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Skip the sweet potatoes and make this simple, delicious Butternut Squash Casserole. Warm, comforting squash with a hint of cinnamon and a buttery, crumble topping with pecans. A great compliment to any cozy fall meal.
If you are a sweet potato casserole fan, then you will LOVE this Thanksgiving inspired Butternut Squash Casserole--a delicious twist on a classic that no holiday spread is complete without.
I don't say no to any of these sorts of side dishes, ever. Marshmallow topped or buttery pecan crumbles spread all over, all are perfection to me.
The buttery topping is what I think pairs so well with the sweetness of the butternut squash in this version. It almost tastes too good to be true. You can make this Pumpkin Pie Crumble as well if this kind of dish is your favorite!
Why You Will Love This Butternut Squash Casserole:
- It's so simple to make! All you have to do is roast the butternut squash in half. This makes for simple prep: no boiling, no peeling, just bake and scoop.
- It's sweet, but not too sweet. Some sweet potato casseroles are a little too much for me. The balance of the butter and the brown sugar in the layers, is spot on and a great balance to the savory dishes on the holiday spread.
- You could easily shift it into a dessert! It can most certainly double as a dessert! Scoop a big spoonful of vanilla ice cream on top and DIVE IN.
- Great to make ahead of time. You can make this butternut squash casserole a day in advance and then just warm it up before you are ready to eat. One more thing to get on top of before the big day!
Recipe Ingredients:
- butternut squash: Roasting a whole butternut squash is easier than you would think! But to save time, you could use precut squash and just roast it that way. If you have never cut a butternut squash before, don't be afraid. With a little effort, it's fairly simple. I microwave it for about 2 minutes to help soften it slightly. Then cut it down the middle and scoop out the seeds. Here is a great resource.
- butter: salted or unsalted will work, we typically use unsalted
- milk: whole milk is ideal in this recipe for the richest, creamiest butternut squash layer, but you could use a dairy free milk or even 2% dairy milk will work
- brown sugar: light or dark, light is what we mostly have on hand
- eggs: large eggs
- cinnamon: cinnamon is my go-to spice in this recipe, but you could also add a touch of nutmeg, ginger or cloves if desired to change it up a touch.
- vanilla: use a good vanilla extract versus vanilla imitation for the best flavor in your squash casserole
- sea salt: a touch to round out the flavor of this dish
- flour: all purpose flour is best. A 1:1 gluten free flour should work well if you need to make this recipe gluten free.
- pecans: this is for the crumble topping. If you have an allergy, you can omit or use chopped walnuts or another nut you prefer
Step-By Step Instructions:
The part that makes this recipe a bit time consuming is the roasting of the butternut squash. The good thing though is that you can roast it in advance to save time the day that you make your Butternut Squash Casserole.
- Cut your squash in half, place it face down on a parchment lined baking pan. Bake for about 45 minutes or until the flesh is softened. (steps 1-3)
- Scoop all of the butternut squash out the skin. Mash it well. (step 4)
- Add in the other ingredients for the butternut squash layer and stir well to combine. For an extra smooth and creamy texture, you can use a mixer to beat the mixture instead. If texture is hard for you, this may be something you want to do. (steps 5 and 6)
- In a separate bowl, add all of the topping ingredients and stir well to combine. (step 7)
- Butter or grease a 9 inch square pan and pour the butternut squash mixture into it. Add the crumble topping evenly over top. Bake for about 40 minutes or until the topping is browned and the butternut squash layer has set.
- Cool for about 10 minutes and serve!
Notes and Pro-Tips:
- You can eat this butternut squash casserole warm or cold. I have had it both ways several times and still can't figure out which I like better.
- It's hard to mess this recipe up--it's pretty fail proof. The bottom layer is creamy and soft, it won't be stiff, but it also won't be liquid. Somewhere in the middle is just right. The topping can be browned however you like.
- You can make this recipe a day in advance. I found warming it in the oven the next day still was delicious.
- As I mentioned before, you can also prep the butternut squash ahead of time to save a little time on the day you are serving this recipe.
Try these other simple side dishes:
- Simple Apple Sage Stuffing
- Instant Pot Garlic Parmesan Mashed Potatoes
- Butternut Squash Stuffing
- Simple Honey Biscuits
- Warm Brie Crostini with Cranberry Chutney
- Parmesan Bacon Green Been Casserole
- Balsamic Cranberry Chutney
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Butternut Squash Casserole
Skip the sweet potatoes and make this simple, delicious Butternut Squash Casserole. Warm, comforting squash with a hint of cinnamon and a buttery, crumble topping with pecans. A great compliment to any cozy fall meal.
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Servings: 12
Calories: 232kcal
Ingredients
For the Butternut Squash Layer:
- 1 butternut squash
- ¼ c butter
- ½ c Milk
- ¼ c brown sugar
- 2 eggs, lightly beaten
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
For the Topping:
- 5 T butter, melted
- ½ c plus 2 T flour
- ½ c brown sugar
- 1 c pecans
- ½ teaspoon vanilla
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Cut the butternut squash in half and scoop out seeds. Place the squash face down on a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake for about 45 minutes or until the squash is softened and easy to scoop out.
- Remove from the oven and turn the temperature down to 350°F. Allow the butternut squash to cool slightly. Scoop out the squash into a medium mixing bowl. Add in the melted butter, brown sugar eggs, milk, vanilla, sea salt and cinnamon. Whisk well until smooth. You can also use an electric mixer for this part for an extra smooth texture.
- In a separate bowl, combine all of the topping ingredients and stir to combine.
- Grease a 9x9 inch baking pan. Pour the butternut squash mixture into the pan. Sprinkle the crumble topping over it evenly. Bake for about 40-45 minutes or until the squash layer has set and the topping is golden brown to your liking.
- Allow to cool for about ten minutes before serving. This can also be served chilled. Store leftovers in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
Notes
- You can eat this butternut squash casserole warm or cold. I have had it both ways several times and still can't figure out which I like better.
- It's hard to mess this recipe up--it's pretty fail proof. The bottom layer is creamy and soft, it won't be stiff, but it also won't be liquid. Somewhere in the middle is just right. The topping can be browned however you like.
- You can make this recipe a day in advance. I found warming it in the oven the next day still was delicious.
- As I mentioned before, you can also prep the butternut squash ahead of time to save a little time on the day you are serving this recipe.
Nutrition
Calories: 232kcal | Carbohydrates: 28g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 51mg | Sodium: 243mg | Potassium: 332mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 16g | Vitamin A: 8358IU | Vitamin C: 16mg | Calcium: 70mg | Iron: 1mg
Did you try this recipe? I would love to see it! Mention @LemonsAndZest or tag #LemonsAndZest!
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BobM says
Hi Lorie,
Can you tell us the approximate weight of the squash you use for this recipe? Thanks.
-BobM
Lorie says
Hi! About 2 1/2 - 3 lbs should work well!