Savory Apple Butternut Squash Casserole with Sweet Bacon-Pecan Topping
While this apple butternut squash casserole with bacon-pecan topping is not quite keto-friendly, it makes an amazing and delicious side dish. It’s so pretty that it would make a superstar appearance on your dinner table (can we call food pretty?)
This casserole manages to combine quite a few traditional fall flavors into one outstanding side dish. You’ll find apples, butternut squash, and pecans, along with spices like cinnamon and cloves, in this dish.
The thick-cut bacon brings out the salty-sweet flavors in this dish perfectly and adds enough protein that it would be perfect for a weeknight meal or on its own.
What I Love About This Apple Butternut Squash Casserole
What’s not to love about this drool-worthy casserole? So many flavors, so much goodness. And let’s not forget to mention that it’s actually pretty easy to put together.
And the possibilities of substitutes for some of the ingredients is endless. You can dress and spice this one up any way you want.
What You Need For This Simple Butternut Squash Casserole Recipe
Here is a list of the ingredients required for this delightful casserole.
- ¼ c. coconut oil, melted, divided
- 3 c. butternut squash, cubed
- 2 medium firm apples, cubed
- 1 small red onion, chopped
- 1½ t. fresh sage, chopped
- 1½ t. fresh thyme leaves
- Sea salt and black pepper, to taste
- 6 slices thick-cut bacon, chopped into ½-inch pieces
- ½ c. pecans, roughly chopped
- 2 T. honey
- ½ t. ground cinnamon
- ¼ t. ground cloves
How to Make Butternut Squash Casserole With Bacon and Pecan Topping
- Preheat oven to 400°F and grease a 9×13” baking dish with 1 tablespoon melted coconut oil. Set aside.
- Combine the butternut squash, apples, red onion, 2 tablespoons melted coconut oil, sage, and thyme in a large mixing bowl. Season with salt and black pepper to taste, and toss to combine.
- Transfer the butternut squash mixture onto the prepared baking dish and spread it into an even layer. Place in the preheated oven to roast just until the butternut squash is fork-tender, around 25-30 minutes.
- While the butternut squash mixture is roasting, heat a large sauté pan over medium heat and add the bacon. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the bacon is cooked through and crispy, approximately 8-10 minutes. Transfer the bacon to a small mixing bowl lined with paper towels to absorb excess grease. Blot off remaining grease on top and set aside to cool for 5-10 minutes.
- Once cooled, discard the paper towels and add the remaining tablespoon of coconut oil, chopped pecans, honey, cinnamon, and ground cloves. Season with salt and black pepper, as desired, and toss to combine.
- Remove squash from the oven and top with the bacon-pecan mixture. Return to the oven until the topping is nicely browned, approximately 10 minutes. Remove from oven and cool for 5 minutes before serving. Enjoy!
Variations and Suggestions
Oh, the possibilities of this blow my mind.
You can switch out the pecans for any nut of your choice. If you want to make this butternut squash casserole keto-friendly, you can substitute the following:
- apples-you can omit them completely
- honey-use keto honey
Feel free to mix and match your spices according to your taste buds.
What to Serve Butternut Squash Casserole With
While this is hearty enough to eat on its own, you can also serve it as a side dish to a main meal. Here are a few suggestions:
- Roasted Lemon Pepper Chicken
- Rosemary Beef Tenderloin
- Perfectly Tender and Juicy Ribeye Steak
- Garlic-Herb Whole Roasted Chicken
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Apple Butternut Squash Casserole with Bacon-Pecan Topping
Ingredients
- ¼ c. coconut oil melted, divided
- 3 c. butternut squash cubed
- 2 medium firm apples cubed
- 1 small red onion chopped
- 1½ tsp fresh sage chopped
- 1½ tsp fresh thyme leaves
- Sea salt and black pepper to taste
- 6 slices thick-cut bacon chopped into ½-inch pieces
- ½ c. pecans roughly chopped
- 2 Tbsp honey
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp ground cloves
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F and grease a 9×13” baking dish with 1 tablespoon melted coconut oil. Set aside.¼ c. coconut oil
- Combine the butternut squash, apples, red onion, 2 tablespoons melted coconut oil, sage, and thyme in a large mixing bowl. Season with salt and black pepper, to taste, and toss to combine.3 c. butternut squash, 2 medium firm apples, 1 small red onion, 1½ tsp fresh sage, 1½ tsp fresh thyme leaves, Sea salt and black pepper
- Transfer the butternut squash mixture onto the prepared baking dish and spread into an even layer. Place in the preheated oven to roast just until the butternut squash is fork-tender, around 25-30 minutes.
- While the butternut squash mixture is roasting, heat a large sauté pan over medium heat and add the bacon. Cook, stirring occasionally until the bacon is cooked through and crispy, approximately 8-10 minutes. Transfer the bacon to a small mixing bowl lined with paper towels to absorb excess grease. Blot off remaining grease on top and set aside to cool for 5-10 minutes.6 slices thick-cut bacon
- Once cooled, discard the paper towels and add the remaining tablespoon of coconut oil, chopped pecans, honey, cinnamon, and ground cloves. Season with salt and black pepper, as desired, and toss to combine.½ c. pecans, 2 Tbsp honey, ½ tsp ground cinnamon, ¼ tsp ground cloves
- Remove squash from oven and top with the bacon-pecan mixture. Return to the oven until the topping is nicely browned, approximately 10 minutes. Remove from oven and cool for 5 minutes before serving. Enjoy!
Nutrition
- How to Start the Keto Diet
- Keto For Women Over 60:What You Need to Know
- How to Intermittent Fast on Keto
- Why You May Have Stalled on the Keto Diet
- How Long Should You Stay on the Keto Diet?
Iva discovered the keto diet back in 2020 and has experimented with it, off and on. She recently took over this site and shares experiences, her knowledge and some yummy recipes. She also runs a women only website Women Blazing Trails.
