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Butternut Squash Casserole

Butternut squash casserole baked until the pecan streusel turns golden and the center is smooth and creamy. This Southern American side dish uses boiled-tender squash and a buttery brown sugar topping that bubbles at the edges.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Southern American
Calories: 320
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Vegetable base
  • 1 butternut squash Peeled and cubed (about 3 pounds).
  • 0.25 cup butter Melted, divided; use 1/4 cup for mashing and reserve 1/4 cup for streusel.
  • 0.25 cup brown sugar Divided; use 1/4 cup for mashing and reserve 1/4 cup for streusel.
  • 2 eggs
  • 0.5 cup milk
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 0.5 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 0.5 tsp salt
  • 0.25 cup all-purpose flour Use 1/2 cup total in streusel; measuring note: this line represents half the total flour for easy tracking.
Pecan streusel topping
  • 0.5 cup all-purpose flour Use 1/2 cup total for streusel; combine with pecans and remaining butter/brown sugar.
  • 0.75 cup pecans Chopped.
  • 0.25 cup butter Remaining 1/4 cup for streusel.
  • 0.25 cup brown sugar Remaining 1/4 cup for streusel.

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan
  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Boil and drain the squash
  1. Bring a pot of water to a boil, add the butternut squash, and boil for 15 minutes until very tender. Drain well so the casserole turns creamy instead of watery.
Preheat and grease the dish
  1. Preheat the oven to 350F and grease a 9x13-inch baking dish. Set it aside while you mash the squash.
Mash until smooth
  1. Mash the drained butternut squash with 1/4 cup butter, 1/4 cup brown sugar, eggs, milk, vanilla extract, ground cinnamon, and salt until smooth. Work until no big lumps remain for an even, spoonable texture.
Assemble the casserole
  1. Spread the smooth squash mixture into the greased baking dish in an even layer. Tap the dish gently to level the top.
Make the pecan topping
  1. Mix all-purpose flour, chopped pecans, remaining butter, and remaining brown sugar into a crumbly topping. The mixture should clump slightly when pressed, signaling it will crisp as it bakes.
Bake
  1. Bake at 350F for 35 to 40 minutes until the topping is golden and the edges bubble. Let it cool briefly so the filling sets for clean scoops.

Notes

For the creamiest casserole, boil the squash until very tender and drain thoroughly before mashing; any extra moisture can loosen the filling. Refrigerate leftovers in a covered container up to 4 days and reheat in the oven at 325F until warmed through. Freezing is not recommended because the texture can turn grainy after thawing. For a lighter option, use reduced-fat milk and swap half the butter for a plant-based butter substitute that measures like butter.