Butternut Squash Casserole! Every Thanksgiving Day table needs a stunning and delicious side dish. Roasted butternut squash, leeks, kale, Parmesan cheese and more, you’ve got to try this!
Disclosure: This is a paid, sponsored post in partnership with Tony Chachere’s Famous Creole Cuisine. All opinions are 100% my own.
I can hardly believe Thanksgiving is next week! Have you started menu planning yet? If not, don’t worry! I’m here to help! Here are my tips on how to make Thanksgiving more enjoyable and less stressful.
MY THANKSGIVING DAY TIME SAVING TIPS
- The Menu: Make a spreadsheet detailing the menu from the appetizers to the main dish to dessert: what you are making and what you are buying already made.
- Grocery: Make your grocery shopping list. Organize your list in groups so you can navigate through the grocery store faster and more efficiently: Produce, dry foods, meats, dairy etc.
- Make Ahead: Many casseroles and side dishes can be prepped and made a day or two in advance! Be smarter about the side dishes you pick so you’re not in the kitchen all day on Thanksgiving.
- Time Saving Appliances: Use appliances that will help you! Your slow cooker, your pressure cooker; use those appliances (and look for recipes that use these counter top appliances) so you are doing less! So many Thanksgiving Day side dishes can be made in your slow cooker. You can set it and move on to the next thing!
- Ready Made Foods: You don’t have to make everything homemade. Take advantage of local shops and your grocery store for some delicious pre-made sides! Make some of the sides but buy some too! This will help you spend less time in the kitchen!
- Oven Schedule: Have a schedule for the big day! Know when you’re making what, at what time, for how long and in what order you are making everything.
- Help: Have people help you! Assign family members different tasks! Get the kids involved too. Have family members bring some sides and dessert! You don’t have to do everything.
- Keep Food Warm: As you are cooking things, transfer them into crockpots to keep them warm! And if you are already using your slow cooker, you are set!
- Snacks and Finger Foods: We tend to eat and nibble all day long on Thanksgiving, so we have a big cheese and charcuterie board out so people have something to snack on! This also allows you to cook in peace and not have your kids running in saying they are hungry. Don’t spend too much time making lunch for example, if you are sitting down for Thanksgiving Day dinner. Just buy some cheese, charcuterie, fruit and crackers and you are good!
Butternut Squash Casserole
I’m a big believer in having a lot of side dishes and a lot of variety. I want sweet, savory and some heat. It’s Thanksgiving, so, of course, I want all of my dishes to be super flavorful and delicious. My family really appreciates a little heat so this year, I’m using Tony Chachere’s Original Creole Seasoning in some of my dishes. Roasting butternut squash with this sprinkled on top, along with some maple syrup is the perfect balance and is so delicious!
Tony Chachere’s Original Creole Seasoning is an extraordinary blend of flavorful Creole spices and enhances the butternut squash so well! You get a great blend of sweetness from the squash and some heat from the Creole seasoning! This Butternut Squash Casserole is the perfect side dish to accompany your turkey, ham, mashed potatoes and gravy and more!
It can also serve as a fabulous brunch dish over the holidays if you need something festive and delicious. The eggs are the surprise here but my family loved it! Make this recipe as a brunch or breakfast dish, or a side dish for dinner. We hope you try it!
MAKE AHEAD CASSEROLE TIPS
Using my Thanksgiving Day time saying tips above, for this Butternut Squash Casserole recipe, you should peel and cube up the butternut squash a day in advance. You can prepare the cooked leeks and kale mixture a day in advance as well. Refrigerate in an air tight container. The morning of, roast the butternut squash and continue with the recipe!
Wishing everyone a fabulous and delicious Thanksgiving Day holiday!
MY MUST HAVE THANKSGIVING DAY RECIPES
Hot and Spicy Cheese Bread Stuffing
Salad with Roasted Butternut Squash
Butternut Squash Casserole
Ingredients
- 1 large sized butternut squash peeled and cubed (3 to 4 cups)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil split
- 1 teaspoon Tony Chachere’s Original Creole Seasoning + more if desired
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 3 leeks, tender white and light green parts only chopped
- 10 oz kale roughly chopped
- 3 large eggs
- 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 cup blend of mozzarella and Parmesan cheese shredded + more if desired
Toppings
- crispy bacon bits
- pomegranate arils
Instructions
- To roast the butternut squash: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Place butternut squash pieces into a shallow baking dish (or lined baking sheet) and drizzle with olive oil, season lightly with the Tony Chachere’s Original Creole Seasoning and drizzle the maple syrup over the top. Toss together.
- Roast for about 20 minutes. When finished, remove from the oven and set aside. While the
butternut squash is roasting in the oven, in a large skillet over medium high
heat, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil and after a minute or two, add the leeks and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until just tender, for about 6 to 8 minutes. Add in the kale and saute together with the leeks until all the kale is wilted and softened. Remove from the heat. - In a large bowl, beat the eggs with the heavy cream and stir in the nutmeg. Mix in the leeks and kale mixture and the roasted butternut squash cubes.
- Using your baking dish, pour in the egg, leeks, kale and butternut squash mixture into the baking dish so that it evenly covers the bottom of the baking dish. Feel free to arrange butternut squash cubes so that they are evenly distributed in the baking dish.
- Sprinkle the cheese over the top and bake, lowering the oven temperature to 400, for about 25 minutes, or until cooked through and the casserole is slightly browned on top. Remove
baking dish from oven and let cool for a few minutes before adding desired toppings: bacon and pomegranate arils sprinkled over the top. Slice, serve and enjoy!
