Slow Cooker Hominy Squash Casserole

published Sep 2, 2020
summer
Vegetarian hominy squash casserole in slow cooker with wooden spoon on side.
Credit: Photo: Joe Lingeman | Food Stylist: Cyd McDowell

Plump, juicy hominy, Mexican squash, and crema are the stars in this cozy slow-cooked casserole.

Serves4 to 6

Cook4 hours

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Vegetarian slow cooker hominy squash casserole served in  two bowls with spoon inside and beer on side.
Credit: Photo: Joe Lingeman | Food Stylist: Cyd McDowell

I adore hominy, and firmly believe it deserves more love. The humble corn kernels are traditionally added to menudo, a classic Mexican soup, and pozole (my personal favorite), where it swims in a rich, earthy broth alongside tenderly braised pork. But I’m always looking for new ways to cook it, and have found that one of the best and easiest methods is in the slow cooker.

Here, plump, juicy hominy stars in a cozy slow-cooked casserole — one of my favorite vegetarian dishes of all time. The hominy, Mexican squash, onions, diced tomatoes, oregano, crema, and plenty of cheddar cheese are cooked low and slow until the squash is tender and all the broth is absorbed. It’s then topped with fresh cilantro and more cheddar cheese for the ultimate Tex-Mex casserole.

The creamy, homey dish is delicious over steamed rice, although meat eaters can enjoy it as a side alongside fajitas or brisket. Leftovers (if there are any) are fantastic over fried breakfast potatoes with plenty of salsa. Yum!

Credit: Photo: Joe Lingeman | Food Stylist: Cyd McDowell

What Is Hominy?

Hominy is made by soaking corn kernels in an alkaline solution to remove the tough outer hull and germ. This process causes the kernels to swell. Once rinsed of the solution, the kernels can be ground into masa to make corn tortillas, finely ground for masa harina, or dried to be cooked.

You can buy hominy dried or canned in the Latin aisle of your grocery store. If dried, rehydrate according to package instructions. If canned, drain and rinse before using.

Slow Cooker Hominy Squash Casserole

Plump, juicy hominy, Mexican squash, and crema are the stars in this cozy slow-cooked casserole.

Cook time 4 hours

Serves 4 to 6

Nutritional Info

Ingredients

  • 1 pound

    calabacita or zucchini squash, diced

  • 1 (15-ounce) can

    hominy, drained and rinsed

  • 1 (15-ounce) can

    Mexican style diced tomatoes, or 1 1/2 (10-ounce) cans Ro-Tel Tomatoes with Diced Tomatoes and Green Chiles

  • 1/2 cup

    diced onion

  • 1 teaspoon

    salt

  • 1 teaspoon

    freshly ground black pepper

  • 1/4 teaspoon

    dried oregano

  • 1 1/2 to 2 cups

    vegetable broth

  • 1 cup

    shredded cheddar, plus more for garnish

  • 1/4 cup

    Mexican crema

  • 1/2 cup

    chopped fresh cilantro leaves, for garnish

Instructions

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  1. Combine the squash, hominy, tomatoes, onion, salt, black pepper, and oregano in a slow cooker. Gradually add 1 1/2 cups of the vegetable broth to the mixture; the mixture should be covered by the broth, but there shouldn't be so much broth that it doesn't fully absorb, creating a casserole consistency. Add the remaining 1/2 cup of the broth, if needed.

  2. Add 1 cup of the cheese and the crema and stir until all the ingredients are well combined. Cover and cook on low for 4 hours.

  3. After 4 hours, check the squash to see if all the broth has been absorbed, as slow cookers' temperatures can vary. If the broth has not been completely absorbed, continue cooking and checking at 20-minute intervals for doneness.

  4. Once all the broth has been absorbed, garnish with the remaining cheese and the cilantro and serve warm.

Recipe Notes

Reprinted with permission from The Tex-Mex Slow Cooker: 100 Delicious Recipes for Easy Everyday Meals by Vianney Rodriguez. Copyright © 2018 by Countryman Press.