This mirliton dressing is a classic Cajun recipe that features chayote squash, shrimp, cubed ham, bread crumbs, herbs, and spices! It is delicious, flavorful, and a wonderful side dish for any holiday feast. Go ahead and plan on making this recipe for your next family get-together, you won't be disappointed!
Easy Mirliton Dressing With Shrimp
Mirliton (or chayote) dressing with shrimp is a Lousiana style comfort food perfect for family gatherings or festive holiday meals! Mirliton squash is boiled, peeled, and baked with onions, garlic, shrimp, ham, herbs, and breadcrumbs!
With its Cajun flavors and comforting textures, this dressing will become an instant holiday favorite! It tastes so good that your family will be asking for it every year.
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🥘 Mirliton Ingredients
Both fresh and (thawed) frozen shrimp work wonderfully in this recipe, just be sure to buy the raw frozen shrimp! If you can't find mirliton squash, substitute it for either yellow squash or zucchini.
- Mirliton - 3 pounds mirliton (whole chayote squash).
- Shrimp - 1 pound of fresh or frozen shrimp (thawed, peeled, and deveined).
- Butter - 1 tablespoon of butter (divided into 2 half portions of ½ tablespoon each, one for optional topping).
- Yellow Onion - 1 cup of yellow onion (chopped).
- Garlic - 1 teaspoon of garlic (minced).
- Dried Thyme - 1 teaspoon of dried thyme.
- Salt & Pepper - ¼ teaspoon of each, salt & pepper (to taste).
- Cooked Ham - 1 pound of cooked ham (cubed).
- Egg - 1 large egg for delicious richness.
- Bread Crumbs - 1 ½ cups dry bread crumbs (divided into 2 portions, 1 cup for the mirliton and ½ cup for the optional topping).
*Be sure to see the free printable recipe card below for ingredients, exact amounts & instructions with tips!*
🔪 How To Make Mirliton Dressing
You will spend the most time boiling the mirliton, but the rest is easy! Grab a large stockpot, skillet, and 9X13 baking dish to get started.
This recipe will yield 8 servings. Make sure to reserve at least 2 tablespoons of the water that you boil the shrimp in for assembling the dressing.
- Boil mirliton. Boil a large pot of water. Place the mirliton in the water and boil until tender (about 45 minutes). Drain, peel, and cool the squash then cut them into halves. Remove the seeds and cut them into cubes.3 pounds mirliton
- Boil shrimp. Bring another large pot of water to a boil and add the shrimp. Cook for 5 minutes or until the shrimp turns pink. Drain the shrimp, set aside, and reserve the water for later. Preheat oven to 250°F (120°C).1 lb fresh shrimp
- Saute onion and garlic. Take out a large skillet and heat ½ tablespoon of butter over medium-high heat. Saute 1 cup of onion for 2-3 minutes, add 1 teaspoon of minced garlic, 1 teaspoon of dried thyme, ¼ teaspoon of salt, and ¼ teaspoon of pepper. Saute for an additional 30 seconds and then remove from heat. Continue stirring as the pan cools slightly. Set aside.
- Assemble dressing. Whisk the 1 large egg in a small bowl and add 2 tablespoons of water from the shrimp. Pour the mixture into the baking dish. Mix in the breadcrumbs and the rest of the butter until thoroughly blended. *If the dressing seems dry, you can add a little more water from the shrimp.
- Bake and serve. Bake at 250°F (120°C) for 1 hour and 30 minutes or until golden on top.
This meaty Cajun dressing can be filling on its own, however, it's great to serve as a side dish too! Pair it with some holiday favorites like creamed corn and roasted turkey. Enjoy!
💭 Angela's Tips & Recipe Notes
- 3 pounds of squash is about 6 8-ounce mirliton squash.
- You may substitute yellow squash or zucchini if you can't get hold of mirliton (chayote).
- If you don't have fresh shrimp, you may use frozen raw shrimp if desired.
- Spice it up! I don't ever skip the breadcrumb topping and I like to add a dash of my Cajun seasoning to it too!
🥡 Storing & Reheating
Place any leftovers in an airtight container and store them in the refrigerator for up to 3-5 days.
To freeze, put your mirliton dressing in a freezer-safe container and freeze it for up to 4 months.
Reheating Mirliton
Place your dressing in a casserole dish and cover it with aluminum foil. Bake in the oven at 350°F (175°C) for 25-30 minutes or until heated through. You may also reheat individual slices in the microwave in 30-second intervals until warmed to your liking.
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❓ Recipe FAQs
Absolutely! You can make mirliton dressing up to 2 days in advance. Make sure to let the dressing completely cool and that you wrap it airtight before placing it in the fridge. Once you are ready to serve, place it out at room temperature for 30 minutes, then cover the baking dish with aluminum foil and bake it in the oven at 350°F (175°C) for 20 minutes.
Yes! Mirtliton dressing can be frozen for 3 to 4 months in an airtight container. Defrost in the fridge for at least 24 hours before reheating in the oven at 350°F (175°C) for 20 minutes
The skin of a mirliton is completely edible. It is technically okay if some of the skin is still left on when you are assembling the dressing. However, it is easy to remove once boiled!
😋 More Tasty Holiday Side Dishes
- Oyster Dressing - A unique and delicious Thanksgiving dressing featuring dried bread, herbs, chopped veggies, and shucked oysters!
- Bacon Cream Cheese Mashed Potatoes - Mashed potatoes are a classic side dish, this recipe adds cream cheese and bacon for an added savory rich flavor!
- Campbell's Green Bean Casserole - This traditional Thanksgiving side dish is wonderful to enjoy any time of the year!
- Instant Pot Mac And Cheese - A quick and effortless mac & cheese recipe that uses shredded cheddar and Velveeta for extra gooey deliciousness!
- Cornbread Stuffing - This stuffing recipe adds in cornbread and bacon for extra flavor!
- Instant Pot Au Gratin Potatoes - A creamy, rich, and wonderfully cheesy side dish that pairs well with anything!
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📖 Recipe Card
Mirliton
Ingredients
- 3 pounds mirliton (whole chayote squash)
- 1 lb fresh shrimp (thawed, peeled, and deveined)
- 1 tablespoon butter (divided into 2 half portions of ½ tablespoon each, one for optional topping)
- 1 cup yellow onion (chopped)
- 1 teaspoon garlic (minced)
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- ¼ teaspoon each, salt & pepper (to taste)
- 1 lb cooked ham (cubed)
- 1 large egg
- 1 ½ cups dry bread crumbs (divided into 2 portions, 1 cup for the mirliton and ½ cup for the optional topping)
(Note: 2x or 3x only changes the ingredient list)
Instructions
- Boil a large pot of water. Place the mirliton in the water and boil until tender (about 45 minutes). Drain, peel, and cool the squash then cut them into halves. Remove the seeds and cut into cubes.
- Bring another large pot of water to a boil and add the shrimp. Cook for 5 minutes or until the shrimp turns pink. Drain the shrimp, set aside, and reserve the water for later. Preheat oven to 250°F (120°C).
- Take out a large skillet and heat butter over medium-high heat. Saute onion for 2-3 minutes, add minced garlic, dried thyme, salt, and pepper. Saute for an additional 30 seconds and then remove from heat. Continue stirring as the pan cools slightly. Set aside.
- Whisk the egg in a small bowl and add 2 tablespoons of water from the shrimp. Pour the mixture into the baking dish. Mix in the breadcrumbs and the rest of the butter until thoroughly blended. *If the dressing seems dry, you can add a little more water from the shrimp.
- Bake at 250°F (120°C) for 1 hour and 30 minutes or until golden on top.
Notes
- 3 pounds of squash is about 6 8-ounce mirliton squash.
- You may substitute yellow squash or zucchini if you can't get hold of mirliton (chayote).
- If you don't have fresh shrimp, you may use frozen shrimp if desired.
- To store: Place any leftovers in an airtight container and store them in the refrigerator for up to 3-5 days.
- Spice it up! I don't ever skip the breadcrumb topping and I like to add a dash of my Cajun seasoning to it too!
- To freeze: Put your mirliton dressing in a freezer-safe container and freeze it for up to 4 months.
- To reheat: Place your dressing in a casserole dish and cover it with aluminum foil. Bake in the oven at 350°F (175°C) for 25-30 minutes or until heated through. You may also reheat individual slices in the microwave in 30-second intervals until warmed to your liking.
- What Does Mirliton Taste Like?
- Is The Skin Of Mirliton Edible?
- Can I Use Other Seafood In Mirliton Dressing?
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