Butternut Squash Casserole
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This gluten-free Butternut Squash Casserole tastes just like fall. Roasted squash, potatoes, and apples are combined with sautéed aromatics, then served with melted Gruyère cheese and maple syrup on top. Full of cozy flavors and easy to make!
Why you’ll love this recipe!
Twist on a hash – Just like my butternut squash hash, this casserole puts a seasonal twist on a classic. Even better, you can serve it for breakfast, dinner, or as a side dish!
Best way to use fall produce – Not sure what to do with your butternut squash? Too much fall produce in the fridge? This easy, naturally gluten-free casserole is the perfect way to use it all up.
Quick & easy – The 15 minutes of hands-on prep time flies by, making this a fantastic low-effort holiday side dish or easy main dish.
Table of Contents
This Butternut Squash Casserole is a perfect fall recipe that lands somewhere between a hearty side dish, comforting breakfast, and light dinner. As a bonus, it’s naturally gluten-free and calls for only 15 minutes of hands-on work.
Roasted squash, potatoes, and apples are tossed with browned chicken sausage, fresh herbs, sautéed aromatics, and a touch of maple syrup. Covered with melted Gruyère cheese, each bite is more comforting and delicious than the last. Seriously, it’s like fall in a dish!
Do you love easy butternut squash recipes as much as I do? Then you’ll have to try my butternut squash smoothie for breakfast, this butternut squash farro salad for lunch, and these butternut squash enchiladas for dinner.
Butternut Squash Casserole Ingredients
Butternut squash – You’ll need a 1-pound squash, peeled and chopped into cubes. And if you can’t find squash, use sweet potatoes instead.
Potatoes – Russet potatoes are perfect for roasting, as are Yukon Gold and red potatoes. Use what you like or have on hand.
Apples – I chopped up 1 apple and roasted it with the squash and potatoes for some tart and sweet flavors. Gala apples are my favorite, but Fuji, Golden Delicious, and Honeycrisp work, too.
Italian chicken sausage links – One of my favorite lighter proteins to add to casseroles, just like in my cheesy potato chicken sausage casserole. Of course, you could always leave them out to make a vegetarian version.
Fresh herbs – I tossed everything with sage leaves and fresh thyme for the warmest, most comforting bites. You can also add fresh rosemary and parsley if you’d like.
Maple syrup – Make sure it’s 100% real maple syrup. I love how well it complements the sweet-tart apples and how it adds just the right amount of sweetness!
This list is to provide further clarification on a few of the ingredients. See recipe card below for the full ingredient list.
Variations
- Chicken sausage substitutes – Use sweet Italian sausage links, another ground sausage you like, ground turkey, or crispy bacon instead.
- Vegetarian option – Just omit the sausage to make a vegetarian butternut squash casserole.
- Roast even more vegetables, like chopped beets, acorn squash, broccoli florets, sweet potatoes, or delicata squash.
- Swap the apple for a chopped pear or leave it out if you’d prefer.
How to Make a Butternut Squash Casserole with Apples and Sausage
Step 1: Roast the veggies. Toss the squash, potatoes, and apple with the olive oil, salt, and pepper. Dump them on a baking sheet and roast in the oven until the squash and potatoes are fork-tender.
Step 2: Brown the sausage. Meanwhile, sear the crumbled chicken sausage in a large skillet until it’s browned and cooked through. Transfer to a bowl.
Step 3: Sauté the aromatics. To the empty skillet, add the onion and sauté until soft. Next, add the garlic, sage, and thyme and cook until fragrant. Take the pan off the heat and stir in the maple syrup.
Step 4: Top with cheese. Transfer the sausage and onion mixture and the roasted vegetables to a casserole dish. Sprinkle cheese on top and bake until it’s melted. Drizzle extra maple syrup on top before serving. Enjoy!
Erin’s Tips and Tricks
- You can use pre-peeled and chopped butternut squash from the grocery store to speed up the prep time!
- Use a slotted spoon when transferring the chicken out of the pan so you don’t miss out on any of the leftover grease. Cooking the onion and garlic in the fat infuses them with a ton of flavor!
- I like to garnish this casserole with 1 extra tablespoon of maple syrup, but fried sage leaves or chopped almonds, walnuts, pecans, or pumpkin seeds are tasty garnishes, too.
My Pro Tip
Melt The Cheese
Take the time to pop the casserole under the broiler during the last 1 to 2 minutes to make sure that the cheese gets bubbly and golden before serving.
Storage
Make-ahead: I like to serve this as soon as it comes out of the oven because that’s when the cheese is gooey and the vegetables are hot. But to make it ahead, assemble the casserole in the dish (without the cheese), then cover and refrigerate for up to 1 or 2 days.
Refrigerator: After it cools, store the leftover casserole in the covered dish or an airtight container and refrigerate for 3 to 4 days.
Reheating: You can microwave the leftovers or reheat them in a 350ºF oven or toaster oven for 15 to 20 minutes or until warmed through.
More Casserole Recipes
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Butternut Squash Casserole
Ingredients
- 1 lb. butternut squash, cubed into 1” pieces
- 2 russet potatoes, peeled and cubed into 1” pieces
- 1 apple, cubed into 1” pieces
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- Salt and pepper
- 4 mild Italian chicken sausage links, casing removed
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 onion, diced
- 3 garlic cloves
- 2 tbsp fresh sage, chopped
- 1 tbsp fresh thyme
- 2 tbsp maple syrup, plus more to taste (I ended up using 3 tbsp)
- 1 cup gruyere cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F and spray a large baking sheet with nonstick spray.
- Add the squash, potatoes and apple to a bowl, then drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper.
- Transfer the vegetables to the baking sheet and roast in the oven for 30-35 minutes, flipping halfway through.
- Meanwhile, cook the chicken sausage in a large, deep skillet over medium heat, using a wooden spoon to break it up until it’s browned and cooked through. Use a slotted spoon to remove it and place it in a bowl.
- To that same skillet, add the butter. Once melted, add the onion and sauté for 3-4 minutes until softened. Add the garlic, sage and thyme and sauté for 1 minute, then remove the skillet from the heat. Last, stir in the maple syrup.
- Grease a large casserole dish with nonstick spray, then transfer the sausage, onion mixture and roasted vegetables to the dish.
- Sprinkle cheese over top, then bake for 5 minutes until the cheese is melted and broil for 1-2 minutes. Before serving, I like to add 1 teaspoons of maple syrup on top (this is optional). Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
