Soul Food · Authentic-ish Soul Food
Squash Casserole
112 kcal a serving, against 468 for the traditional version. That is 356 kcal off, or 76%, with 8.1g of protein. Serves 6. 1 hour 10 minutes.
What the traditional version is
The classic squash casserole means sliced courgette (or yellow squash) mixed with fried onion, a hearty blob of mayonnaise, lots of grated cheese, and a dusting of salt and pepper. It bakes in a dish, topped thickly with crushed digestive biscuits and more cheese, usually cheddar. The mayonnaise melts to form a gooey, almost custardy middle. Served piping hot as a side, it's the definition of comfort food.
What changed, and what each change costs
Mayonnaise for Greek yoghurt (fat-free)
Mayonnaise brings the creamy, almost custardy backbone, but it's pure fat and very little protein. Fat-free Greek yoghurt is tangy, thick, and actually bumps up the protein.
What it costs you. You lose that unique silky, almost elastic middle. The casserole becomes a proper vegetable bake, not a rich, gooey side. You can't blame me if you miss the original's custard effect.
Cheddar cheese for a smaller amount of finely grated parmesan
Cheddar melts all over to glue everything together, but it's not exactly lean. Parmesan is stronger, so you can get away with less while still getting flavour - just don't expect epic cheese pulls.
What it costs you. It's much less gooey, but you still get a lovely salty hit and some golden brown on top. The stretch is gone, but the taste is there.
Frying onions in butter for spraying with olive oil
Frying in butter gives sweetness, but three big spoonfuls is a lot. Olive oil spray saves a pile of calories and you barely taste the difference here.
What it costs you. You'll miss a little richness, but with the onion cooked low and slow it'll still be sweet enough.
Crushed digestive biscuits for a sprinkle of panko breadcrumbs
Digestives give a sweet, almost caramelised crust, but they're basically sugar and palm oil. Panko is airy, crisp, and less calorific.
What it costs you. You lose that nostalgia bomb of sweet topping, and the casserole edge feels less pudding-like. It's now firmly in the vegetable camp.
The numbers
| Per serving | Traditional | Lightened |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 468 | 112 |
| Protein | 11.4g | 8.1g |
| Fat | 40.4g | 4.4g |
| Saturated fat | 15.6g | 1.6g |
| Carbohydrate | 17.3g | 11.6g |
| Protein per 100 kcal | 2.4g | 7.2g |
Every figure is computed from the recipe's own weighed ingredient list against public food composition databases. The appendix in Authentic-ish Soul Food prints the exact database row used for each ingredient, so any number here can be checked.
Allergens. gluten, milk.
The method is in the book
The original is the first thing that disappears at a Sunday table, and it should be - it's basically a savoury bread and butter pudding disguised as a vegetable. This version is bright, fresh, and you'll actually taste courgette. The top is crisp, the middle is soft, and you can eat a proper side portion without writing off dinner. But if you're after comfort food that sticks to your ribs, this isn't it, it's a decent veg bake with a whiff of parmesan. There's no pretending otherwise, and I won't be mounting any campaign to outlaw mayonnaise. If you want a proper wallow, use the original.
The quantities and the method for this dish are in Authentic-ish Soul Food, along with 52 more. It is not out yet. The swap kit is free in the meantime.