Apple Butternut Squash Casserole with Pecan Crumble
This scrumptious casserole is both sweet and savoury. It’s filled with tender chunks of local apples and butternut squash, and topped with a buttery and crunchy pecan crumble. It’s a perfect side dish to accompany any holiday meal.
I can’t believe there are only two weeks left till Christmas! Are you ready? If you are, kudos to you. If you’re not, there’s still time. I’m somewhere in between. Most of my shopping is done, and I finally have the tree decorated, but I’m not into the Christmas tunes yet. I usually wait until a week before to really get into the spirit of things.
This year we are having Christmas at my brother’s place, so the pressure is off, and all I have to do is show up with the family, presents, dessert and a side dish. I haven’t decided on dessert yet, but I will definitely be bringing this wonderful apple and butternut squash casserole.
This recipe begins with a pound of local apples and butternut squash mixed with a bit of sugar and salt for a sweet and savoury appeal. I added a dash of cinnamon and nutmeg to enhance the fall and winter flavours of the apple and squash. Then I tossed some breadcrumbs with some brown sugar and butter for richness and warm notes of molasses.
Lastly, I finished it with a sprinkle of pecans for crunch and texture. The casserole smells amazing even before it’s cooked. Bake for about 45 minutes and you have an incredibly tasty casserole that everyone will love.
This apple and butternut squash casserole is tender and slightly sweet with a hint of spice. It’s topped with a buttery toasted breadcrumb and pecan crumble. This side dish is so delicious, you’ll be tempted to eat it for dessert!
Apple Butternut Squash Casserole with Pecan Crumble
Ingredients
Casserole
- 1 lb local apples, peeled, cored and chopped into bite size pieces (about 3 medium apples) I used Royal Gala
- 1.5 lbs butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into bite size pieces (about 1 medium squash)
- 2 Tbsp melted butter
- 2 Tbsp granulated sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg
Topping
- 3/4 cup (100g) plain breadcrumbs
- 1/4 cup (50g) brown sugar, lightly packed
- 4 tbsp melted butter
- 1/4 cup (30g) chopped pecans
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375F and position a rack in the lower third of your oven.
- In a 2.5-3 quart casserole dish, toss the apples, butternut squash and melted butter.1 lb local apples, 1.5 lbs butternut squash, 2 Tbsp melted butter
- Toss in the sugar, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg together.2 Tbsp granulated sugar, 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon, 1/4 tsp nutmeg, 1 tsp salt
- In a small bowl, mix the breadcrumbs and brown sugar together.3/4 cup (100g) plain breadcrumbs, 1/4 cup (50g) brown sugar
- Stir in the melted butter until all is moistened. Spoon evenly over top of the apple and squash. Sprinkle the pecans on top of the breadcrumbs.4 tbsp melted butter, 1/4 cup (30g) chopped pecans
- Bake for 45 minutes or until the apples and squash are tender. Loosely cover with foil after 30 minutes to prevent the top from over-browning. Serve immediately.
A beautiful casserole and that pecan crumble looks awesome! Thanks for sharing at Fiesta Friday!
Thanks for sharing all the details and joining the party at Fiesta Friday!