Butternut Squash Casserole

Butternut squash casserole in a large ceramic casserole dish with a bowl of pecans and cinnamon sticks in the background and a wooden spoon scooping out some of the casserole.

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Prep Time30

Cook Time1 30

Total Time2

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Keyword: butternut squash casserole, butternut squash recipes, casserole recipes, holiday recipes, side dish recipe, Thanksgiving recipes, vegetable side dish

Servings: Servings

Calories: 442kcal

Author: Julia Mueller

Equipment

Large Casserole Dish

Ingredients

Butternut Squash Filling:

6 pounds butternut squash peeled and seeded
1 cup full-fat coconut milk*
½ cup pure maple syrup**
3 large eggs beaten
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 tsp sea salt
2 tsp ground cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice

Pecan Streusel Topping:

2/3 cup coconut sugar***
3/4 cup gluten-free all-purpose flour****
12 Tbsp coconut oil or unsalted butter melted
1.5 cups raw pecans chopped
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp sea salt

Instructions

Cook the Butternut Squash:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Chop the tip and tail off of each squash. Cut each squash in half lengthwise. Use a sturdy metal spoon to scoop out the seeds and innards out of the squash halves. Drizzle the flesh with avocado oil and use your hands to spread it around so that the flesh is coated with a layer of oil. Sprinkle the flesh with a little sea salt and place the squash halves on a large baking sheet cut-side down.
Roast the squash in the preheated oven for 50-60 minutes, or until it is very tender when poked with a fork.
Remove the roasted squash from the oven and allow it to cool for at least 20 minutes (ideally longer if you have more time).

Make the Butternut Squash Filling:

Once the squash has cooled (ideally to room temperature), use a spoon to scoop out the flesh and place it in a large bowl. Discard the skins. Use a potato masher to mash the butternut squash into a smooth consistency.
Add the rest of the ingredients for the filling (eggs, coconut milk, pure maple syrup, vanilla extract, cinnamon and sea salt), and use the potato masher or a large spoon to mix everything together until well combined.

Prepare the Casserole:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and spray a large 13” x 9” casserole dish with cooking spray.
Add all of the ingredients for the topping to a large mixing bowl and mix well until combined.
Pour the butternut squash filling into the prepared baking dish and spread it into an even layer.
Crumble the pecan topping mixture over the butternut squash layer, distributing it as evenly as possible (this doesn’t need to be perfect!).
Bake on the center rack of the preheated oven for 35-45 minutes, or until the topping is golden brown and the center of the casserole is 165 degrees Fahrenheit or higher. Insert a digital thermometer into the center of the casserole to take the internal temperature to check for doneness.
Allow the casserole to cool for 5-10 minutes before serving, and enjoy! Serve it with your main dish and any other side dishes you love.

Notes

*Replace the coconut milk with half & half if you prefer.

**Use brown sugar instead of pure maple syrup if you’d like.

***Replace the coconut sugar with brown sugar if you prefer

****If you don’t follow a gluten-free diet, use regular all-purpose flour instead of a gluten-free flour blend.

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