Cheesy Butternut Squash Casserole
Topped with crunchy pecans, this Cheesy Butternut Squash Casserole is a delicious Autumn side dish. It’s now a staple in our house!
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This past weekend, I finally got to check an item off my bucket list. No, I didn’t sit outside in a pumpkin patch all night waiting for the arrival of the Great Pumpkin. But I did get to pick my own pumpkin. Or rather we got to pick 3 pumpkins. I noticed that Dellavale Farm, a local dairy farm, recently posted a Facebook event for picking your own pumpkin. It took all of 1.3 seconds to click “Attending!”
Laura, Robbie and I headed over to Dellavale Farm this past weekend. Dellavale Farm is located in Pattersonville, NY which is just under 30 minutes away from our house. As we neared the farm, we rounded a corner in the road and saw a huge field packed with pumpkins. I immediately got excited, and I heard a “Woah!” from the backseat.
If you’ve been reading this blog for a while, then Dellavale Farm might sound familiar. Dellavale is one of several hundred Cabot farms located in Vermont and New York. The milk produced at Dellavale is used to make the delicious Cabot cheese that we always keep in our fridge. It’s really quite something to see where our food comes from! In fact, I took Robbie to visit Farmer Terri at Dellavale last summer. He enjoyed his visit to the farm, and he made friends with Renee the Cow. (And we’ve talked about Renee at least weekly for the past year.)
When the pumpkin picking event popped up, I told Robbie that we were heading back to the farm to visit Renee. He looked at me for a moment, and then the biggest grin spread across his face. “Dad, can we take some corn for Renee?” Robbie remembers feeding Renee corn (whole ears!) last time we visited, so we made sure to pick up some corn at the store last week.
Before heading over to the farm, I sent Farmer Terri a quick note to say that we were coming and Robbie was excited to see Renee. That’s when I learned that Renee had actually moved up the road to her winter home. She’s alive and well, but she’s just not at Dellavale. I immediately cringed at the thought of breaking this news to Robbie. Sure enough, when I told him that Renee was at a different farm, he broke down crying. Like full-on tears and genuine heart-broken crying. I felt terrible for the little guy.
This story does have a happy ending, though, as Farmer Terri introduced Robbie to Cupcake. Terri had told me that Cupcake likes apples, so we brought a bag of apples with us. All the way to the farm, Robbie kept wondering what color Cupcake the Cow would be. (Turns out Cupcake is white with black spots.) While Robbie was sad that Renee wasn’t there, he made a new cow friend, and now he’s been telling us all about Cupcake this past week. Too cute!
In addition to meeting Cupcake and feeding her apples, we also picked 3 pumpkins to bring back home with us. I’ve never had the opportunity to walk through a pumpkin patch and pick our own pumpkins! I have to say that it was pretty darned cool. We picked 2 large, and 1 gigantic pumpkin. Oh, and Robbie picked a small gourd for himself, too. We’ll be carving the 2 large ones, and we’ll probably leave the gigantic one (and Robbie’s gourd) out as Thanksgiving decorations. I’m not kidding when I say gigantic, either – it takes everything I’ve got to wrap my arms around this pumpkin and lift it!
Cheesy Butternut Squash Casserole
Cheesy Butternut Squash CasserolePumpkins weren’t the only gourds available at the farm. We also picked up a couple butternut squash. I love roasting butternut squash as an easy Autumn side dish. However, this time I wanted to take that roasted squash to the next level. And that’s where this Cheesy Butternut Squash Casserole comes in. I’m telling you – this casserole is amazing!
Instead of roasting the butternut squash, I diced it into small pieces and then boiled it until it was super soft. A quick stir will break apart the squash, and you’ll be left with a bowl of butternut squash puree. Add in some sour cream, butter, Cabot’s Monterey Jack cheese and fresh thyme, and you’ve got a tasty puree. (As a side note, this puree can be served at this point. It’s quite good!)
However, I went one extra step and topped that puree with a Panko bread crumb + sharp cheddar cheese + pecan topping. The flavor and crunch from the topping combined with the creaminess of the puree is out of sight! I’m not kidding when I say that this Cheesy Butternut Squash Casserole will become a new staple Thanksgiving side dish in our house. It’s creamy, flavorful and perfect for Autumn!
Farmer Terri did a great job opening up the farm for folks to come pick their own pumpkins. I can tell you that picking our own pumpkins will become a new tradition in our house. (And, yes, we’ll be sure to bring apples each year so we can stop by and feed Cupcake!) In the meantime, though, we have plenty of chilly nights coming our way. In fact, we had our first snow of the season here last night. That means comfort food is on the menu, and this Cheesy Butternut Squash Casserole is one heck of a delicious comfort food. I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we do!
Did you make this Cheesy Butternut Squash Casserole at home? Leave a comment, or snap a photo and tag me (@Spicedblog) and Cabot (@CabotCheese) on Instagram. We’d love to see your version!
Cheesy Butternut Squash Casserole
Ingredients
- 8 cups diced butternut squash i.e. 1 large squash or 2 medium
- 8 Tbsp unsalted butter divided
- 1 cup sour cream
- 2 Tbsp chopped fresh thyme
- ¾ cup shredded Cabot Monterey Jack cheese
- ¾ cup shredded Cabot Seriously Sharp cheddar cheese
- 1½ cups Italian panko-style bread crumbs
- ¾ cup chopped pecans
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Place a large pot of water over high heat. Once boiling, add diced butternut squash. Boil until squash are very tender. (Note: A fork should easily pierce through the squash cubes when done.)
- Drain water and return squash to pot. Add 6 Tbsp of butter. Sauté squash, stirring occasionally, for 5-6 minutes, or until butter has completely melted and most of the excess liquid has evaporated.
- Using a wooden spoon, stir squash until smooth. (Note: If necessary, a food processor can be used to stir squash, but it should be soft enough to stir with a spoon.)
- Transfer squash puree into a large bowl. Add sour cream, thyme and Monterey Jack cheese; stir until well combined.
- Spread mixture into a 9”x13” baking dish.
- In a separate bowl, stir the panko bread crumbs with the remaining 2 Tbsp of butter (melted), cheddar cheese and chopped pecans. Sprinkle mixture evenly on top of squash.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until top has browned.
Looking for more cheesy goodness? Take a peek at these other recipes inspired by our visits to Dellavale Farm!
I love those photos! Robbie is adorable. Looks like a really fun New England day. Does your area classify as New England? Well, anyway, it’s so pretty there this time of year. Love love love the casserole, and especially that you used thyme. Thyme and fall to me just go together perfectly, and squash!
Thank you so much, Mimi! Technically I think we’re right on the border of New England. (We’re ~45 minutes from Vermont and Massachusetts.) Close enough in my book! So this casserole…amazing. Seriously! I love the creamy, cheesy squash with the crunchy pecan topping. This one has earned a spot on our Thanksgiving menu for sure!
David, what fun it was to share this visit with your family. Robbie is deffinently growing up. I have fond memories of such visits with my kids years ago.
The dish totaly works for me and I just happen to have a BN squash on my window shelf. So, I see your cheesey BN squash casserole as being made soon. But, alas, no Cabot cheese here. We do however have some dandy cheeses that I think will work for in your dish…
Robbie really is growing quite quickly these days – it’s fun to see how quickly he’s changing (both physically and intellectually). We had a blast at the farm!
I hope you enjoy this dish as much as we did, Ron. It seriously was amazing! The mild cheesy butternut squash topped with the crunchy pecans + cheddar? Oh man, this dish is making a strong case for earning a permanent spot in the Thanksgiving lineup!
Wowwww!!! Cool! You plant your own pumpkin! Made your own Jack O’Lantern? Happy Halloween to you and your family! Have a swell time, cheers!!!
Yes! The folks at Dellavale farm planted a bunch of pumpkins…and then they let us come pick ’em. It was great! We actually didn’t end up making a Jack O’Lantern, but I did find a turkey stencil. I think we might carve that pumpkin into a turkey for Thanksgiving here in the US. Haha! Either way, thank you!!
this sounds delicious david tho i think i’d leave the pumpkin (sorry we call butternut squash pumpkin) chunky rather than a puree. years ago when staying with our Philly friend, she took us to a pumpkin farm (they had corn too) and we picked pumpkin which hubby and i carved. we looooved halloween in the US, tho it’s getting huge here too these days. A massive storm went thru southeast queensland last night with lots of hail (not over us) so halloween was a bit subdued. Your boy looks adorable!
You know, leaving the squash (pumpkin) cubed would totally work, too. Plus, it would save you from having to dice it up so small! I’m glad to hear Halloween is catching on down there – it really is a fun holiday! Thanks so much, Sherry!
What a fabulous family experience, David! I am so glad that Robbie made another cow friend, I was feeling so sorry for him half way through the story, I know well how little ones take these things to heart. But how wonderful that that story had a happy ending for all of you. I bet walking through that pumpkin field would have been amazing – though it looks pretty cold already. And this dish sounds super cosy – I love the addition of pecans on the top.
Oh man, I was heartbroken when Robbie started crying about Renee the Cow. And it wasn’t just any cry – it was a real cry from deep down in his soul. But he was good again once he learned about Cupcake! 🙂
It was indeed pretty cold already – but that was partly due to the wind that day. I swear I thought Robbie might get blown away through the pumpkin patch! Haha. Thanks so much, Katerina!
Awww, what a fun outing! And Robbie is so adorable! I’m loving the addition of pecans to this dish. I definitely need to try that next time!
Yes! I highly recommend adding pecans + cheddar to the top of butternut squash. It might sound a bit odd, but I promise you the flavors all work together SO well. 🙂 Thanks, Michelle!
Hey David. Great picture of you guys and Robbie! I’m loving this cheesy butternut squash casserole too. What a great dish for the time of year. I just made a big batch of butternut squash soup as butternut is plentiful in the shops here at the moment. I know what to make next time I get more squash! Thanks and hope you guys are well!
Thanks so much, Neil! We had a blast picking our own pumpkin and meeting Cupcake the Cow. 🙂
I do enjoy butternut squash soup – yum! Next time, try turning it into this casserole. The cheesy filling topped with the pecans + sharp cheddar is seriously tasty! Stay warm over there, my friend!
Sounds like such a fun time! We had a pumpkin shortage around here, believe it or not! These casserole looks so good, David! I could legit make a whole meal out of just this and call it a day! Perfect for upcoming holiday celebrations. P.S. I can’t believe how fast Robbie is growing up!
A pumpkin shortage!? I’ve never heard of that. Maybe it was a strange weather year so the pumpkins didn’t grow well!? Ah, it’s 2020 – nothing surprises me anymore!
And, yes, this casserole is amazing. It’s packed with Fall flavors, and it’s quickly become a favorite around here. 🙂 Thanks, Dawn! Also, Robbie is growing like a weed. We’ve been friends since the early days, so you remember when he was a wee little lad – not so much anymore!
What a fun trip! That scenery is beautiful. I’m loving this butternut squash casserole too. All that cheesy goodness! Looks amazing – and this would be perfect for fall dinners or Thanksgiving!
I agree, Kathy! That scenery at the farm looks like something right out of a photo – well I guess it was a photo, but you know what I mean! 🙂
In other news, this casserole is SO tasty. I’m not kidding when I say it has earned a spot on the Thanksgiving table. Thanks so much, my friend!
You farm trip sounds like a lot of fun: lovely photos, cute Cupcake, and Robbie…wow! Last time you shared his photo, he was still a kid, and now he’s almost an grown up lol. And this casserole, oh my! I love butternut squash and all the savoury things with it. Combined with pecans and lots of cheese, please kindly accept my YES!
I know! It feels like overnight that Robbie went from being a kid to a little boy. I’m not sure when that transition actually happens, but he has certainly passed the mark!
In other news, I think you should make this casserole, Ben. It has SO much flavor. It’s definitely going to be making many appearances in our house this Fall and Winter! 🙂
I love the pecan topping on this delicious looking casserole. It’s always fun to go pick a pumpkin, especially for kids!
I totally agree on both notes, Judee! We had a blast picking pumpkins, and the pecan topping on this casserole adds such a fun texture. Thanks so much!
Wow! God bless your family David. Looks like your little one had a great time, he is so brave I used to get scared of animals when I was his age!
The casserole you made is amazing, It’s difficult to get butternut squash where I live but I will make sure to try this recipe when I get my hands on one 🙂
Hey Muna! We did indeed have a good time at the farm visiting Cupcake – however, Robbie was a bit nervous about feeding her. But he bravely got in there and gave her an apple!
If you ever come across butternut squash in your area, then I highly (highly!) recommend this recipe. We love it! In fact, I bet it would work with other types of squash if those are available in your area – pumpkin even??