As a busy mom of two boys, make-ahead meals that are healthy and easy to make are a staple. This Spicy Southwest Butternut Squash Casserole, also known as a Butternut Squash Enchilada Casserole, is one of my favorites! Here’s what’s great about it:
- It can be made ENTIRELY in one casserole dish (yay for easy cleanup!)
- It’s made with frozen or pre-cut butternut squash to save time.
- It’s so flavorful and delicious!
- You can make it your own and freeze/refrigerate it for later.
- This recipe can be made in just 35 minutes!
This is truly the ultimate healthy family meal!
In this post
Ingredients
I love that the ingredients for this recipe are SO simple and easy to find. Here’s what you’ll need:
Butternut Squash – Fresh, frozen, or pre-cut butternut squash all work great!
Bell Pepper – Chop or slice a bell pepper for yummy flavor and nutrition!
Black Beans – Pinto or red beans are also a great substitute.
Ground Beef – You can also use ground turkey or chickpeas for a protein options.
Shredded Cheese – The cheese in this recipe brings the butternut squash casserole together. So yummy!
Chopped Kale – I’m loving chopped kale in this recipe for added protein and a crunchy texture that takes it to the next level!
Spicy Southwest Seasoning – Paprika, garlic, salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper (optional) make up this savory and delicious seasoning.
TIP: Adjust the spicy level of this recipe by adding more (or less) crushed red pepper!
How to make a butternut squash casserole
This Spicy Southwest Butternut Squash Casserole tastes like an enchilada casserole and is incredibly easy to make! Here’s a quick overview of how to make it:
1. Combine the squash, bell pepper and oil in a casserole dish, then bake.
2. Add in the seasoning and mix.
3. Mix in the beans, ground beef, half of the cheese, and kale.
4. Top with remaining cheese and continue to bake!
Tips for making the BEST butternut squash casserole
- Prep the ground beef ahead of time so that it’s ready to go!
- Cook the butternut squash in the casserole dish just until soft, but not too soft (as it will continue to cook with the other ingredients).
- Use pre-cut or frozen butternut squash to help save time.
Make it your own
Want to make this recipe your own? Feel free to adjust the amount of seasoning and cheese to taste!
Another way to make it your own is to add or sub veggies. Zucchini, summer squash, sweet potatoes, sliced carrots, spinach, and cilantro are all delicious in this meal!
Can you freeze butternut squash casserole?
Yes! Butternut Squash Casserole can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to a week or frozen for up to 3 months.
To freeze, simply let the casserole completely cool and place in the refrigerator in an airtight container (without the lid) for an hour. Then close the lid and place in the freezer!
If you’ve been on the search for an easy, healthy recipe that’s actually delicious and one that even picky eaters will love, then this Spicy Southwest Butternut Squash Casserole is for you. Have this delicious meal on the table in no time and be sure to save this recipe in your weekly dinner menu!
Loving this recipe? Be sure to give it a rating below!
Spicy Southwest Butternut Squash Casserole
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 lb frozen butternut squash, cubed (about 3-4 cups)
- 1 large bell pepper (sliced or chopped)
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- salt/pepper (to taste)
- 1 15 oz. can black beans (drained)
- 1 cup cooked ground beef
- 1 cup shredded cheese
- 1 cup chopped kale
- 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
- Place the squash and pepper in the casserole dish and drizzle with olive oil.
- Bake for about 20 minutes, or until squash just begins to soften.
- Drain any extra liquid in the casserole dish.
- Mix in the paprika, garlic powder, salt and pepper, black beans, cooked ground beef, half of the cheese, and kale to the casserole dish.
- Top with remaining cheese.
- Bake for another 10 minutes (or until everything is soft).
- Top with crushed red pepper (optional).
- Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- Prep the ground beef ahead of time so that it’s ready to go!
- Cook the butternut squash in the casserole dish just until soft, but not too soft (as it will continue to cook with the other ingredients).
- Use pre-cut or frozen butternut squash to help save time.
- Adjust the spicy level of this recipe by adding more (or less) crushed red pepper!
Shannon Fox says:
Delicious, simple, will go into our rotation.
Kim L says:
We made this and it was decent and got a lot of ingredients in the dish that we were hoping for, but we weren’t *in love* with our results. I think we were missing sauce and/or crunch? We made lentils (with sauteed onions and garlic, cooked in flavored stock) to add to our leftovers and that helped, in our opinions! It did change the flavor profile a lot, but worth a try if you’re interested. We saw someone else added diced tomatoes and rice, which we also think is a good idea to try and would keep more with the southwest flavors!
Emilie says:
I’m eating it right now, and I love it.
Katherine Tate says:
I loved this recipe but I changed it up a bit. I used sweet Italian sausage instead of beef and did it all in a skillet instead of casserole. It was delicious and a keeper! Thank you!
Jar Of Lemons replied:
That sounds so good! Thanks for letting me know how it turned out!
EFerd replied:
What if I use fresh squash instead of frozen? And I am using collard greens as I had no kale.
Christine McMichael replied:
Fresh squash works great, too! Enjoy!
Melanie says:
There are so many yummy looking recipes I want to try.
This is probably a stupid question, but I was just wondering if your nutrition information is per serving?
Christine McMichael replied:
Thank you! The nutrients are per serving. Enjoy! 🙂
Rima says:
This was DELICIOUS. I used spinach instead of kale and I used leftover stuffed pepper filling that I had, which was a mixture of ground beef, onions, diced tomatoes, peppers, rice, and spices. I still added another bell pepper like the recipe called for, and the only tweak I would make is to sauté it before baking with the squash as it was still too crunchy even after baking twice. Other than that, this dish was amazing.
Jar Of Lemons replied:
So glad you enjoyed this! Thanks for making it. 🙂