Butternut Squash Casserole

This super easy butternut squash casserole is the most delicious side dish to any holiday meal. It has a creamy texture with a crunchy brûléed top. It is the perfect combination.

This thanksgiving is our first time hosting at our home. I am beyond excited! As a prep we decided to also host a Friendsgiving a few weeks prior. My husband asked me to make a butternut squash casserole. I had personally never heard of such a thing. I’d heard of and had a sweet potato casserole but my husband insisted on butternut squash. I was excited for the challenge!

My husband and I found some inspiration from a few different recipes, some more savory, some more sweet, some simple, some more involved. I showed my husband a few and he said “no, I just want squash with brown sugar and butter.” He then found another recipe himself aligned more with what he was wanting.

To put this together I peeled two smaller butternut squashes, diced them up into about 1-1.5 inch cubes. I put them into my instant pot with a cup of water and put it on the steam setting. You could also just put it on high pressure for 10-15 minutes. I let it naturally pressure release for a while simply because I couldn’t get to immediately. You can pressure release immediately though. I have a little tip for when you do a quick pressure release: place a towel over top of the spout. It won’t sputter and steam up your whole kitchen it will just get the condensation on the outside of the instant pot.

Once the squash was cooked I strained off the extra liquid, then I added it to the dish that I served it in. I used a potato masher to mash it up. I added 1 cup of heavy cream, 1/2 teaspoons salt, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice, 1 teaspoon of vanilla, 3/4 c brown sugar, and 1-3 tablespoons of butter.

Again, I just used a potato masher to mix this all up. You could use a stand mixer, a potato masher, a fork, etc. I just mashed it all up until it was nice a creamy. Once it was all mashed up I smoothed out the top then sprinkled sugar over the top. I wiped up the edges of my pan (since I mixed everything in it) and then popped it under my broiler until the sugar was hard. It gave the most delicious crust to the top that was so satisfying to eat!

Why you will love this recipe

Perfect side dish for the holidays — This is a take on the classic sweet potato casserole, but made with butternut squash instead.

Delicious and so simple — This is the most simple thing you can make! Just cook the squash, add all the other ingredients, then brûlée the top and *chefs kiss* perfection!

Great to take to a gathering — This is a simple dish to put together and take to a family or friend holiday gathering. It’s so easy to travel with, just make it and cover it with plastic wrap, aluminum foil, or a beeswax wrap.

Butternut Squash Casserole Ingredients

Butternut Squash — Butternut squash can vary greatly in size. Aim for a total of about 2 lbs of squash before cooking.

Brown Sugar — If you don’t have brown sugar on hand you can make your own using plain sugar and molasses. If you’d like you can also sub the brown sugar for maple syrup.

Vanilla — The most delicious baking staple

Salt — You cannot beat a good savory sweet combo

Heavy Cream — This adds the most amazing creamy texture to this casserole

Cinnamon — You can totally add an extra 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon if you don’t have pumpkin pie spice

Pumpkin Pie Spice — If you don’t have pumpkin pie spice you can mix some up using cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, all spice, and clove.

Butter — Along with the heavy cream the addition of butter adds great creaminess and salt.

How To Make Butternut Squash Casserole

Step 1: Preheat oven to 350 degrees, or get out your instant pot if using that, peel the butternut squash, cut in half and remove the seed, then dice into 1-1.5 inch cubes. Drizzle with olive oil if roasting and toss or add to the instant pot with a cup of water. If roasting cook for 20-30 minutes. If cooking in instant pot set to high pressure for 15 minutes, quick release when done.

Step 2: Once the butternut squash is done cooking (drain off water if cooked in instant pot) add it too a bowl along with the 1-3 tablespoons of butter, 1 c of heavy cream, 1 tsp of cinnamon, 1 tsp of pumpkin pie spice, 1 tsp vanilla, 1/2 tsp of salt, and 3/4 c of brown sugar. You can use a potato masher like I did to mix this all up, a hand beater, a fork, or stand mixer.

Step 3: Put mixture into your chosen baking dish (8×8) and sprinkle with sugar

Step 4: Put dish under the broiler until sugar is crunchy or you could use a torch if you have one

Tips

• Want to make this ahead of time? You totally can! I did when I hosted thanksgiving. I just didn’t put the sugar on top until I need it to be hot. To heat it up I baked it along side my stuffing and then once it was warmed through I did the brûléed top.
• You could make this dairy free if you omitted the butter and used coconut cream in place of the heavy cream
• You could use frozen butternut squash if you’re making this not in the fall/winter

FAQ

Can this butternut squash casserole be frozen? For sure it can! Leave the sugar off the top until it is thawed and you’re ready to cook it. For best results thaw it in the fridge the night before you need it. When you’re ready to make it bake it at 350 F until heated through then add the sugar on top and brûlée it under the broiler or with a torch

Is it better to roast the butternut squash or cook it in the instant pot? The flavor is a bit more savory if you roast the butternut squash because the natural sugars of caramelized. Cooking it in the instant pot is faster and doesn’t change the flavor of the butternut squash at all.

How long can this butternut squash casserole last in the fridge after it is made? This casserole will last in the fridge for 3-4 days if covered with plastic wrap, a beeswax wrap, or aluminum foil. The dish I made this in had a lid and that worked just fine too.