Butternut Squash Casserole – Looking for the perfect holiday side dish? This casserole is just what you need! Ridiculously easy to make, packed with flavor, and ideal for Thanksgiving or any festive gathering, it’s a dish that will simplify your holiday cooking while impressing everyone at the table.
Roasted Butternut Squash with Apples
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Ingredients For Butternut Squash Casserole
- Squash - I used smaller ripe butternut squash and it was enough for a small casserole dish. Use fresh squash or substitute with sweet Pumpkin. Read below in the next paragraph on how to choose perfectly ripe butternut squash.
- Apples - Granny Smith apples add delicious tartness to the dish.You can also use a mix of apple types, such as Gala and Granny Smiths.
- Cranberries - fresh or frozen, both work just fine.
- Brown sugar or coconut sugar - I love the sugar in this recipe as it gives a unique sweet flavor rather than using honey or maple syrup, which has a very specific aftertaste. That being said, it is still okay to use those or perhaps more neutral sweet syrup.
- Cornstarch - helps to thicken up the mixture. You can also use some gluten-free or regular all-purpose flour or tapioca flour instead.
📋 You can find the full ingredient list in the Recipe Card below the article.
How To Make Butternut Squash Casserole
Preheat oven to 350°F.
In a large bowl, mix together apples, butternut squash or pumpkin, and cranberries.
Mix in some brown sugar, coconut oil, cornstarch, salt, nutmeg and cinnamon and toss to evenly distribute.
Place the squash mixture in an ungreased 1 ½ to 2 quart prepared baking dish, cover with foil and bake for 20-25 minutes.
Remove from oven and toss lightly.
Bake, covered, for an additional 30-35 minutes, or until squash and apples are tender when pierced with a fork.
Let the casserole cool for about 10-15 minutes to allow the liquid in the bottom of the dish to thicken slightly. Serve warm.
If you have more apples left, make these delicious caramel apple scones for breakfast or dessert.
If you like more pumpkin or healthy squash casserole recipes, be sure to check out my Bacon Pumpkin Casserole, Butternut Squash Risotto, and Bacon Pumpkin Bake.
How To Know When Butternut Squash Is Ripe?
- Length: It should be of a proper length which will indicate it has been harvested at the right time. Most butternut squash will reach a length of 8–12 inches (20–30 cm).
- Stem: When a butternut squash ripens, the stem will turn color, from green to brown. Look for a firm deep brown stem. Avoid choosing a butternut squash from the store without a stem at all (it indicated the squash is overripe).
- Color: Look for a uniform color of golden or dark beige. If you see green patches, lines, or shiny exterior on its exterior, it isn’t ripe yet.
- Texture: Avoid choosing a squash with cuts, soft spots, or brown marks. A few blemishes on the surface are fine. Ripe butternut squash should also feel hard like an unripe avocado. Test with your fingernail, by pushing gently into the surface, it should feel hard and difficult to push through. Tap on it: Look for a hollow sound (just like with watermelon).
- Weight: When you find the right squash, compare its weight to other squashes. It should feel relatively heavy and not light compared to others.
Tips
- For an easier cutting - when cutting the squash, start by cutting off the top and bottom part first. This makes a significant difference later when you’ll be cutting it in half. Also, use a larger and thicker knife for this as the skin is very tough.
- Cranberries will become soft and open up during baking. If you like them to keep their shape more, add them only towards the end of cooking. Around 15-20 minute end mark.
- This dish will also release a lot of liquid after baking, so don’t worry it to be dry.
- Every oven is different and you may need to bake it for shorter. The dish is ready when apples and the squash are tender enough that you can easily pierce them with a fork. They should be softened but not mushy. So just keep an eye on this.
- The seasoning - use this recipe as a base with the spices I used. But do try after tossing all together. You may need to add more sugar or perhaps salt to make it to your liking.
- This dish is gluten free, vegan, nut free, and refined sugar free.
I recommend baking it with foil so it doesn’t dry out. This is also important if you want to add nuts, which need to be covered because they will burn easily.
What To Serve With Butternut Squash Casserole
This dish is ideal to be served as a side dish during holiday season, with main dishes such as Pork Tenderloin, Glazed Ham, Turkey or Roasted Whole Chicken.
Freezing And Storing Instructions
- Store any leftover casserole in the fridge for up to 2-3 days. For the best flavor consume right away or the next day. Reheat in the oven at the same temperature.
- To make ahead, you can add all squash, apples and cranberries into the casserole dish but don’t add the rest ingredients.
- Store in the fridge for 24 hours. On the day of making add all the rest of the ingredients and follow the recipe instructions for baking.
- To Freeze. Freeze it unbaked for 2-3 months. Thaw it overnight in the fridge. On the day of serving, bake as usual following the recipe instructions.
More Butternut Squash Recipes
For all recipes, please go to my Recipe Index.
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Recipe Card
Roasted Butternut Squash Casserole With Cranberries And Apples
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INGREDIENTS
- 3 cup butternut squash or pumpkin, peeled and cut into 1" cubes
- 1 medium green apple, peeled and cut
- ½ cup fresh or frozen cranberries
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil melted
- ½ tablespoon cornstarch
- 2 tablespoon brown sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- In a large bowl, mix apples, butternut squash or pumpkin, and cranberries.
- Mix brown sugar, coconut oil, cornstarch, salt, nutmeg, and cinnamon and toss to evenly distribute.
- Place the squash mixture in an ungreased 1 ½ to 2 quarts prepared baking dish, cover with foil and bake for 20-25 minutes.
- Remove from oven and toss lightly. Bake, covered, for an additional 30-35 minutes, or until squash and apples are tender when pierced with a fork.
- Let the casserole cool for about 10-15 minutes to allow the liquid in the bottom of the dish to thicken slightly. Serve warm.
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Julia | The Yummy Bowl
So simple, yet flavorful butternut squash casserole with cranberries and apples.