Roasted Yellow Squash with big, bold & bright flavor! Roasted in olive oil & lemon juice – this summer squash is easy to prepare, delicious, different and exciting to eat!
I love summer. The bright warm weather, the long days I get to spend with my family, time outdoors and I love that the local produce season is in full swing.
I live in the beautiful, sweet and simple farming county of Lancaster, Pennsylvania. This time of the year the area is booming with roadside produce stands. This week I loaded up on peppers, summer squash and cucumbers.
Yellow Summer Squash Roasted in Olive Oil & Lemon Juice
Summer squash are interesting little buggers. Unlike winter type squash, the whole summer squash can be eaten. Peel, seeds – everything. You could even eat them raw if you’d like, though they’re not super exciting unless really dressed up.
You might see an individual squash labeled as “summer squash” but in reality the name is for a whole harvest. Zucchini, Yellow Summer Squash and Crookneck Squash are what I’m most familiar with. Though we treat and eat these guys as a vegetable, squash is actually a fruit.
I’m always interested in learning ones favorite way of preparing and eating a vegetable (or fruit). Not what they love when they go out, not what they make when they have time to cook something a little extra special, but their favorite go-to method. I prefer most of my veggies super simple. Roasted, sauteed or steamed with just a little something added to bring out the best in the veggie.
Want some more sweet & simple fruit and veggie recipes? Check out this recipe for Southern Fried Apples & this recipe for Roasted Red Beets! Looking for more ways to cook up all that squash? Here’s a recipe for an Old Fashioned Easy Squash Casserole
Ingredients & Instructions
Simple is the theme with this Roasted Yellow Squash.
Besides the summer squash of your liking, you will need olive oil, a lemon & some salt & spices.
All it takes to achieve some big and bright flavor is a drizzle of olive oil, salt & spices and lemon juice. Roast the squash until it starts to lightly brown.
So good. So simple. Almost unexpected – it’s not your everyday, ordinary summer squash.
Hope you enjoy!
Amanda ♥
Roasted Yellow Squash
Ingredients
- 2 pounds summer summer squash yellow or crookneck
- 3-4 tablespoon olive oil extra virgin
- sprinkle of garlic powder approx 1/8 teaspoon
- sprinkle of pepper approx 1/8 teaspoon
- sprinkle of paprika approx 1/8 teaspoon
- freshly ground sea salt generously to taste
- 1 large lemon cut into fourths
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°
- Prep baking sheet with aluminum foil.
- Rinse squash. Cut off ends and cut into desired size. Do not remove seeds or rinds – both are edible.
- Place squash pieces on baking sheet. Drizzle with olive and toss until completely coated.
- Lightly sprinkle garlic powder, pepper and paprika over squash.
- Generously season squash with freshly ground salt.
- Squeeze lemon juice over squash.
- Roast for 45 -60 minutes or until desired tenderness. Flip the squash a few times during cooking. I prefer the squash to start lightly browning and bake for about an hour. Cooking time will vary depending on size of squash pieces.
- Serve immediately. Enjoy!
Katie Crenshaw
I have never added lemon to my roasted squash. It sounds so summery and fresh. Thanks for the tip! Making your recipe this week!
Amanda
Yay! I hope you love it, Katie 🙂
Victoria
Hello,
Thank you for the recipe. I made it tonight with yellow squash from a friend’s garden. We used half the lemon and it was delicious! Great, simple, recipe that we will make again.
Amanda
Wonderful! So glad you enjoyed it!
Thanks for stopping by Victoria 🙂
Duane Dewey
I made the Squash today the only thing is I added my own freshly grown white onions to the top of the dish just before baking. They caramelized very nicely. Great Recipe. Thank You Duane & Jackie in Caddo Gap AR
Robert
Looks like 400 Deg. is hotter in Kansas, or maybe I didn’t use enough oil. After 40 minutes they looked great on top, but the bottoms were charcoal. Maybe I’ll give another try in the future.
joy
This looks tasty & easy to make. Pinning it to the Veggies board.
Amanda
Thanks so much Joy! Hope you love it 🙂
Lauren
This came out great! The lemon was delicious on it. Definitely a keeper! Thanks! 🙂
Amanda
Wonderful! So glad you enjoyed it, Lauren. Thanks so much for stopping by!
Sally Reed
I made this recipe twice in one week. It is wonderful. Probably will make again very soon
Amanda
Wonderful to hear! Thanks for stopping by, Sally!
Cathy
HI
My yellow squash was a little old. Part of it was brown when cooked. It tastes ok though. Is it just old?
Thanks.
Amanda
Hi Cathy. The squash could have been old or it could have gotten bumped & bruised or had a little gash on it.
Hope this helps! Thanks for stopping by 🙂
Bobbygale
I have always cooked sliced squash and onion until tender and dry, add butter,salt,pepper and milk just to cream. I am trying to get away from old southern ways of cooking. I am trying to roast veggies so will be trying, but adding onion to roast.
Amanda
I hope you enjoy it! I roast most of my veggies – but the old Southern ways of cooking are absolutely wonderful as well ♥
Thanks so much for stopping by!
Tori
Found your site while searching for a better way to prepare crook-neck squash as it can be a challenge with its tough skin 🙂 Love your recipe and I have plans to try many others!
Amanda
Wonderful to hear! Thanks so much for stopping by Tori 🙂
Candess@UnsafeFoods
I have so much squash this season that I have no idea what to do with. This is a great suggestion!
Amanda
I’ll take some of that squash lol!
I hope you enjoy the recipe. Thanks for stopping by 🙂
Wayne
Just had some artery work done. I’ve gotta lose some wieght, cut out some salt, and eat more healthy.
I came across this recipe while searching for how to season foods.
Any more or less heart healthy recipes you could share would be great.
Wayne
Amanda
Hi Wayne! Hope you’re well!
I do mean to share some more healthy recipes in the near future!
Thanks for stopping by 🙂
Dink Winkerson
I sure as hell hope this works. My neighbor gave me a butt-load of these warty fellas. I’m thinking I will jazz up your recipe quite a bit– with tumeric, honey, and a few bf raisins.
Thx.
Amanda
Wish I had a neighbor bringing me large amounts of squash! Lucky!!!!
Hope you enjoyed the recipe! Thanks for stopping by 🙂
Joy Sarnowski
Very Good!!! Loved this recipe! Bookmarking now 😉 Thank you!
Heather
Kind of a new spin on how to make it. My mother in law used lemon, green onion brown sugar and a little salt, pepper and beau monde and cooked it in a pressure cooker. Your way sounds less mushy. Totally going to try this tonight.
Jenna Zakojc
Thanks for the recipe! I will be making this tonight, but I will substitute lime juice for lemon since I’m pairing it with grilled mahi mahi with an avocado & cilantro salsa. I’ll let you know how it goes
Phyllis
My husband couldn’t find any summer squash, so made this with eggplant instead. It was amazing! Thanks for posting.
Jean
I am very grateful to have this recipe in my pins. I am drowning in squash and we are ready to try something other than our Mexican green chile casserole, patties,and buttered squash. I was so excited to try this that I put it on before I even made breakfast. Simple things many times are the best. Thank you.
Angela
I’m going with 3 stars because 1) I haven’t fixed it yet, 2) I think that the lemon sounds interesting, and 3) because I anticipate having to decrease the cooking time ALOT. I will surely be keeping a VERY close eye on it. Cut up yellow squash at 400 for 45-60 minutes?? I’m seeing charcoal squash. 400 for 45-60 sounds about right for similar sized cut up potatoes or a denser squash like butternut. Other roasted squash recipes that I have made go for about 15 minutes or so at 400 and have nice brown-ness. Looks like others have had success, so maybe I’ll be wrong. 5 stars for the suggestion of the lemon, though!!
Jenny
This is hands down the best yellow squash I’ve ever eaten!!! Thank you for this recipe! It’s delicious and now I actually want to eat yellow squash as long as I can cook it like this! I did double the garlic powder, paprika, and pepper. Yum!!
Suz
Wow…I made this last night and it was so so so delicious and different and easy. Crookneck is not my favorite summer produce but baked in this way, it was amazing. Thanks for posting this fabulous recipe.
Mike
Have so many crook neck squashes this year and this is definitely the way I’ll be serving them delicious!
Thank you 🙂
Therese
What a great recipe something I will do over and overTHANK YOU VERY MUCH!!
Gregory
My buddy grills summer squash with lemon pepper seasoning and it is fabulous. I bet this is similar.
Jennifer McAllister
Well I going to try this I grew these my garden actually wasn’t what I wanted I like yellow zucchini like the green which j have lots of too but grew the wrong ones theses yellow squash. Not a fan but I got use them . So this great recipe I try with other vegetables too . Glad to see u can eat the skin seems so tough. Thanks
Hope De Cleene
This was a DEElicious squash recipe. I’ll be making it again and again! Tasty and easy to make. Gosh I loved it!!!
Hope De Cleene
Don’t decrease the cooking time! You’ll need all the time so the skin will be soft and edible. Just watch it in the oven High temp to brown the edges. This recipe is so excellent, skin, seeds, and all! You’ll love it, people!!
Hope De Cleene
Try it; I just loved it.
Hope De Cleene
This is a sooper-dooper yellow squash recipe. I made it once and fully intend to make it again, especially because a friend brings me squash from her garden. I love it and encourage you to try this roasting recipe! You’ll love it too. I’d be very surprised if you did not like it! Good luck, people.
Hope De Cleene
Is this a diabetic frindly recipe? I’m just learning how to cook for diabetes.