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Butternut Squash Casserole Recipe

November 18, 2011 by Jeanette 25 Comments

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Butternut Squash Casserole

Butternut Squash Casserole

For a number of years around Thanksgiving time, I ran an annual teacher appreciation luncheon at our middle school with two other moms. Along with an army of volunteers, we would prepare a complete Thanksgiving spread for the entire school’s faculty with turkey and all the trimmings. One of the most popular dishes was a Butternut Squash Casserole. The tradition started after someone brought this casserole to one of the lunches. Everyone enjoyed it so much (people were scraping the pan!) we added it to the Thanksgiving menu the following year, making it in mass quantities so everyone could get a scoop.

I haven’t made that butternut squash casserole in a couple of years, but when I came across Paula Deen’s Butternut Squash Casserole recipe recently, I was reminded of this popular Thanksgiving dish. Her rendition of this dish was more on the savory side, not cloyingly sweet like the one I remember. What surprised me the most about this recipe was that it didn’t have any butter in it…or cream – what happened Paula? Anyone who watches Paula Deen knows how she just loves butter. I think I even saw her deep fry butter balls one time. Yikes!

I haven’t watched Paula Deen on Food Network in a while, but I remember what caught my eye  —  her infectious smile, southern drawl, and playful sense of humor. Today, a group of bloggers is celebrating Paula Deen as one of the 50 Women Game Changers In Food.

As a single mom raising two boys with barely any money, Paula Deen started a lunch delivery service to businesses called The Bag Lady. Soon, her cooking became so well known in the community, that she opened her first restaurant in 1990, called The Lady and Sons. Today, Paula is the host of three popular Food Network shows, and the author of  four cookbooks. She also has her own line of cookware, knives and pantry items. Now that is truly a self-made success story, which is why I think she made the list for 50 Women Game Changers In Food.

I made this recipe with cranberries and unsweetened coconut on top (Paula uses raisins and sweetened coconut). Although the toppings were pretty, I would have preferred this without the extras on top (I like the pure creaminess of mashed butternut squash), and perhaps with a bit of maple syrup mixed in (to round out the flavors). If you’re looking for an alternative to sweet potatoes for Thanksgiving, give this Butternut Squash Casserole a whirl. Just adjust it to your taste (if you like it more savory, the recipe as written is fine). If you’re used to a sweeter casserole, add a little maple syrup.

Butternut Squash Casserole
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Butternut Squash Casserole Recipe

Adapted from Paula Deen. I only used one large butternut squash which seemed more than enough, so I can only assume the original recipe used smaller squashes. Instead of raisins and sweetened coconut, I used cranberries and unsweetened coconut flakes. I preferred the butternut squash casserole without the cranberries and coconut flakes, although they do make it look more festive. Stir in a little maple syrup if you want a bit of sweetness to this savory casserole.
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings 8

Ingredients

  • 3 small or 1 large butternut squash peeled, seeded and cubed
  • 1 onion chopped
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1/2 cup coconut milk
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons curry powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/2 cup cranberries
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened coconut flakes

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 2 1/2-quart casserole dish.
  2. In a large pot, combine squash and onion; add water to cover. Bring to a boil over high heat and cook 10 to 12 minutes or until squash is tender; drain well. Spoon squash mixture into a a food processor bowl.
  3. Add eggs, milk, curry powder, salt, and pepper to squash. Process until smooth.
  4. Spoon into prepared baking dish; sprinkle evenly with raisins and coconut. Bake 40 minutes or until center is set.

 

If you’re interested in joining our group as we cook our way through this list of 50 influential women in food, just ask Mary from One Perfect Bite.

Please stop by and take a look at what the rest of the group made this week in celebration of Paula Deen:

Annie from Most Lovely Things
Linda from There and Back Again
Val from More Than Burnt Toast
Joanne from Eats Well with Others
Taryn from Have Kitchen Will Feed 
Susan from The Spice Garden
Heather from girlichef 
Miranda from Mangoes and Chutney
Katie from Making Michael Poland Proud
Mary from One Perfect Bite
Sue from The View from The Great Island
Barbara from Movable Feasts
Nancy from Picadillo
Kathleen from Bake Away With Me
Veronica from My Catholic Kitchen
Mireya of My Healthy Eating Habits

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Filed Under: allergies, dairy-free, gluten-free, Holidays, side dishes, Thanksgiving, vegetarian Tagged With: 50 Women Game Changers In Food, butternut squash, butternut squash casserole, Paula Deen

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Comments

  1. Miranda says

    November 18, 2011 at 7:42 am

    I would never have thought of butternut squash for a casserole. This sounds awesome. I just made butternut squash gnocchi last night and it is one of my favorites from the squash family. I too like it with more sweetness, so I always throw in a bit of brown sugar even in a savory recipe. I agree with you on the maple syrup, that would be a fabulous addition.

    Reply
    • Jeanette says

      November 18, 2011 at 7:48 am

      Hi Miranda – when I first tried butternut squash casserole a few years back, I was surprised by how much I liked the creamy consistency. I do like it with a little sweetness…maybe I’ll change my mind over time and enjoy it more savory. Your butternut squash gnocchi sounds wonderful.

      Reply
  2. bellini says

    November 18, 2011 at 7:43 am

    This is one of those comfort foods that epitomizes what Paula is all about.

    Reply
    • Jeanette says

      November 18, 2011 at 7:45 am

      I couldn’t agree more – Paula is all about comfort food! I was just surprised that she had a recipe that didn’t have any butter in it 😉

      Reply
  3. Sue/the view from great island says

    November 18, 2011 at 8:52 am

    This is such a better alternative to those marshmallowed yams! —Did she really deep fry butter? I wish I’d seen that!

    Reply
  4. Jessica says

    November 18, 2011 at 10:05 am

    This sounds delicious, and I love the idea of the maple syrup. Yum!

    Reply
  5. juniakk @ mis pensamientos says

    November 18, 2011 at 10:57 am

    i had no idea that’s how paula’s restaurant started! wow. butternut casserole sounds delicious, never thought about making one nor have heard of it until now. is this on your thanksgiving menu? 🙂

    Reply
  6. Pretend Chef says

    November 18, 2011 at 11:06 am

    This looks so delicious. Yummy!

    Reply
  7. Lydia (The Perfect Pantry) says

    November 18, 2011 at 11:11 am

    You’re right — where’s the butter? I tend to stay away from her recipes because they are mostly not, shall we say, on the light side. But this one looks delicious. I’d leave off the coconut, too, and maybe sprinkle on some panko if I didn’t need it to be gluten-free.

    Reply
  8. Mireya @myhealthyeatinghabits says

    November 18, 2011 at 2:49 pm

    Hi Jeanette,
    Butternut squash casserole sound very tempting. It really sounds very good with the coconut milk and coconut on top. Did she use coconut milk in the original recipe?

    Reply
    • Jeanette says

      November 18, 2011 at 9:20 pm

      Paula’s recipe did use coconut milk, and no butter which was a huge surprise. I did use light coconut milk to make it a little lower in fat.

      Reply
  9. Mary says

    November 18, 2011 at 6:05 pm

    Your recipe choice is perfect for the season and worthy of the Thankgiving table. It sounds delicious and you’ve made me want to give it a try. I hope you have a great weekend. Blessings…Mary

    Reply
    • Jeanette says

      November 18, 2011 at 9:27 pm

      Thanks Mary – and Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family. Thanks once again for hosting this weekly event!

      Reply
  10. Alison @ Ingredients, Inc. says

    November 18, 2011 at 6:37 pm

    wow love this! Have a great weekend

    Reply
  11. Kathy says

    November 18, 2011 at 8:00 pm

    This looks absolutely lovely! Perfect for the Thanksgiving table! You’re right about the butter and cream in Paula’s cooking…deep fried Twinkies are part of the buffet at her restaurant! Happy Thanksgiving!

    Reply
  12. Heather @girlichef says

    November 18, 2011 at 8:20 pm

    I do love the look of it with the toppings, they’re very pretty! But the casserole itself must be the star, it sounds amazing! I think I should add it to my holiday menu. (…if it weren’t already set…no going back now! ha.)

    Reply
  13. Taryn (Have Kitchen, Will Feed) says

    November 18, 2011 at 9:38 pm

    Something without butter – amazing! Thanks for sharing.

    Reply
  14. annie says

    November 18, 2011 at 11:06 pm

    Jeanette,
    I love the idea of using cranberries instead of raisins–it’s so much more festive. Sounds delicious with coconut milk…yum! Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!
    xo
    annie

    Reply
    • Jeanette says

      November 18, 2011 at 11:38 pm

      Thanks Annie – I did like the color of the cranberries on top. Happy Thanksgiving to you too!

      Reply
  15. veronica gantley says

    November 19, 2011 at 6:24 am

    You picked a great recipe for this one Jeanette. Generally us southerners tend to cook the heck out of our vegetables. What no butter? Perhaps Paula is going soft on us. Thanks for sharing.

    Reply
    • Jeanette says

      November 19, 2011 at 9:25 am

      Thanks Veronica – I was so surprised to find a recipe of Paula’s with no butter. Maybe she had a weak moment 😉

      Reply
  16. Heidi Harris says

    November 11, 2016 at 10:27 am

    If making for thanksgiving dinner, could this be prepared the day before, then cooked the day of?

    Reply
    • Jeanette says

      November 11, 2016 at 4:22 pm

      You should be able to prepare this ahead of time – just leave off the topping.

      Reply
  17. Krystal says

    October 29, 2017 at 11:45 am

    Im wondering if this could be combined with an acorn squash and a butternut squash?

    Reply
    • Jeanette says

      October 29, 2017 at 6:00 pm

      Acorn squash is more watery than butternut squash, so it may affect the consistency of the casserole.

      Reply

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