Southern Summer Vegetable Casserole

Southern Summer Vegetable Casserole is layers of tomatoes, zucchini, summer squash, and Gruyere cheese that sits atop a bed of caramelized sweet onions. 

Southern summers, especially Deep South summers, bring on weather conditions that seem downright intolerable at times. But those same conditions that try our souls, bring forth a bounty of delectable produce that’s so spectacular it’s the topic of dinner conversations and published articles. It makes folks stop dead in their tracks on busy roads when they see signs for farmer’s markets. Sometimes, it causes folks to back up on busy highways if they pass the sign for farmer’s markets, but that’s another topic. Southern Summer Vegetable Casserole is a good way to use some of our summertime favorites: tomatoes, yellow squash, zucchini, fresh herbs, and Southern field peas.

We wait all year for that good summer produce to come in. Once it gets started, it’s relentless.  Our days and nights turn into endless cooking and preserving adventures. We preserve everything we can by freezing, canning, and pickling.

We fritter everything we can, turn unexpected items into cakes and, make bread out of anything that doesn’t run from us.  And, all that’s after we’ve fried and roasted until we feel like we can’t fry and roast no mo’.  And the bounty keeps on rolling in.

Southern field peas are one of our summer crown jewels. In addition to a flavor of which sweet dreams are made, they have delightful and entertaining names such as Zipper, Lady, Cream 40, Purple Hull, Crowder,  Blackeye,  Sadandy, White Acre, and Conk. We love our Southern peas and anticipate their yearly arrival.

If you don’t grow them, you have to know where to find them.  It’s not as easy as walking into any grocery on any corner in any city and grabbing up a mess of peas for supper.   My husband planted a small patch of zipper peas this year, but the yield from a small patch isn’t enough peas to blanch and freeze for year round pea enjoyment.  We buy bushels from farmer’s markets or specialty produce companies.

Because our peas are treasured, we don’t waste them.  If we have but a few mouthfuls leftover after the cornbread runs out, we find a way to reuse them.  This recipe makes use of a tad of leftover zipper peas.

There’s many good points to this vegetable casserole.  The first point is that the thing just flat out tastes good. Secondly, it’s as good at room temperature as it is warm so you can take to picnics, family reunions, and church suppers all summer long. Next, it’s easily doubled. Earlier, I published a slightly different version that makes a 9×11 casserole size.  Lastly, the leftovers are scrumptious.

It’s important to note that you can use your favorite variety of tomato.  Any variety, other than Roma, contains a high percentage of water and should be salted and drained, as per the recipe instructions, prior to use.

Make the most out of our bountiful gardens and farms while we can.  And when your backyard garden has produced so much zucchini you feel like your just about to turn into a zucchini, gives thanks for the bounty and make this casserole.

See it on Southern Living’s site.

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Southern Summer Vegetable Casserole 

yield: 6 to 8 servings

Layered with summer vegetable favorites, fresh herbs, and cheese. Perfect as a summer take-along.  Use any variety of tomato. If using Romas, omit salting and draining them.

4 medium (or 2 large) tomatoes, sliced

kosher salt

1 large sweet onion, thinly sliced

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

2 to 3 sprigs fresh thyme

1/2 cup cooked Southern field peas (I used zipper peas)

1 or 2  medium yellow squash, thinly sliced

1 or 2 medium zucchini, thinly sliced

7 or 8 fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced in strips

4-1-1 seasoning

8 ounces Gruyere cheese, grated

Place sliced tomatoes in a single layer on a cooling rack placed over the sink or  baking sheet.  Sprinkle with kosher salt.  Let drain for 30 minutes.  Flip tomatoes slices over and repeat.

Place sliced onions and butter in a small skillet over medium heat.  Add thyme sprigs.

Cook onions, stirring occasionally, until nicely browned and caramelized.

Prepare a 9 inch baking dish by spraying with non-stick spray.

Remove thyme stems from onion.  Place  caramelized onions in the bottom of the prepared baking dish.

Layer half the yellow squash and lightly sprinkle with 4-1-1 seasoning.

Layer half the zucchini and lightly sprinkle with seasoning.

Scatter half the peas over zucchini.

Layer half the tomatoes and top with half the basil.

Layer half the grated cheese.

Repeat with remainder of the ingredients.

Bake at 375 degrees for one hour.

Let sit for at least 15 minutes before serving.

Enjoy warm or room temperature.

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Southern Summer Vegetable Casserole

Layers of tomatoes, yellow squash, zucchini, field peas, and Gruyere cheese sit atop a bed of caramelized sweet onions.

Prep Time15 minutes mins

Cook Time1 hour hr

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American South

Keyword: casserole, field peas, southern, squash, sweet onions, tomatoes, vegetables, zuchinni

Servings: 6

Author: Jackie Garvin

Ingredients

• yield: 6 to 8 servings
• 4 medium or 2 large tomatoes, sliced
• kosher salt
• 1 large sweet onion thinly sliced
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 2 to 3 sprigs fresh thyme
• 1/2 cup cooked Southern field peas I used zipper peas
• 1 or 2 medium yellow squash thinly sliced
• 1 or 2 medium zucchini thinly sliced
• 7 or 8 fresh basil leaves thinly sliced in strips
• 4-1-1 seasoning
• 8 ounces Gruyere cheese grated

Instructions

• Place sliced tomatoes in a single layer on a cooling rack placed over the sink or  baking sheet.  Sprinkle with kosher salt.  Let drain for 30 minutes.  Flip tomatoes slices over and repeat.
• Place sliced onions and butter in a small skillet over medium heat.  Add thyme sprigs.
• Cook onions, stirring occasionally, until nicely browned and caramelized.
• Prepare a 9 inch baking dish by spraying with non-stick spray.
• Remove thyme stems from onion.  Place  caramelized onions in the bottom of the prepared baking dish.
• Layer half the yellow squash and lightly sprinkle with 4-1-1 seasoning.
• Layer half the zucchini and lightly sprinkle with seasoning.
• Scatter half the peas over zucchini.
• Layer half the tomatoes and top with half the basil.
• Layer half the grated cheese.
• Repeat with remainder of the ingredients.
• Bake at 375 degrees for one hour.
• Let sit for at least 15 minutes before serving.
• Enjoy warm or room temperature.

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