This Butternut Squash Casserole features a sweet and creamy filling that topped with a buttery pecan topping, that’s sure to steal the show at your Thanksgiving dinner. Plus, it can be prepared ahead of time, making it a convenient and impressive make-ahead side dish.
Ideal for those seeking cozy and comforting fall recipes, butternut squash offers a taste and texture reminiscent of pumpkins. Its earthy sweetness and nutritional benefits make it a perfect addition to your seasonal meals.
Like the roasted butternut squash, this squash recipe takes this sweet fall veggie and turns it into an easy baked casserole that is perfect as a Thanksgiving vegetable side dish.
Much like sweet potato souffle, this butternut squash casserole requires cooked and mashed puree.
How to cook butternut squash for casserole?
There are two main methods for cooking butternut squash to make a puree: roasting or boiling.
Boiling or steaming is faster but can lack the depth of flavor found in roasting. Roasting caramelizes the squash, enhancing its flavor and sweetness without adding extra water.
Additionally, roasting involves simply cutting the squash in half, while boiling requires chopping it into chunks—something that can be quite challenging. For these reasons, roasting is not only easier but also yields a more flavorful and caramelized result, which is why it’s the preferred method in this recipe.
Jump to:
Why you'll love it?
- Creamy filling without any cheese or sour cream.
- Buttery crunchy pecan topping is simply irresistible.
- Make it year round: Butternut squash is available year-round at most major grocery stores.
- Pantry staple ingredients
- Ideal for the holidays like Thanksgiving or Christmas
- No peeling the butternut squash
- Make ahead veggie casserole
👩🍳Pro tip: For this butternut squash casserole recipe, you'll need about 2½ pounds of squash. This could be one large squash or two smaller ones.
How to make butternut squash casserole?
You can find full printable recipe below, but here is a quick overview of the procedure along with step-by-step photos.
Want To Save This Recipe?
Enter your email below, and we’ll send the link straight to your inbox. Plus, you'll get more creative recipe ideas every Sunday!
To make pecan topping, mix chopped toasted pecans, melted butter, brown sugar, salt and cumin powder in a small bowl.
How to store and reheat?
Store leftover butternut squash casserole in the baking pan, covered with foil in the fridge for 3 to 4 days or frozen for up to 2 months.
To reheat from the fridge - Preheat the oven to 350°F. Bake the uncovered casserole for 20-30 minutes, or until heated through. To keep the pecan topping crisp, cover it loosely with foil for the first part, then remove the foil for the last 10 minutes.
To reheat from the freezer - If frozen, it’s best to thaw the casserole in the refrigerator overnight before reheating.
Make ahead instructions
- To make ahead the roasted butternut squash - Roast the squash, let it cool, and mash it. Store the mashed puree in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Prepare the casserole on the day you plan to serve it.
- To make ahead the casserole - Prepare the butternut squash filling, spread it in a baking dish, cover, and refrigerate for up to a day. On the day of serving, mix the topping, sprinkle it over the filling, and bake.
Pro tip: You can add the pecan topping before refrigerating the casserole if you prefer, but for the best crispness, it’s usually better to sprinkle it on just before baking.
Recipe tips
- Use approximately 2½ pounds of butternut squash, which can be one large squash or two smaller ones.
- Make it dairy-free by using melted coconut instead of butter.
- Make it healthier by replacing brown sugar with maple syrup and using coconut oil instead of butter.
More fall recipes
Butternut Squash Casserole
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 to 3 lbs Butternut squash (1 large or 2 small)
- ½ cup packed light brown sugar
- 4 tablespoons melted unsalted butter
- 2 eggs lightly beaten
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ to ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
Topping
- ¾ cup toasted pecans chop into small pieces
- 3 tablespoons melted unsalted butter
- 1 ½ tablespoon packed light brown sugar
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon cumin powder
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and grease a 8x8 square baking dish.
- Cut butternut squash in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds. Place it cut side down on the prepared baking sheet and bake 1 hour or until very tender.
- Cool and scoop out the flesh into a large bowl and mash until smooth using a potato masher.
- Add ½ cup packed brown sugar, 4 tablespoons melted butter, 2 beaten eggs, cinnamon, ½ teaspoon salt and black pepper. Whisk until smooth and combined.
- Spread the mixture into the greased square baking dish.
- Sprinkle the topping evenly and bake at 350°F for 35 to 45 minutes, or the topping looks deep brown. To make topping, stir all topping ingredients in a small bowl until combined.
- Cool casserole for a few minutes before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information, based on third-party calculations, should be seen as estimates, not guarantees, as various factors like product types, brands, processing methods, and more can alter the nutritional content in recipes.
Did you make this recipe? I’d love your feedback! Please let me know by leaving a comment, a star rating or review below.
All contents and images are my original work, unless and otherwise mentioned. Please do not use my recipes or images without linking back to www.kitchenathoskins.com. If you wish to republish a recipe, please rewrite in your own words and don’t forget to include a link back to the original recipe.
Emily
Wondering if I can use frozen butternut squash for this recipe? It looks very good!