Cheesy Stuffed Summer Squash

Summer squash, stuffed with bell pepper, onion, tomatoes and pepper jack cheese, and topped with a sprinkle of panko bread crumbs.

Cheesy Stuffed Summer Squash

This is another great recipe to use those prolific summer squash, garden fresh tomatoes and even some of those bell peppers too. I just had to show the image below, which shows the pre-breaded squash because the stuffing is just so fresh looking.

Here's what you'll need to make my Cheesy Stuffed Summer Squash:

• 4 to 6 large summer squash* (see note)
• 6 slices bacon
• 1/4 cup chopped sweet green bell pepper
• 1/2 cup sliced green onion
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• 2 large tomatoes, chopped
• 1-1/2 cups shredded pepper jack cheese
• Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
• Panko breadcrumbs
• 2 tablespoons of butter, melted

Here's how to make it!

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter or spray an oblong baking pan with non-stick spray. Trim ends off of squash, place into a large pot, cover with water and bring to a boil. Boil until tender, about 8 to 9 minutes. Remove and set aside until cool enough to handle.

Meanwhile, cook bacon until crisp; remove from pan and set aside, reserving the drippings. When cool, chop bacon. Sauté the bell pepper in the bacon fat until tender; add the green onion and garlic, cook another minute. Use a slotted spoon to transfer mixture to a bowl. Add tomatoes to the pepper mixture, add the cheese and bacon. Season with salt and pepper to taste, stir to mix.

Slice squash in half lengthwise, scooping out the seed; discard.

Place squash shells into the prepared pan. Use a slotted spoon to fill the shells of the squash with the tomato stuffing.

I used panko as my crumb topping, but regular breadcrumbs or even crumbled saltines will also work. I really like the contrast of the crunch from the panko breadcrumbs with the tender vegetables though, and they are finally readily available at most stores now.

Sprinkle tops with panko breadcrumbs and drizzle each with the melted butter.

Bake at 350 degrees F for 40 to 45 minutes, or until sizzling and golden brown on top. Use a wide spatula to transfer to plates.

The flavor is wonderful and I especially like it with the Pepper Jack cheese, since it provides a nice, spicy kick that I think is a perfect accent to this dish. Of course, if you prefer to go a bit milder, any cheese will do such as regular shredded Monterey jack cheese, Cheddar or whatever is your favorite cheese.

You could also make this completely vegetarian if you'd like, or you could add in cooked crumbled sausage or ground beef to make it a more substantial main dish meal.

Check out more of my favorite summertime recipes here on Pinterest!



If you make this or any of my recipes, I'd love to see your results! Just snap a photo and hashtag it #DeepSouthDish on social media or tag me @deepsouthdish on Instagram!

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Posted by Mary on August 23, 2010

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