Our Favorite Christmas Casserole

Summary:

Bring cozy flavors to your table with this Spiced Butternut Squash & Apple Casserole. Featuring roasted squash, tart apples, creamy goat cheese, and sweet maple-glazed walnuts, it’s the perfect balance of savory and sweet. A must-try for your fall menu!

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Lovely Recipes

Spiced Butternut Squash & Apple Casserole

This simple recipe pairs the natural sweetness of roasted butternut squash with the tangy freshness of apples, topped off with creamy goat cheese and maple-glazed walnuts for a touch of sweetness. While we enjoy the tartness of Granny Smith apples, you can opt for a sweeter variety like Honeycrisp if that suits your taste better

Ingredients

  • 1½ teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary

  • ¾ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

  • ½ teaspoon chopped fresh thyme, plus more for garnish

  • ¾ teaspoon salt, divided

  • ½ teaspoon ground pepper, divided

  • 1 butternut squash (about 2 pounds), peeled, seeded and cut into ½-inch pieces (about 6 cups)

  • 2 tablespoons canola oil, divided

  • 2 cups thinly sliced shallots

  • 2 tablespoons red-wine vinegar

  • ⅓ cup apple cider

  • 3 tablespoons pure maple syrup, divided

  • 3 small Granny Smith apples, unpeeled, chopped (about 4 cups)

  • ½ cup crumbled goat cheese

  • ¼ cup finely chopped walnuts

  • ¼ cup pomegranate arils

Directions

  1. Preheat your oven to 400°F. In a small bowl, whisk together 1½ teaspoons of rosemary, ¾ teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice, ½ teaspoon each of thyme and salt, and ¼ teaspoon of pepper. In a 9x13-inch baking dish, toss the squash with 1 tablespoon of oil and 2 teaspoons of the seasoning mix until evenly coated. Spread the squash out in a single layer and roast for about 30 minutes, stirring once, until it is fork-tender and lightly browned.

  2. In the meantime, heat 1½ teaspoons of oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add 2 cups of shallots along with the remaining ¼ teaspoon of salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the shallots are slightly softened and beginning to brown, about 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in 2 tablespoons of vinegar, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan, and cook for about 1 minute. Add ⅓ cup of cider and 2 tablespoons of maple syrup, cooking and stirring frequently until the liquid reduces by half, roughly 3 minutes. Remove from heat.

  1. Add the shallot mixture, chopped apples, the remaining 1½ teaspoons of oil, and 1½ teaspoons of the reserved seasoning mix to the baking dish with the roasted squash. Stir until well combined. Sprinkle with ½ cup of goat cheese and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until the liquid is bubbling around the edges and the apples are tender.

  2. While the casserole bakes, toast ¼ cup of walnuts with the remaining 1 tablespoon of maple syrup in a small nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until the walnuts become fragrant and start to stick together, about 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer them to a clean cutting board and let them cool for about 5 minutes, until easy to handle. Coarsely chop the walnuts, breaking up any large clusters. Sprinkle the chopped walnuts and ¼ cup of pomegranate arils over the casserole, and garnish with extra thyme if desired.