Squash Parmesan Skillet
This squash Parmesan skillet is the result of having way too much squash that was about to go bad. My inspiration was Eggplant Parmesan, but my RV kitchen is way too small cook with a casserole dish, much less wash it in my teeny sink, so skillet for the win. Yellow squash, zucchini, and ripe tomatoes cook together until tender, then finish under a layer of melted cheese and a sprinkle of Italian herbs. This is a straightforward one pan dish that works as a hearty side or a simple vegetarian main.
Simple, hormone-friendly recipes are just one part of what I do here at Finding My Fierce. If you’re a woman over 40 and want to learn about rebel wellness, feral confidence, perimenopause and reducing overwhelm, start here
Ingredients:
(see printable recipe card below)
SERVINGS: 4 | Start to finish: 20 minutes
2 tbsp (30 ml) extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 medium yellow squash (300 g), cut into rounds and halved
2 medium zucchini (200 g), cut into rounds and halved
1 can (794 g / 28 oz) diced or crushed tomatoes
1 tbsp (3 g) Italian seasoning
¼ tsp (1.5 g) salt
½ tsp (1 g) ground black pepper
1 cup (113 g) shredded mozzarella cheese
¼ cup (25 g) grated Parmesan cheese, optional
How to Make This
In a 12-inch skillet over medium heat, heat the olive oil. Add the garlic and sauté for 1 minute.
Add the squashes, tomatoes, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper and stir gently to combine. Cover with a lid or a square of aluminum foil and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. The squash should be fork tender but nut mushy.
Reduce heat to low, sprinkle Mozzarella and Parmesan over the squash mixture. Cover and cook without stirring, until the cheese is melted, about 5 more minutes. Serve.
Real Talk: Tomatoes and Lycopene
Canned tomatoes are one of the better sources of lycopene, a carotenoid with documented anti-inflammatory and cardiovascular protective properties that is particularly relevant for perimenopausal women. Lycopene is fat-soluble, meaning it requires fat present in the same meal to be absorbed properly. The olive oil and mozzarella in this recipe are not just flavor and texture, they are the delivery mechanism for the tomato's most valuable compound.
Before You Go
This recipe came out of the same place where I write the rest of this blog: in a vintage RV parked in the woods next to a river, where I write about rebel wellness, fierce confidence, simple living and hormone friendly meals for women over 40 in perimenopause and menopause. If you’re interested to learn more about these topics, read my story or start here .
If this made meal time a little easier, leave a comment below or a review on the recipe card. Tell me what you swapped or what you added.
Melissa
Summer Squash Parmesan
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, minced, or 1 teaspoon dried garlic powder
- 1 can (28 oz) diced or crushed tomatoes
- ½ teaspoon each salt and ground black pepper
- 1 Tablespoon Italian seasoning or 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 2 medium yellow squash (crookneck), cut into rounds
- 1 medium zucchini (courgette), cut into rounds
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese, optional
Instructions
- In a 12-inch skillet over medium heat, heat the olive oil. Add the zucchini, garlic and Italian seasoning and sauté until the squash is softened, about 5 minutes. Add ⅔ of the tomatoes and ½ tsp each salt and pepper, stir gently to combine. Cover with a lid or a square of aluminum foil and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes or until the squash is fork tender.
- Top with the mozzarella and remaining tomatoes and sprinkle with the Parmesan. Cover again and cook, without stirring, until the juices are bubbling and the cheese is melted, about 7 minutes.
- Serve warm or at room temperature.
Notes
MELISSA’S TIPS AND TRICKS
- For more depth of flavor, you can slice and grill the squash which gives the squash lovely hatch marks and the dish a lightly smoked flavor enhancer
- If you don’t have a lid to fit your pan, use a square of aluminum foil
- It doesn’t matter if you cut the squash in long slices, rounds or rounds cut in half, do whatever fits in your skillet as long as it’s easy to stir when needed
- You could also include eggplant (aubergine) if you have it and you can’t go wrong with a sliced, roasted red pepper from a jar if you have room for it in the skillet
- Another option is to add a few “no-cook” lasagna noodles when you first add the tomato sauce for a vegetarian skillet lasagna! It might require adding a little water for the noodles to absorb. Again, make sure you have room in your skillet or make adjustments with the amount of squash used to account for the lasagna noodles. Break up the noodles if, needed.
Nutrition Facts
Calories
235Fat (grams)
16 gSat. Fat (grams)
6 gFiber (grams)
4 gNet carbs
11 gSugar (grams)
8 gProtein (grams)
12 gSodium (milligrams)
427 mgCarbs (grams)
15 gCholesterol (grams)
28 mgCalcium
276 mgFolic Acid
0 µgIron
3 mgMagnesium
58 mgPotassium
744 mgVitamin B12
1 µgVitamin C
35 mgVitamin D
0 µgVitamin E
3 mgVitamin K
24 µgNutrition info provided as a courtesy and basic guideline. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed. View Nutrition Disclosure
