Ingredients (from the Delish Test Kitchen recipe, published today):

• 6 medium yellow squash (about 8 oz. each), sliced ¼" thick
• Kosher salt
• 3 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced
• 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 1 Tbsp. fresh thyme leaves
• ¼ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
• 4 vine-ripened tomatoes, thinly sliced
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 2 Tbsp. fresh basil, thinly sliced or shredded, divided, plus whole leaves for serving
• 2 oz. Parmesan, grated (about 1 cup), divided
• 1 lemon, zested
• 1 large ball burrata (from an 8-oz. container)
• 1 cup panko breadcrumbs

On the squash: Use medium ones, around 8 oz. each. Larger squash carry more seeds and more water, which compounds the draining problem you're already managing. EatingWell notes that large zucchini tend to have more seeds and can turn mushy regardless of technique. Medium holds up. For extra color in the finished bake, swap half the yellow squash for zucchini without changing anything else (Delish).

On burrata: One large 8-oz. ball is the target. If fresh mozzarella pearls are what's available, they work as a swap the melt is stretchier and less creamy, but the dish holds (Delish).

Equipment: A 13" x 9" baking dish and a large nonstick skillet. The skillet works twice aromatics first, then panko so the breadcrumbs toast in the residual garlic-onion oil left in the pan (Delish). That's what makes the topping taste like more than just breadcrumbs.

Prep-ahead note: The squash can be sliced, salted, drained, and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 12 hours before baking. Store the remaining vegetables separately. Don't assemble the full bake ahead of time once layered, the tomatoes keep releasing moisture. Prep-ahead works; assemble-ahead doesn't (Delish).

Step 1: Preheat the oven and salt the squash

Set a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 400°F. Slice the squash to ¼" thickness, place in a large bowl, and toss with 1 Tbsp. kosher salt. Set aside while you work on the aromatics the salt starts pulling moisture out immediately and needs at least 10 minutes of contact time.

Step 2: Cook the aromatics

Heat 1 Tbsp. olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic with ½ tsp. salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and just starting to brown at the edges, 8–10 minutes. Add the thyme and red pepper flakes and stir for another 2 minutes until fragrant. Transfer to a medium bowl and reserve the skillet you'll use it again in Step 7.

Step 3: Drain the squash do not rush this

Rinse the salt off the squash under cold water. Transfer to a clean kitchen towel, gather the edges, and squeeze firmly. The towel should be noticeably wet and the squash should feel nearly dry in your hands, not just slightly damp. If the towel isn't wet, squeeze harder.

This is the most critical step in the recipe. Delish identifies it as such directly: skipping it or being too gentle produces a watery, soggy bake. EatingWell independently describes zucchini as a watery squash that turns mushy when moisture isn't managed before cooking. Squeeze until there's nothing left to squeeze.

Add the drained squash to the bowl with the onion mixture. Toss with 1 Tbsp. olive oil and 1 tsp. salt.

Step 4: Layer the baking dish

Spread half the squash-onion mixture across the bottom of the 13" x 9" baking dish. Top with half the tomato slices and season with salt and pepper. Scatter 1 Tbsp. basil and ½ cup Parmesan over the top. Repeat with the remaining squash, tomatoes, and basil. Layering in two passes distributes the Parmesan through the dish rather than concentrating it on top, and keeps the vegetables from steaming into each other.

Step 5: Bake covered, then uncover

Cover the dish tightly with foil and bake until the vegetables are softened and the juices are bubbling, 30–35 minutes. Remove the foil and bake uncovered for 5 minutes more. The foil traps steam to cook the vegetables through; removing it begins evaporating surface liquid so the topping has dry ground to land on.

If visible liquid is still pooling in the dish after the uncovered bake, return it for another 3–5 minutes before moving on. Wet vegetables at this stage will prevent the Parmesan from developing color.

Step 6: Add the Parmesan-lemon topping

Mix the lemon zest into the remaining ½ cup Parmesan. Scatter evenly over the bake and return to the oven until the topping is deep golden brown, 5–7 minutes. Once the dish goes back in, start the panko immediately so both finish at roughly the same time.

Step 7: Toast the panko in the reserved skillet

Heat the remaining 1 Tbsp. olive oil in the reserved skillet over medium heat. Add the panko and stir frequently until deep golden and fragrant, about 5 minutes. The crumbs are picking up the garlic-onion residue left from Step 2 this is intentional and is what gives the topping its depth.

Step 8: Add burrata and serve

Pull the bake from the oven. Scatter the toasted panko across the surface. Tear the burrata into irregular pieces and place directly over the hot vegetables. Tear, don't slice EatingWell specifically flags this: a knife compresses the creamy center, and you lose the effect of it spilling into the warm dish. The goal is residual heat softening the cheese into a loose cream, not the oven cooking it away.

Serve warm rather than piping hot. WA Good Food Guide makes the same point about baked summer vegetables with burrata: the dish is best when the cheese stays soft rather than melting fully into the vegetables. Give it a couple of minutes after adding the burrata before bringing it to the table. Finish with whole basil leaves and adjust seasoning as needed.

The bake serves 6–8 as a side or 4–6 as a vegetarian main. Serve alongside crusty bread or focaccia for soaking up the juices it scales well for casual entertaining.

Two quick swaps worth knowing: replace half the yellow squash with zucchini for visual contrast without changing any other part of the technique, and swap burrata for fresh mozzarella pearls if that's what's on hand the result is stretchier and less creamy, but it works (Delish).

Leftovers keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in a 350°F oven or air fryer for 10–15 minutes to preserve the topping's texture, and always add a fresh piece of burrata after reheating rather than warming the original (Delish). Cold the next day, the vegetables are good spooned over toast at room temperature (WA Good Food Guide).

This is a weeknight dish when squash is peaking and the market tomatoes are actually worth buying. The squash can drain in the refrigerator through the afternoon, which takes the only real labor off the dinner hour entirely. What comes to the table is a golden Parmesan crust, toasted panko carrying the garlic oil from the skillet, and torn burrata softening into the warm baked summer vegetables without disappearing into them. That combination is worth repeating for as long as the season holds.