I came up with this recipe a few years back when I was on a squash kick and had the thought of creating an acorn squash casserole as a potato free alternative to a Holiday classic.
I never realized how DELICIOUS these squashes were, and so versatile. They can be made to be savory and sweet. Honestly, I must have simply had sliced acorn squash drizzled with cinnamon butter multiple times a week for months – it was that good. So I knew an acorn squash casserole would be on point for the Holidays.
While this acorn squash casserole is not technically dairy and gluten-free, or entirely planted-based, I do offer ingredient alternatives for those who wish to make it that way. Trust me, you’re not even going to feel like you’re giving up anything with this Holiday twist on a classic favorite side dish.
Cost breakdown for this recipe
*Note: Item costs can vary based on location, inflation, brand, and sale price. I do my best to buy/suggest the most cost-effective option. I also may not factor certain ingredients into the price where their amounts have an inconsiderable impact, like sugar, spices, salt, oil or baking powder.
| Item purchased | Item Cost | Cost to make recipe |
|---|---|---|
| Acorn squash (4) | $3.56 | $3.56 |
| Heavy cream | $4.29 | $0.54 |
| Walnuts | $6.29 | $3.14 |
| Pecans | $3.85 | $3.85 |
| Dark brown sugar | $5.79 | $0.63 |
| Mini marshmallows | $1.05 | $0.85 |
| Butter | $3.29 | $0.35 |
| Total item(s) cost: $28.12 | Total recipe cost: $12.92 |
Money-saving tips
- Buy what’s on sale.
- If you already have it in your pantry or fridge, duh, don’t buy it!
- Only buy the amount you need to make the recipe – i.e., if the recipe only calls for 2 lemons, only buy 2 single lemons, don’t buy the bag!
- The price difference between organic, non-organic, fresh and frozen options – organic/frozen can be the most cost effective (i.e., depending on brand/store, if it’s on sale or BOGO).
Winter Acorn Squash Casserole (Potato Free)
A unique and potato free twist on a Holiday classic. Winter acorn squash casserole is a perfect alternative side dish that is sweet, smooth and comfort filling that doesn't compromise on flavor. Best of all, it's potato free!
Ingredients for casserole filling
Ingredients for casserole toppings (half pecan/walnut + half classic marshmallow)
Instructions
Casserole filling
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Preheat your oven to 365F and remove butter from fridge so it can get to room temperature. Wash and halve your acorn squash (removing the stem portion), and dig out the seeds in the middle with a spoon. Place each half face down on a flat baking dish with parchment paper or aluminum foil.
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Bake for 40-45 minutes until completely tender. In the meantime, chop your pecans and walnuts (I kept some whole for larger texture) and place into a small Ziploc bag with the cinnamon, flour and brown sugar (amounts listed under the ingredients list for the toppings section). Set aside.
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Once the acorn squash is done, you can either leave the skin on, remove some or try your best to scrape out as much of the squash contents as possible. I tend to just leave the skin on - it's edible and you'll barely notice it.
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Next, you're going to mash your acorn squash. You can use a fork, potato masher, ricer, handheld blender, processor or mixer for this. If you're leaving the skin on, you're going to want to use a blender or processor.
*Note: leaving the skin on might change the color of the squash slightly when blending.
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Once your squash is mashed, add in the heavy cream (for that creamier consistency), nutmeg and cinnamon. Then mix everything together thoroughly before placing in a 9x12 (or similar sized) casserole dish.
*Note: the squash has a higher water content than typical sweet potato, so judge how much heavy cream to use, and you can even add a small amount of guar gum, tapioca flour, or regular flour to help thicken it up.
Casserole toppings
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Dice 3 tablespoons of butter into small chunks. Add them to your Ziploc bag of walnuts and pecans, mixing together the butter with the brown sugar, nuts and flour. You want this pretty crumbly and rustic. Then layer over top half of your casserole.
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On the other half, layer the marshmallows placing back in the oven at 365F for 25-30 minutes, or until contents are warm on the inside and marshmallows and topping are roasted (slightly brown on top).
Note
*Eat Rich Live Full is not a nutritionist or dietitian. For nutritional information, it is advised to refer to a nutritionist, dietitian or an online nutritional resource calculator. Nutritional information can vary depending on ingredients, ingredient types and brands used for each recipe.