Healthy butternut squash casserole is a family favorite recipe. This casserole is creamy, sweet, and healthy! This is easy to make and perfect for fall, Thanksgiving or Christmas!
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Reasons You Will Love This
- This casserole is a healthy version of the normal butternut squash casserole. It contains less sugar and fat than most recipes.
- This casserole is the perfect option for an easy side dish to bring to a party, holiday gathering, or potluck.
- The casserole is an easy and delicious way to eat veggies!
- Butternut Squash Casserole is a sweet, creamy dish that can be eaten as a healthy dessert if desired!
- It is easy to make and takes less than 15 minutes to prep!
Ingredients Needed
- Butternut Squash: choose a large-sized butternut squash, weighing around 2 – 2.5 pounds. Look for a squash that does not have any large cuts or bruises on it. It should be beige in color.
- Egg: helps bind the mixture together. Leave out for dietary needs if desired.
- Almond Milk: regular skim milk, soy milk, or coconut milk can be used instead.
- Brown Sugar: adds sweetness. Sub with maple syrup if desired
- Melted Butter: alternative options are coconut oil or margarine.
- Spices: Add a festive flavor, feel free to adjust to your liking.
- Topping: Oat flour ( I made this by grinding up gluten-free old-fashioned oatmeal in the food processor), maple syrup, pecans, and oil. Double this if you want extra topping.
How to Make Butternut Squash Casserole
Cut the butternut squash in half. Cook in the oven for 45 minutes or until tender.
More on the easiest way to slice butternut squash in this air fryer butternut squash recipe!
Combine the butternut squash, eggs, milk, sugar, butter, vanilla, and spices in a bowl. Mix until combined.
I recommend using a food processor or electric mixer to make it evenly blended and smooth. If you prefer a less smooth texture, however, mix with a fork! Pour the mixture into a greased pan.
Prepare the topping. Feel free to double the topping if you want extra. Make the oat flour (I make this by putting gluten-free oatmeal in a food processor/blender and blending until smooth). Combine it with the syrup, chopped pecans, and butter. Spread over the casserole and bake!
Leftovers
Store this butternut squash casserole in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. To help keep the casserole safe to eat, make sure to refrigerate the casserole within 2 hours and split it into shallow pans for quick cooling. More info on how to safely store leftovers here!
When to Serve Butternut Squash Casserole
- Serve at holidays: this is the perfect recipe for a Thanksgiving dinner, Easter brunch, Mother’s day, or Christmas dinner. It works for any family get-together where you are looking for a healthy side dish option that still tastes good!
- Side Dish: serve as a side dish for lunch or dinner: this is a great way to sneak in a vegetable source and still tastes great.
- Dessert: Butternut squash casserole is a healthy dessert option! This is a great alternative to a high-fat/calorie-loaded dessert.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! This is a great time-saving tip! Frozen butternut squash cubes can be found in the freezer aisle of most grocery stores. Look for cubes that are already cut up and cooked. Typically, about 1.5-1.75 pounds of frozen butternut squash is equal to a 2-pound whole butternut squash. Warm the cubes in the microwave and then follow the recipe as normal.
Gluten-Free Casserole: use gluten free oatmeal. Double check the ingredient list on all the other ingredients, however, most of them should already be gluten-free!
Dairy Free Casserole: replace the butter with coconut oil. Always check your other ingredients to make sure they don’t have dairy hidden in the ingredients!
Expert Tips
- Cook the butternut squash until completely tender. If not cooked long enough, the casserole will not be very creamy.
- Store in a covered dish in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Reheat in the microwave. Add a dash of butter when reheating to enhance the flavor.
- Save a few pecans out and add to the topping prior to cooking. This helps add a nice garnish.
Nutrition Information
This dish is considered a healthy (light) version of butternut casserole. Here are a few things that make it healthy:
- Butternut squash is a main ingredient in the casserole. This orange veggie is packed with vitamins and minerals. It is particularly high in Vitamin A, Vitamin C, and potassium.
- Butternut squash is relatively low in calories. It offers a decent serving of fiber, which may help with your digestive tract.
- The casserole is topped with oatmeal and oat flour. This is another good source of fiber.
- The sugar in this dish has been decreased to only ¼ cup in the casserole and 2 tablespoon in the topping. It also uses maple syrup as a source of sweetener.
- There is no added cream and only a small amount of butter, which helps to keep it low in calories compared to your normal butternut squash casserole.
Healthy Modifications
Looking to make this recipe even healthier than it already is? Here are some tips:
- Substitute the brown sugar that’s added to the casserole with a mashed banana. This will add a natural source of sweetener. Just make sure the banana is really ripe!
- Decrease the amount of oatmeal topping used to decrease calories. Cut the recipe in half and sprinkle it on evenly over the top of the casserole.
- Replace the butter with an alternative source of fat, such as coconut oil or olive oil.
More Favorite Recipes
Healthy Butternut Squash Casserole
Ingredients
- 1 medium butternut squash about 3 cups when cooked
- 1 large egg
- ½ cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
- 2 tbsp butter melted
Topping
- 1 cup old fashioned oatmeal (gluten free if desired)
- ½ cup oat flour
- 1 cup pecans chopped
- ½ cup maple syrup
- ½ cup coconut oil
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- 2 tablespoon brown sugar
Instructions
Cooking the Butternut Squash
- Preheat oven to 400 F. Rinse the butternut squash, then slice in half lengthwise. Remove all seeds.
- Place the squash cut-side down in a baking pan. Fill with 1 inch of water. Cook for 40 minutes or until tender. Let cool.
Prepare the Casserole
- Preheat oven to 350F. Grease an 8x8 inch baking pan or a 2 quart dish with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside.
- Scoop out the insides of the butternut squash and place in a large mixing bowl.
- Add the egg, almond milk, vanilla, brown sugar, nutmeg, cinnamon and melted butter.
- Mix for 1 minute using an electric mixer on low speed.
- Spread evenly into prepared baking dish.
Make the Topping
- In a medium mixing bowl, combine the oatmeal, oat flour, pecans, maple syrup, coconut oil, cinnamon and brown sugar. Mix until combined using a fork.
- Spread the topping evenly over the butternut squash casserole.
- Bake in the oven for 20 minutes. Serve warm.
Maggie says
What a great dish to have for the holidays and other occasions! Yummy! Thank you!