perfectly edible.
3. Oil and season the squash pieces. Brush the olive oil over the surface of the squash quarters, coating each quarter completely. Evenly sprinkle the squash pieces with the oregano, thyme, salt, and pepper.
   • You could also experiment with other seasonings as desired. For instance, garlic powder and onion powder work well when added in small amounts.
4. Cook for 20 to 25 minutes. When done, the squash should be tender enough to pierce with a fork.
   • The squash should also look a light gold to golden-brown.
5. Serve. Enjoy roasted patty pan squash while still warm for the best flavor.

Sautééd

1. Prepare the squash. Rinse the squash under running water and pat dry with clean paper towels. Use a sharp knife to cut each squash in half.
   • Note that you do not need to peel away the rind of the patty pan squash. The rind is thin and easy to eat, especially when working with small, immature squash.
2. Sauté the shallots. Melt the butter over medium-high heat in a large sauté pan. Add the shallots and cook until soft and clear.
   • Stir the shallots periodically using a spatula to prevent them from burning. It should only take 2 to 4 minutes for the shallots to cook.
3. Sauté the squash. Add the squash to the shallots in the Sauté pan and cook for 5 to 8 minutes. The squash halves should be tender enough to pierce with a fork when ready.
   • Turn, rotate, and flip the squash every so often during the cooking process to ensure that each side cooks evenly.
4. Season and enjoy. Sprinkle the squash with salt and pepper, to taste, before serving warm.

Steamed

1. Boil a pot of water. Fill the bottom half of a steamer with 2 to 4 inches (5 to 10 cm) of water and bring it to a boil over high heat. Place a steamer basket over the water.
   • Note that a large stockpot and a metal strainer will work if you do not have an actual steamer. Just make sure that the strainer can rest on the lip of the pot and that a lid can be placed over it.
2. Clean and trim the squash. Scrub the outside of each squash under running water and pat dry with clean paper towels. Use a sharp paring knife to trim off the green tops and bottoms.
   • Note that you do not need to peel the squash since the outside is edible. This is especially true if you choose squash that are young and small.
3. Slice the squash. Use a sharp knife to cut the patty pan squash into 1/2-inch (1.25-cm) slices.
   • If desired, you can use your fingers to punch out any notably large seeds or pulp after cutting the squash into slices.
4. Steam the squash slices. Layer the slices in the steamer basket and cover the pot with a lid. Steam for 5 minutes.
   • The squash should begin to fade in color and should become tender enough to easily pierce with a fork.
5. Toss with butter and seasonings. Transfer the patty pan slices from the steamer to a large mixing bowl. Add the butter and mix well, letting the butter melt and coat each slice. Add the honey or brown sugar, a bit of salt, cheese, and basil. Toss once more to coat.
   • The heat from the cooked squash should be enough to make the butter melt, so there is no need to melt the butter separately before adding it.
6. Enjoy. The patty pan squash should be enjoyed while still warm for the best flavor.

Fried

1. Heat the oil in a heavy, deep pan. Fill the pan with 1/4 inch (6.35 mm) of vegetable oil and bring to a temperature of about 350 degrees Fahrenheit (180 degrees Celsius) over high heat.
   • Use a candy thermometer or frying thermometer to check the temperature of the oil. You should also periodically look at the temperature throughout the cooking process to make sure that it does not get too high or too low.
2. Prepare the squash. Wash the patty pan squash under running water and pat dry. Peel the squash with a vegetable peeler and slice each one into thin slices with a knife.
   • The slices should be no thicker than 1/2 inch (1.25 cm).
   • Cut off the green ends before slicing the squash.
   • If the seeds are too large, you can pop them out using your fingers.
   • While the rind of the patty pan squash is technically edible, removing it for this recipe will allow the breading to cling to the slices better.
3. Beat the eggs. Crack the eggs into a pie plate and beat slightly with a fork. Add a roughly 1 tsp (5 ml) salt and 1/2 tsp (2.5 ml) pepper and mix well.
   • If you do not have a pie plate available, you could use any bowl with shallow sides and a wide mouth or any plate that has a decent lip around the edge.
4. Place the cornmeal in a large resealable plastic bag. Add roughly 1 tsp (5 ml) of salt and 1/2 tsp (2.5 ml) pepper, seal, and shake to combine.
   • If you want to give the patty pan squash more flavor, you can also experiment with other herbs and spices. Herbs like thyme, oregano, and parsley work well, as do spices like garlic powder and onion powder.
5. Coat the squash slices. Dip each squash slice into the egg wash before dredging it in the cornmeal mixture on all sides.
   • Hold the squash slices over the egg was after dunking them to allow the excess to drip off. After removing most of the messy excess, then you can coat the slices in the cornmeal.
   • The egg wash is necessary because it allows the cornmeal breading to stick to the squash slices.
6. Fry the squash. Place each coated slice of squash in the hot oil and fry for 2 to 3 minutes per side. The squash should be lightly browned on both sides when done.
   • Be careful whenever you work with large amounts of hot oil. Hot oil can catch on fire if exposed directly to an open flame, and it can also cause nasty burns if it “snaps” and splatters onto you during the cooking process.
7. Drain and serve. Transfer the squash slices onto sheets of clean paper towels or brown paper bags. Let drain for 1 to 2 minutes before enjoying.

Grilled

1. Preheat the grill. It should be set for a medium-high heat.
   • To make the cleanup easier, you can grease the grill grate with oil or line it with aluminum foil.
   • If using a gas grill, set it to medium-high heat on all the burners.
   • If using a charcoal grill, lay a solid layer of charcoal on the bottom of the grill. Light the charcoal and wait for the flames to die down, leaving behind white ash, before adding the squash
2. Toss the squash in oil. Place the squash, whole and unpeeled, in a large bowl and drizzle the oil over them. Sprinkle in a generous amount of salt and pepper and toss well to coat the squash evenly.
   • If you are not sure about how much salt and pepper to use, try using 1/2 tsp (2.5 ml) salt and 1/4 tsp (1.25 ml) pepper. If the taste is not strong enough, you can always add more after you finish cooking the squash.
3. Grill the squash for 8 minutes. They should be tender enough to pierce with a fork and charred lightly in several spots.
   • Note that if you use aluminum foil on your grill grate, you will not get any charred grill lines on your squash.
4. Serve warm. Enjoy this dish hot to warm for maximum flavor.

Stuffed

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (175 degrees Celsius). Simultaneously, bring 1 inch (2.5 ml) of water to boil over high heat in a wide saucepan.
   • Prepare a shallow baking dish by lining it with aluminum foil or by spraying it with nonstick cooking spray.
2. Boil the squash for 10 minutes. Add the squash to the boiling water, cover the pan, and cook until each squash becomes tender enough to pierce through the stem with a fork with minimal resistance.
   • Drain the squash by lifting them out with tongs and by letting them drip-dry slightly on clean paper towels.
3. Remove the centers of each squash. Slice off the top stem of each squash and use a melon-baller or metal spoon to scoop away the seeds and pulp, leaving only the firmer flesh.
   • Set aside all the squash you remove in a separate bowl or dish. Do not discard.
4. Cook the bacon. Place the bacon in a large skillet with tall sides. Cook over medium heat, turning several times, until brown and crispy on all sides.
   • Remove the bacon from the pan and let the pieces drain on plates lined with clean paper towels or brown paper bags.
   • Set aside for now.
5. Sauté the onion and squash pieces. Add the diced onion to the bacon drippings along with the squash you removed. Sauté them both for about 1 minute.
   • You should chop the squash into small pieces if it is not already cut apart.
6. Stir in the breadcrumbs. Remove the skillet from the heat before stirring in the breadcrumbs. Make sure that the crumbs, onion, and squash bits are evenly distributed.
   • You need to use soft breadcrumbs for this recipe. Dry breadcrumbs will not create a good stuffing.
7. Add the bacon, cheese, and seasonings. Crumble the bacon into fine pieces and add it to the bread crumb mixture. Add the Parmesan cheese, as well. Stir to mix well.
   • Add a pinch each of salt and pepper, if desired, and stir again.
8. Stuff each squash. Fill each hollowed out squash with the mixture, packing it until the centers are overflowing.
   • Place the squash on your prepared baking dish and loosely cover them with clean aluminum foil.
9. Bake for 15 minutes. The squash and stuffing should be completely heated through when done.
   • If you want to test the temperature of the stuffing to make sure that it is hot, you can use an instant-read food thermometer to do so.
10. Serve hot. To benefit from the greatest amount of taste, you should enjoy the stuffed patty squash while still warm and freshly cooked.

Things You'll Need

Roasted

• Cooking spray or aluminum foil
• Baking dish
• Paper towels
• Knife
• Basting or pastry brush
• Fork
• Serving dish

Sautééd

• Paper towels
• Knife
• Large Sauté pan
• Spatula
• Tongs
• Fork
• Serving dish

Steamed

• Large stockpot with lid
• Steamer basket or metal strainer
• Paper towels
• Knife
• Bowl
• Mixing spoon
• Fork
• Serving dish

Fried

• Deep pan
• Paper towels
• Vegetable peeler
• Frying or candy thermometer
• Knife
• Fork
• Pie plate
• Large resealable plastic bag
• Tongs
• Plate
• Serving dish

Grilled

• Grill
• Aluminum foil
• Mixing bowl
• Mixing spoon
• Tongs
• Fork
• Serving dish

Stuffed

• Saucepan
• Shallow baking dish
• Aluminum foil or cooking spray
• Knife
• Paper towels
• Large skillet
• Tongs
• Spatula
• Instant-read food thermometer
• Fork
• Serving plate

Sources and Citations

See also

• Make Stuffed Acorn Squash
• Prepare a Butternut Squash for Cooking
• Cook Butternut Squash
• Cook Spaghetti Squash
• Cook Zucchini
• Roast Butternut Squash
• Cook Squash
• Bake Spaghetti Squash
• Bake a Winter Squash
• Bake Acorn Squash

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