Are you on the hunt for the ultimate cozy and healthy fall casserole? A hearty, one-dish meal that is packed with wholesome, seasonal ingredients and so easy to throw together on a busy weeknight? This incredible Ground Beef and Butternut Squash Casserole is that perfect recipe. We’re talking tender, sweet butternut squash, savory ground beef, and hearty black beans, all baked together under a glorious, gooey blanket of melted cheese.
This isn’t just another casserole recipe; it’s a guide to your new family-favorite comfort food. We’ll show you the simple but crucial secrets to a perfectly tender and flavorful casserole that is never watery. Using smart shortcuts like frozen squash and pre-cooked beef makes this a stunning, crowd-pleasing, and completely stress-free meal.
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Recipe Overview: The Ultimate Cozy & Healthy Fall Casserole
What makes this Butternut Squash Casserole so spectacularly delicious is its incredible combination of savory, sweet, and smoky flavors, and its wonderfully satisfying texture. This recipe is a masterpiece of easy, autumnal cooking. The heart of the dish is a fantastic blend of sweet, tender butternut squash, savory ground beef, and protein-packed black beans. This hearty mixture is seasoned with a warm, smoky blend of paprika and cumin, tossed with nutrient-rich kale, and then baked in a single dish under a generous blanket of melted cheddar cheese until hot, bubbly, and irresistible.
| Metric | Time / Level |
| Total Time | 45 minutes |
| Active Prep Time | 10 minutes |
| Difficulty Level | Easy |
| Servings | 6-8 |
The Flavors of Fall: The Essential Ingredients
This iconic dish uses a handful of smart shortcuts and wholesome ingredients to create its signature comforting and savory flavor.
- The Fall Vegetables:
- Frozen Butternut Squash: This is a brilliant shortcut that saves you a ton of time peeling and chopping! A bag of frozen, pre-cubed butternut squash is the key to making this a true, easy weeknight meal.
- Kale: A handful of chopped, fresh kale adds a beautiful, deep green color, a wonderful, earthy flavor, and a fantastic boost of nutrients to the casserole.
- The Hearty Fillers:
- Lean Ground Beef: For the best, most flavorful result without making the final dish too greasy, it is highly recommended to use a lean 85/15 ground beef.
- Black Beans: A can of black beans adds a wonderful, creamy texture and a great boost of plant-based protein and fiber to the meal, making it truly satisfying.
- The Spices & Cheese:
- Smoked Paprika: Using smoked paprika instead of regular paprika is a fantastic trick that adds an instant, deep, and smoky flavor that perfectly complements the sweet squash and savory beef.
- Cheddar Cheese: A classic, crowd-pleasing shredded sharp cheddar cheese is the perfect choice. It has a wonderful, tangy flavor and melts beautifully into a gooey, irresistible topping.
Step-by-Step to the Best Butternut Squash Casserole
This delicious, one-dish meal is incredibly simple to prepare.
Step 1: Par-Bake the Vegetables
Step 1: First, preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C).
Step 2: In a large, 9×13-inch casserole dish, place your 1 pound of frozen butternut squash cubes and your 1 sliced bell pepper. Drizzle them with the 1 tablespoon of olive oil.
Step 3: Bake for about 20 minutes, until the squash just begins to soften.
Pro Tip: This “par-baking” step is the number one secret to ensuring your final casserole has perfectly tender vegetables and is not watery!
Step 4: Carefully drain off any excess liquid that has collected in the bottom of the casserole dish.
Part 2: Mix the Casserole and Bake
Step 1: To the casserole dish with your par-baked vegetables, add the 1 teaspoon of paprika, the 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder, a generous pinch of salt and pepper, your 1 can of drained black beans, the 1 cup of cooked ground beef, half of your shredded cheese (about 3/4 cup), and the 1 cup of chopped kale.
Step 2: Mix everything together directly in the casserole dish until it is well combined.
Step 3: Top the casserole with the remaining shredded cheese.
Step 4: Bake for another 10 minutes, until all the vegetables are completely soft and the cheese on top is beautifully melted and bubbly.
For an extra crispy and browned top, you can switch your oven to the broil setting for the last 1 to 2 minutes of cooking. Be sure to watch it very closely to prevent it from burning!
Let the casserole rest for a few minutes before you serve it. Top with a sprinkle of crushed red pepper, if you desire.
Cheesy Ground Beef and Butternut Squash Casserole
An easy and savory butternut squash casserole, perfect for a hearty fall meal. This one-dish bake features a base of roasted butternut squash and bell peppers. The roasted vegetables are then mixed with pre-cooked ground beef, black beans, kale, and shredded cheese, and seasoned with paprika and garlic powder. The casserole is topped with more cheese and baked again until everything is tender and the cheese is melted and bubbly.
Ingredients
- 1 lb frozen butternut squash, cubed (about 3-4 cups)
- 1 large bell pepper, sliced or chopped
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 cup cooked ground beef
- 1 cup shredded cheese, divided
- 1 cup chopped kale
- 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Grease a medium casserole dish.
- Place the cubed butternut squash and the bell pepper in the casserole dish. Drizzle with olive oil and toss to coat.
- Bake for about 20 minutes, or until the squash just begins to soften.
- Carefully remove the dish from the oven and drain any excess liquid.
- To the casserole dish, add the paprika, garlic powder, salt, pepper, black beans, cooked ground beef, half of the shredded cheese, and the chopped kale. Mix everything together.
- Top the casserole with the remaining cheese.
- Return the dish to the oven and bake for another 10 minutes, or until all the vegetables are soft and the cheese is melted.
- Top with crushed red pepper, if desired, before serving.
Notes
- This is a great recipe for meal prep; you can cook the ground beef and chop the vegetables ahead of time.
- Using pre-cut frozen butternut squash is a convenient time-saving shortcut.
- The spice level of this recipe can be easily adjusted by adding more or less crushed red pepper.
What to Serve With Your Casserole
This beautiful and rich dish is a fantastic, all-in-one meal that has your protein, your starch (from the beans and squash), and your vegetables all in one dish! If you’d like to round it out, here are a few simple suggestions:
- A Dollop of Sour Cream: The cool, tangy flavor of sour cream or a plain Greek yogurt is a fantastic, classic topping for this savory bake.
- A Simple Green Salad: A crisp green salad with a bright and zesty vinaigrette is the perfect, fresh counterpoint to the rich, cheesy casserole.
- Crusty Bread: A side of warm, crusty bread is always a great choice for scooping up every last delicious bite.
Storage and Make-Ahead Tips
This Ground Beef and Butternut Squash Casserole is the ultimate make-ahead and freezer-friendly meal.
- Make-Ahead: You can fully assemble the entire, unbaked casserole up to 24 hours in advance. Simply cover it tightly with foil and store it in the refrigerator. When you are ready to bake, you may need to add 10-15 minutes to the total baking time.
- Storage: Store any leftovers, well-covered, in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- Freezing: This casserole freezes beautifully! You can freeze it either before or after baking. Let it cool completely, then wrap the pan very well in a double layer of plastic wrap and then a layer of foil. It will keep in the freezer for up to 3 months.
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Creative Recipe Variations
- Make it a Vegetarian Casserole: For a delicious and hearty vegetarian version, you can simply omit the ground beef and add one extra 15-ounce can of drained and rinsed black beans or pinto beans. Be sure to also use vegetable broth if your recipe calls for it.
- Use a Different Ground Meat: If you’re not a fan of ground beef, this delicious and versatile recipe is also absolutely fantastic with an equal amount of lean ground turkey, ground chicken, or some crumbled, savory Italian sausage.
- Add a Hearty Grain: For an even more substantial, all-in-one meal, you can stir about 1 to 1 1/2 cups of your favorite cooked grain, like a nutty quinoa or a classic brown rice, into the casserole along with the other ingredients.
Enjoy The Ultimate Cozy & Healthy Fall Casserole!
You’ve just created a truly special dish that is a perfect harmony of wholesome, seasonal ingredients and delicious, satisfying flavors. This classic Ground Beef and Butternut Squash Casserole is a testament to the power of a simple, from-scratch-tasting meal to bring comfort and joy to your dinner table. It’s a rewarding and deeply satisfying recipe that is sure to become a new, much-requested family favorite for cozy dinners.
We hope you enjoy every last, perfect, cheesy, and delicious bite!
If you enjoyed making this recipe, please leave a comment below or share it with a friend who loves an easy and impressive meal!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q1: What is the absolute, number one secret to a casserole that isn’t watery, especially when using vegetables like squash?
The secret is to par-bake your high-moisture vegetables first, as this recipe cleverly directs. By roasting the butternut squash and the bell peppers on their own for about 20 minutes, you are allowing them to release a lot of their natural water content. Carefully draining off this liquid before you add your other ingredients is the key that guarantees a final casserole that is rich and hearty, not watery and soggy.
Q2: Can I make this casserole ahead of time and freeze it?
Yes, this is a perfect freezer meal! The best method is to assemble the entire unbaked casserole in a freezer-safe baking dish. Then, you can wrap the dish very well in a double layer of plastic wrap and then a layer of foil. When you are ready to eat, you can bake it directly from frozen, just be sure to cover it with foil for the first 45-50 minutes and then uncover it for the final 15 minutes.
Q3: Can I use fresh butternut squash instead of frozen?
Yes, absolutely! You will need about 1 small butternut squash (about 2 pounds). Simply peel it, remove the seeds, and cut it into 1/2- to 1-inch cubes. The roasting time will be about the same.
Q4: What is the best way to reheat a casserole?
The best way to reheat a casserole and keep it from drying out is to place it in an oven-safe dish, cover it tightly with foil, and warm it in a 350°F oven for about 20-25 minutes, until it is hot all the way through.
Q5: What are the best kind of cheeses to use for a casserole topping?
A classic, sharp cheddar cheese is a fantastic choice because it has a bold, tangy flavor and melts beautifully. A Monterey Jack or a Colby Jack would also be delicious and have an even creamier, gooier melt.