Low-Calorie Squash Recipes

Find healthy, delicious low-calorie squash side dish recipes, from the food and nutrition experts at EatingWell.

Staff Picks

Baked Parmesan Zucchini Curly Fries

Rating: 4.7 stars
7
This healthy recipe combines two bar food favorites--fried zucchini and curly fries--into one tempting package. Serve these baked zucchini fries with a simple dipping sauce made with ranch dressing and marinara sauce for a crowd-pleasing appetizer or a side dish for burgers, chicken or pizza. No matter what you serve them with, they're a fun way to eat more vegetables for kids and adults alike.
By Robin Bashinsky

Colorful Roasted Sheet-Pan Veggies

Rating: 4.67 stars
2
These easy roasted vegetables will give your plate a pop of color. Give the cubes of butternut squash a head start for 10 minutes to soften in the oven before adding in the other veggies. The broccoli, peppers and onion are naturally more tender than the butternut squash and cook more quickly. That way everything ends up finishing at the same time.
By Katie Webster

Zucchini & Mushroom Saute

Rating: 4.67 stars
3
Serve this simple side dish with grilled turkey burgers. Other fresh herbs, like thyme or oregano, work well too.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Spiralized Zucchini & Summer Squash Casserole

Rating: 4.86 stars
5
If you don't have a spiralizer to make this healthy zucchini noodle casserole (aka zoodles), use a vegetable peeler to make long thin strips of the squash and zucchini, stopping when you reach the seedy center. Just a few minutes under the broiler gives these ricotta-and-basil-filled nests a light golden top.
By Hilary Meyer

Slow-Cooker Quinoa-Summer Squash Casserole

Rating: 4.18 stars
3
As this layered slow-cooker squash casserole recipe cooks, the liquid from the tangy tomatillo salsa and summer squash is absorbed by the quinoa, adding tons of flavor to the final dish.
By Carolyn Malcoun

Calabacitas

Rating: 4 stars
1
Enjoy this traditional Southwestern dish of sautéed summer squash, onions and peppers as a side or as a vegetarian filling for tacos.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Summer Vegetable Tian

Rating: 4.33 stars
3
This pretty vegan layered casserole is so simple to make. Its only seasonings are salt and garlic-infused olive oil, which you make by sizzling a clove of garlic in olive oil for about a minute. This dish is lovely warm or room temperature. Serve with crusty bread as a vegetarian entree or alongside roasted meats as a side dish--don't forget a glass of chilled rosé.
By Emily Monaco

Zucchini Noodle "Pasta" Salad

This healthy zucchini noodle salad has all the flavors you love in a classic Mediterranean pasta salad but we've swapped in zoodles for wheat pasta, which makes the salad lighter, lower in carbs and gluten-free. Serve it with grilled chicken or fish for a light and healthy summer dinner.
By Robin Bashinsky

Easy Steamed Zucchini

This foolproof way to cook zucchini is also the easiest and fastest. Just steam it on the stovetop for a few minutes and you have a healthy vegetable side dish to add to dinner. Toss with a little pesto for extra flavor.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Kielbasa-&-Swiss Spaghetti Squash Casserole

Rating: 3.9 stars
4
Zesty sauerkraut, Swiss cheese and rye bread add Reuben-esque flavor to this surprisingly addictive spaghetti squash skillet recipe. If you can't find seeded rye bread, add 1/2 to 1 teaspoon caraway seeds to the mixture in Step 2. Serve with a green salad tossed with red-wine vinaigrette.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Steamed Butternut Squash

Rating: 5 stars
1
Butternut squash steams quickly, making this a great cooking technique to enjoy this fall vegetable as a weeknight side dish. For extra flavor, toss the steamed butternut squash with salt, pepper and a little bit of olive oil, butter or Parmesan cheese after cooking.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Caprese Zucchini Casserole

Rating: 4.33 stars
2
A summertime favorite--zucchini casserole--gets an Italian spin in this delicious and healthy side dish with tomatoes, mozzarella and basil. You can use zucchini or summer squash in this caprese-style casserole, or a combination of the two. A sprinkling of fresh basil and a drizzle of balsamic vinegar just before serving brightens up the flavors. Serve with grilled or roasted chicken and some quinoa, rice or couscous to soak up the juices from the casserole for a satisfying and easy dinner.
By Carolyn Casner
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Inspiration and Ideas

Low-Calorie Pumpkin & Winter Squash Recipes

Low-Calorie Pumpkin & Winter Squash Recipes
Winter squashes, such as butternut, acorn and pumpkin, are a delicious and diet-friendly seasonal food. Enjoy squash in comforting recipes like Butternut Squash Soup, Roasted Stuffed Pumpkin and Spaghetti Squash & Meatballs.Download a FREE Cookbook of Our Best Fall Recipes!Watch Video
Sautéed Butternut Squash

Sautéed Butternut Squash
Sautéeing butternut squash in olive oil quickly yields perfectly cooked results and slighly caramelizes the squash for extra flavor. This recipe makes a delicious vegetable side dish to pair with roasted meats.
Roasted Honeynut Squash

Roasted Honeynut Squash
Rating: Unrated
2
Kale-Butternut Squash Gratin

Kale-Butternut Squash Gratin
Grilled Summer Vegetable Salad

Grilled Summer Vegetable Salad
Roasted Baby Zucchini with Lemon Labneh

Roasted Baby Zucchini with Lemon Labneh
Rating: Unrated
1

Roasted Butternut Squash & Root Vegetables

Rating: 5 stars
1

This easy roasted butternut squash and root vegetables recipe is incredibly versatile. Pile the squash and veggies onto grain bowls, add to sandwiches, toss in soup, serve as a side dish--you name it. Roasting vegetables in the oven gives you 20 minutes of hands-off cooking time to assemble the rest of your meal.

All Low-Calorie Squash Recipes

Vegetarian Quinoa & Squash Casserole

Rating: 3.7 stars
4
An aromatic mixture of garlic, paprika, cumin, coriander, allspice and cayenne flavors this vegetarian quinoa and squash casserole recipe. Frozen squash is a super-easy topping.
By Carolyn Malcoun

Sautéed Zucchini

This super-simple method for sautéed zucchini makes an easy and healthy vegetable side dish. Add garlic, pesto or even Parmesan cheese for extra flavor.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Olive Oil-Braised Summer Squash

Zucchini or any other kind of summer squash will work in this easy vegetable side dish. Serve with grilled chicken or fish for a quick and healthy dinner.
By Breana Killeen

Three Sisters Succotash

Rating: 4 stars
1
In this easy succotash recipe, corn, squash and beans--known as the three sisters--are as delicious married in the pot as they are harmonious in the garden. Succotash, from the Native American word msiquatash, referred to a winter stew made from corn and beans, but now also describes various vegetable blends, such as this delightful summer garden mix. If you find lovely patty pan squashes, you could use those instead of regular zucchini or summer squash.
By Ronni Lundy

Zucchini Gratin

Rating: 4 stars
4
This delicious zucchini gratin recipe has a delectable crispy Parmesan and breadcrumb topping and is made without any butter or cream, allowing the fresh zucchini flavor to shine. Slice the zucchini uniformly to ensure even cooking.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Roasted Zucchini & Pesto

Rating: 4.5 stars
2
Roasted and tossed with your favorite pesto, zucchini turns into an almost-instant summer side dish.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Garlic-Parmesan Hasselback Zucchini

Rating: 5 stars
3
Using the hasselback technique--cutting partially into a whole fruit or vegetable every 1/2 inch or so--gives you an easy way to sneak lots of flavor into this healthy zucchini recipe. To bake the zucchini instead of grilling, place in a foil-lined 8-inch-square baking pan and bake at 425°F until tender, 25 to 30 minutes.
By Breana Killeen

Easy Roasted Zucchini

A quick roast in the oven brings out the zucchini's delicate, earthy flavor, plus it's an easy hands-off way to cook zucchini for a fast vegetable side.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Summer Vegetable Chicken Tortilla Casserole

Rating: 5 stars
1
Summer's harvest--eggplant, corn and zucchini--stars in this healthy, Mexican-inspired casserole that's perfect for serving a crowd or for a dinner with leftovers for the next day.
By Breana Killeen

Crunchy Zucchini and Tomato

Zucchini and tomato slices are sprinkled with a tasty panko bread crumb mixture, and then broiled until crisp. This side dish is quick to make and pairs well with any protein.
By Diabetic Living Magazine

French Ratatouille

Ratatouille, a classic French dish with tomatoes, eggplant, zucchini, bell pepper and onion, is frequently cooked low and slow until it turns silky and luscious. We kept the classic flavor but gave it a makeover by thinly slicing the vegetables and layering them in a cast-iron pan. We brighten up the flavor at the end with a splash of red-wine vinegar.
By Hilary Meyer

Zucchini Rice Casserole

Rating: 4.59 stars
23
We pack extra vegetables into this cheesy baked rice casserole. Plus we substitute brown rice for white, reduce the cheese by half and swap turkey sausage for pork sausage. If you're bringing it to a potluck, plan to reheat it before serving.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Savory Millet Cakes

Rating: 3.5 stars
4
In this recipe, millet is cooked to a polenta-like consistency with shredded vegetables, lemon zest and grated cheese, shaped into patties and browned in a skillet. The result is a unique pancake that's a little crunchy on the outside and creamy inside. Try them as a side dish with chicken or fish for dinner or over mixed greens for lunch.
By Marie Simmons

Braised Green Beans & Summer Vegetables

Rating: 4.78 stars
4
When green beans, summer squash and cherry tomatoes are plentiful in backyard gardens and farmers' markets, try this quick braise. We like the salty, nutty flavor of Parmesan, but you can use any flavorful cheese.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Parmesan-Squash Cakes

Rating: 5 stars
5
In this recipe we shred summer squash and use it like shredded potatoes to make tasty little pancakes flavored with Parmesan cheese and shallots.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Herb-Roasted Root Vegetables

Rating: 4 stars
1
Brussels sprouts, butternut squash, and celery root make up a colorful roasted vegetable medley. If you can't find celery root (also called celeriac) you can swap in another root vegetable such as carrots, parsnips, or turnips.
By Lauren Grant

Roasted Tomato and Vegetable Soup

Rating: 4.8 stars
4
This veggie-packed side-dish vegetable soup can be made in the slow cooker. Just make a few tweaks (see Variation).
By Diabetic Living Magazine

Escalivada (Smoky Slow-Roasted Vegetables)

Rating: 5 stars
1
This vegan side dish is traditionally served at room temperature with grilled meat or fish, but feel free to double your portion and eat it as a vegan entree with crusty bread for dipping in that garlicky, flavor-packed olive oil. The name for this combination of roasted vegetables comes from the Catalan escalivar, meaning to cook in ashes, though most folks these days use an oven or grill to put some char on their veggies.
By Emily Monaco

Zucchini Chile-Cheddar Mash

Rating: 4.2 stars
7
This recipe for mashed zucchini with chiles and Cheddar embraces zucchini's tendency to become very soft when cooked.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Baked Chili-Lime Zucchini Chips

Crunchy chips are so satisfying--even when you swap in zucchini for potatoes. In fact, you might even find you like these baked zucchini chips even better than potato chips.
By Beth Lipton

Zucchini Pancakes

Zucchini ... pancakes? You bet! This crispy contender took first prize a Diabetic Living Magazine zucchini recipe contest.
By Diabetic Living Magazine

Rainbow Slaw with Beet Greens

Rating: 5 stars
1
A touch of cumin and cinnamon give this colorful, healthy slaw recipe a hint of the Middle East. Serve with a wedge of cheese and a whole-grain roll on the side for a satisfying dinner--or with just about anything that comes off the grill.
By Anna Thomas

Mary's Zucchini with Parmesan

Rating: 4.38 stars
6
Simple and delicious, in this recipe the almost caramelized zucchini are topped with a Parmesan crust. Serve the zucchini like a wedge of pizza, straight from the pan, with the cheese-side up. We named this recipe Mary's Zucchini after the mom of one of our former Test Kitchen managers. It's perfect for just-picked zucchini.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

String Beans & Summer Squash

Rating: 5 stars
1
In this summery recipe for summer squash and green beans, cooking the string beans and summer squash in a little seasoned broth adds flavor with minimal effort. Try any fresh herb you have on hand and swap yellow summer squash for zucchini if you prefer.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen
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