Butternut Squash and Quinoa Casserole

Butternut Squash and Quinoa Casserole with feta cheese and pumpkins seeds is a savory recipe perfect as a side dish or a vegetarian main course. Read on for more details about the recipe and our wine pairing suggestion, or click here to jump down to the recipe.

When the weather turns cold, shortly after making my first soup of the season, I’m usually ready to make a casserole. I’ve whipped up many good casseroles with pasta as a main ingredient, but I wanted to try something different this time. I wanted to make something with a definite fall flavor, too, and the results was this savory Butternut Squash Quinoa Casserole.

The Butternut Squash and Quinoa Casserole dish gets topped off with some pumpkin seeds for some extra fall flair. You can order some here on Amazon, using my affiliate link, if you need some to make this recipe.

Tips for making this recipe

Here are some tips for making this casserole with butternut squash and quinoa. Scroll down the recipe card for the detailed instructions.

• Start by getting the squash cooking. I boiled the butternut squash, but one reader notes that she roasted the squash with good results. Set the cooked squash aside as the quinoa cooks.
• I like to use 365 Organic Super Grains blend for this recipe, which uses a blend of red and white quinoa as well as some millet and buckwheat.
• Rinsing quinoa is advice I’ve always followed, but according to the testing done by the kitchn, this step might not be totally necessary. But I’ve had good results rinsing it so will continue to do so. 
• After sautéing the onions, stir the cooked squash into the skillet along with the broth and sage. Use the side of a sturdy spoon to mash up the squash, creating a creamy consistency. 
• Combine the squash / onion mixture with the cooked quinoa. Add the feta cheese, then transfer the mixture to a casserole dish. Top with pumpkin seeds. The casserole is ready to be baked — 10 minutes covered, 5 minutes without the cover to finish it.

Is this recipe healthy?

This casserole definitely scores big on the healthy front. Quinoa is packed with nutrition, and we add some spinach to further enhance the nutritional value, and adding some nice color. Feta cheese, lower in fat than many cheeses, is used to add some rich flavor.

Butternut squash brings some health benefits to the table, too. The squash is high in Vitamins A and C, and is also a good source of potassium.

Don’t forget about those pumpkins seeds! They are small but mighty, packed with nutrients including fiber, protein and a range of minerals.

For another healthy recipe with butternut squash, try our Butternut Squash Chickpea Curry! And you might also like our Savory Mashed Butternut Squash!

How to serve this casserole

The recipe is substantial enough to be served as a vegetarian main dish, with a green salad to round things out. 

This casserole also makes a nice side dish. We had it along with some baked haddock when I originally made it. More recently, I served this alongside some BBQ Crockpot Chicken, and that was a delicious combo.

I suspect it could also work with turkey, perhaps as a change of pace Thanksgiving side dish.

Can you freeze this casserole?

It is possible to freeze extra butternut squash quinoa casserole, but this is best eaten fresh.

The last time I made this recipe, I did have extra that I didn’t anticipate using. So I scooped a couple of servings into a freezer bag, and froze it. After a couple of weeks, I took the casserole out and thawed it in the refrigerator. The casserole was still flavorful, but the consistency was a bit watery. Perhaps the butternut squash water content?

I would freeze extras of this rather than throwing it out, but the more you can use it while fresh, the better. It does keep well cooked in the refrigerator for a good 4 to 5 days, so that is a better option for leftovers.

Wine Pairing for This Recipe

We previously served this casserole with a white Rhône wine.

Seeing as one full bodied white wine worked well, I stuck with that theme and opened a bottle of the 2018 Sbragia Home Ranch Chardonnay ($21 avg. price). This Chard is from Dry Creek in Sonoma County.

The Sbragia Chardonnay is a well-balanced wine. Lemon fruit and a light touch of butter. Flavorful but not overwrought; a good example of the kind of California Chardonnay I enjoy.

In fact, seeing as this was the last bottle of a half-case we got for just $14/bottle, just ordered some more! If you’re in the Boston area, Bin Ends Wine has it for that price as of fall September 2020.

We originally had this recipe with the delicious 2014 Au Bon Puit Côtes du Rhône, and I’d be remiss not to mention it as it is very good for under $15. This white wine is a blend of Viogner, Roussanne, and Grenache Blanc. 

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