Butternut Squash Apple Bake
This Butternut Squash Apple Bake is a cozy and flavorful fall side dish featuring tender butternut squash, crisp apples, chewy cranberries and raisins, and crunchy pecans. Baked with warm cinnamon and vanilla, it’s the perfect balance of sweet, savory, and seasonal comfort.
Equipment
- Large mixing bowl for tossing squash and apples
- Lidded baking dish for baking and covering
- Sharp knife and peeler for preparing squash and apples
Ingredients
- 1 ½ lbs butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cubed (about 2 cups)
- 2 Gala apples, peeled, cored, and diced
- 2 tbsp butter, chopped into small pieces
- 2 tbsp brown sugar (or honey)
- 1 tbsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ tsp salt
- ⅛ tsp black pepper
- ¼ cup raisins
- ¼ cup dried cranberries
- ¼ cup pecans or walnuts
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C).
- In a large bowl, combine cubed butternut squash, diced apples, cinnamon, vanilla, brown sugar, salt, and pepper. Mix well until evenly coated.
- Transfer mixture to a lidded baking dish and spread evenly. Dot with butter pieces. Cover and bake for 15 minutes.
- Carefully remove from oven. Add raisins, cranberries, and pecans, tossing gently to combine.
- Cover and bake for another 15 minutes, or until squash is tender and lightly caramelized.
- Remove from oven, stir gently, and serve warm.
Notes
For a lighter version, swap the butter for coconut oil and the brown sugar for maple syrup. This dish also works beautifully with acorn squash or Honeycrisp apples for extra tartness.