Yellow Squash and Pattypan Squash: Summer's Most Underrated Vegetables

Two Squashes That Deserve a Spot in Your Summer Cooking

Most people walk right past the pattypan squash without giving it a second glance. It's the little flying-saucer-shaped one with the scalloped edges — sometimes pale yellow, sometimes a soft cream or faint green — and it tends to get overlooked next to its more familiar cousin, the yellow crookneck squash. That's a real shame, because both of these vegetables are at absolute peak right now, and they're two of the most cookable, most forgiving things you can bring home from the market this time of year.

At Open Air Market Produce Stand on Barbourville Road in London, you'll find both yellow squash and pattypan squash piled up and ready to go seven days a week. Monday through Friday we're open 10 to 6, Saturday 9 to 6, and Sunday 11 to 6 — so there's no shortage of chances to swing by, fill a bag, and get cooking. If you've only ever worked with one of these, today's a great day to try the other.

What Makes Yellow Squash So Easy to Love

Yellow squash — the long, slightly curved kind with a tender golden skin — has been a staple of Southern summer cooking for generations, and for good reason. It cooks down quickly, soaks up butter and seasoning like it was born to do it, and pairs beautifully with just about anything else in your vegetable drawer. Slice it thin and sauté it with a little onion and salt, and you've got a side dish that takes less than ten minutes and tastes like pure summer.

What a lot of people don't realize is that yellow squash is incredibly versatile beyond the skillet. You can roast it in the oven with olive oil and garlic until the edges get a little caramelized. You can shred it and fold it into cornbread batter for extra moisture and a subtle sweetness. You can layer thick slices into a gratin with cream and cheese and let it bubble away until golden. The flavor is mild enough to play a supporting role or bold enough — when handled right — to carry a dish on its own.

The key is not overcooking it. Yellow squash has a high water content, and if you let it go too long in the pan it turns mushy and loses its appeal. Keep the heat up, don't crowd the pan, and pull it off while there's still a little bite left. That's when it's best.

Getting to Know Pattypan Squash (It's Worth It)

If yellow squash is the reliable everyday workhorse, pattypan is the one with a little more personality. The shape alone makes it interesting — those ruffled edges and flat, disc-like body give it a look unlike anything else in the produce section. But beyond the novelty, pattypan squash has a flavor and texture that's genuinely a little different from other summer squash varieties. It tends to be slightly denser with a firmer bite, and the flavor has a gentle nuttiness that holds up well to roasting and grilling.

Small pattypan squash — about the size of a golf ball or a little larger — are the sweetest and most tender. As they get bigger, the seeds become more prominent and the flesh can get a bit tougher, so pick the smaller ones when you have a choice. At the stand, we keep a good selection out so you can pick through and find what works best for what you're making.

One of the most popular things to do with pattypan is to cut the top off, scoop out a little of the interior, and stuff it. Fill it with a mixture of sautéed onion, garlic, sausage or ground beef, herbs, and maybe a little shredded cheese, then roast until tender. They hold their shape beautifully and look impressive on the plate — which makes them a great option when you're cooking for company but don't want to spend all afternoon in the kitchen.

A Simple Skillet Recipe That Uses Both

If you want to taste both of these squashes together in a single dish, here's a simple weeknight skillet that comes together fast and hits all the right notes. Start by slicing one medium yellow squash and two or three small pattypan squash — cut the pattypan into wedges so they cook evenly. Heat a generous pour of olive oil in a wide skillet over medium-high heat and add a diced onion. Let that go for a few minutes until it softens and starts to get golden around the edges.

Add your squash in a single layer as best you can, season well with salt, pepper, and a pinch of smoked paprika, and let it cook without stirring for a couple of minutes so the cut sides get some color. Then toss it around, add two or three cloves of minced garlic and a handful of fresh herbs — thyme and basil both work beautifully — and cook another few minutes until everything is just tender. Finish with a squeeze of lemon juice and a scatter of crumbled feta or a dusting of grated Parmesan. Serve it as a side with grilled chicken or pork chops, or pile it over cooked farro or rice for a simple vegetarian dinner.

This is the kind of recipe that doesn't require much, which is part of what makes fresh summer produce so satisfying to cook with. When the vegetables are this good, they don't need a lot of help.

How to Store Summer Squash and Keep It Fresh

Summer squash of any kind is best used within a few days of buying it — the sooner the better. Store yellow squash and pattypan in the refrigerator in a loose plastic bag or an open container in the crisper drawer. Don't wash them until right before you use them, since excess moisture speeds up spoilage. A little condensation is normal; just pat them dry before cutting.

If you've picked up more than you can use in a few days, squash freezes reasonably well — though the texture will soften once thawed, so it's best used in cooked dishes afterward rather than eaten fresh. Blanch sliced squash in boiling water for about two minutes, plunge it into an ice bath, drain well, and freeze in a single layer on a baking sheet before transferring to freezer bags. Come January, you'll be glad you tucked some away.

Why the Stand Is the Best Place to Find Summer Squash Right Now

There's a real difference between summer squash that's been sitting in a refrigerated warehouse and squash that arrives at a stand fresh and gets sold within a day or two. The texture is firmer, the skin is glossy rather than dull, and the flavor is noticeably brighter. That's exactly what you'll find when you stop by Open Air Market Produce Stand, which has been serving Laurel County since 1984 — longer than any other produce market in the area.

We're located at 1594 Barbourville Road in London, Kentucky, with plenty of parking and a friendly staff that's happy to help you pick out the right squash for what you have in mind. Whether you're a longtime customer or finding us for the first time after searching for fresh produce near you, we're glad you're here. Come see what's on the stand today — the yellow squash and pattypan are looking especially good this week.