First things first, an update on our disastrous kitchen situation (aka the kitchen renovation): still very much in progress! We’ve got the butcher block countertops sealed and ready to install, but we’ve decided to add a small breakfast bar on our island with our leftover butcher block. Seems like such a simple task, doesn’t it? This thing has been a lot harder to add on than we thought it would be, but now that we’re committed….it’s happening, y’all! Slowly…..soooo slowly….but surely. 😉
Second update: fall is finally making it’s way down to Oklahoma! It’s been pretty warm lately, but we finally had a cold front come through that brought temps down to the mid 60’s (thank goodness). Bring on all the fall recipes! (As IF I’ve been holding back on those…..cough cough….pumpkin pie overnight oats, Maple Apple Spice Gluten Free Granola, and Easy Spicy Vegan Potato Curry).
This Spicy Southwest Butternut Squash Casserole is perfect for a healthy, easy, quick fall dinner!
It’s really similar to the Chicken Fajita Casserole, but loaded with butternut squash and fall flavors! I also added organic ground beef to it for protein, but ground turkey would work great, too.
For my vegan friends, substitute the beef with chickpeas and the cheese with vegan cheese (or omit completely -it’ll still be delicious!). If you’re not a fan of vegan cheese, mixing a little bit of cashew butter with almond milk can give this Spicy Southwest Butternut Squash Casserole a creamy texture that’s delicious!
A few tips to make this recipe a little bit easier: I like to meal prep meats at the beginning of the week and use them in recipes. In this case, the ground beef was cooked the day before! The butternut squash can also be purchased pre-cut to save time. It’s the best for quick and easy dinners like this one!
Here’s how to make this Spicy Southwest Butternut Squash Casserole:
Spicy Southwest Butternut Squash Casserole
Ingredients
- 3 cups butternut squash, cubed
- 1 15oz. can black beans (drained)
- 3/4 cup cooked ground beef
- 1/2 cup sliced peppers
- 1 cup shredded cheese
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro
- 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper
- 1/4 tsp paprika
- salt/pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- Place the squash in the casserole dish and cook for about 10 minutes.
- Add the black beans, cooked ground beef, sliced peppers, cheese, and cilantro to the casserole dish.
- Cook for about 15 minutes (or until everything is soft).
- Top with crushed red pepper, paprika, and salt/pepper.
- Serve and enjoy!
Denise says:
Really yummy ice a jar of medium salsa was added to it before baking. Love it
Ashley says:
Hi, excited to try this-does the squash need to be cooked beforehand? And does the dish need to be covered when baking?
Christine McMichael replied:
Hi, Ashley! Yes, cook the squash for about 10 minutes in the casserole dish before adding in the rest of the ingredients. I would recommend covering the dish with foil, but it doesn’t have to be covered!
DESI says:
Does the cubed butternut squash need to be precooked or does it get cooked in the 25 minutes with everything else?
Christine McMichael replied:
Yes, the butternut squash can be baked in the casserole dish for about 10 minutes before adding in the rest of the ingredients!
Lisa says:
You have to cook the squash first. It doesn’t say that in the directions but it was good otherwise! Thanks