Butternut Squash Enchilada Casserole- roasted butternut squash layered between tortillas with black beans, baby spinach, peppers, and enchilada sauce. Makes for a crowd pleasing casserole that’s easy to prepare!
If you like eating enchiladas but don’t enjoy the process of making enchiladas, then you’re going to love this butternut squash enchilada casserole.
Not only is it stuffed with nutritious seasonal vegetables but it is so much easier to make than traditional enchiladas. Let me show you how!
Butternut Squash Enchilada Casserole Ingredients
- Butternut Squash- As the highlight of the casserole, butternut squash offers a mildly sweet and nutty flavor. If you’re not into that, peeled and diced sweet potato would make a good substitute.
- Onion & Peppers- Along with the squash, we’re roasting onions and peppers for depth. I used poblano peppers but you can also use jalapeños or bell peppers.
- Cumin- To keep things simple, we’re sticking with cumin for our main seasoning. But feel free to add chili powder and/or smoked paprika if you really want to amp up the flavor.
- Tortillas- I prefer corn tortillas here as I find they hold up the best when covered in sauce, but any kind will work.
- Cilantro- Hate cilantro? No worries, just leave it out.
- Baby Spinach- I’m always looking for ways to sneak in greens but this ingredient is totally optional.
- Enchilada Sauce- Be sure to choose your preferred spice level for the sauce. Enchilada sauce or salsa both work well here.
- Black Beans- For fiber, protein, and antioxidants. Pinto beans would be also be good here.
- Shredded Cheese- I used Violife dairy-free shredded cheese to keep the recipe vegan.
How to Make Butternut Squash Enchilada Casserole
- Peel the squash. Slice off the bottom and the stem, then cut the squash in half lengthwise. Scoop out the seeds. Dice squash into 1-inch cubes. Side note: if the whole peeling and cutting squash thing seems like too much, you can always buy it already cut. No one is judging you.
- Roast the squash with the onions, peppers and cumin for about 45-minutes. Remove from dish.
- Layer sauce with quartered tortillas in the baking dish. Top with spinach, roasted vegetables, black beans, more sauce and shredded cheese. Repeat that step one more time.
- Bake in oven for 20-minutes, until heated through. Serve warm and enjoy!
Serving Suggestions
We like to top it with diced avocado, a drizzle of plan yogurt and chopped cilantro. Feel free to add cooked meatless crumbles or vegan chicken to amp up the protein!
More Butternut Squash Recipes to Try
Butternut Squash Enchilada Casserole
Roasted butternut squash layered between tortillas with black beans, baby spinach, peppers, and enchilada sauce. Makes for a crowd pleasing casserole that’s easy to prepare! (vegan + gluten-free)
Servings: 6 servings
- 1½ cups 1-inch cubed butternut squash, from 1 medium-sized squash (approx 2lbs)
- 1 yellow onion, thinly sliced
- 2 poblano peppers, thinly sliced (can sub jalapeños or bell peppers)
- 1 tablespoon high heat oil (or oil spray), such as avocado oil
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 16 ounces enchilada sauce, or salsa
- 1 15-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
- ¼ cup chopped cilantro, optional
- 8 tortillas, cut into quarters; I use corn tortillas
- 2 ounces baby spinach, roughly chopped
- 1¼ cup Mexican-style shredded cheese, I use Violife to keep the recipe dairy-free
- salt & pepper, avocado, plain yogurt and cilantro , for serving
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Preheat the oven to 400°F. In a 9×13-inch baking dish, arrange the cubed butternut squash, thinly sliced onion and peppers. Drizzle (or spray) with high heat oil and sprinkle with cumin. Toss until evenly combined. Roast vegetables in the oven for about 45 minutes, or until the squash is tender. Remove baking dish from oven then lower temperature to 350°F.
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Transfer the roasted vegetables to a large bowl along with the drained and rinsed black beans, ½ cup enchilada sauce/salsa, and ¼ cup chopped cilantro.
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In the same 9×13-inch baking dish, prepare the casserole by spreading a thin layer of the salsa along the bottom. Using ½ of the quartered tortillas, layer the bottom of the baking dish. Top the tortillas with ½ of the chopped baby spinach, ½ of the roasted vegetables/black beans, and ½ cup of the enchilada sauce/salsa. Sprinkle ½ cup shredded cheese on top.
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Layer the remaining tortillas on top of the vegetables, followed by the remaining baby spinach, roasted vegetables/beans, remaining enchilada sauce/salsa and remaining shredded cheese. Bake in the oven for 20 minutes, until golden on top. You can broil the cheese for the last couple of minutes, if desired, to make it golden and bubbly.
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Allow the casserole to cool for 5-10 minutes, then cut into squares and serve. Season with salt & pepper, to taste. Garnish with avocado, plain yogurt and more cilantro, if desired. Enjoy!
Nutrition Facts are an estimate and will vary depending on specific brands you choose.
Calories: 301kcal, Carbohydrates: 32g, Protein: 12g, Fat: 10g, Saturated Fat: 4g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 4g, Cholesterol: 22mg, Sodium: 463mg, Potassium: 449mg, Fiber: 8g, Sugar: 3g, Vitamin A: 7773IU, Vitamin C: 50mg, Calcium: 233mg, Iron: 3mg
