Spiced Butternut Squash & Apple Casserole

Spiced Butternut Squash & Apple Casserole captures the essence of fall. We roast fiber-rich butternut squash and tart Granny Smith apples in an apple-cider sauce with warm spices, and top it with tangy goat cheese—but we don’t stop there. Candied walnuts (which add omega-3s and more fiber) and antioxidant-rich pomegranate arils are the finishing flourishes. This healthy side adds a perfect sweet, salty and tangy bite to cozy cold-weather meals. Check out our expert tips below on how to choose the best butternut squash.

Tips from the EatingWell Test Kitchen

These are the key tips we learned while developing and testing this recipe in our Test Kitchen to make sure it works, tastes great and is good for you too! 

• When selecting a butternut squash, choose one with smooth, blemish-free skin. It should also sound hollow when tapped and feel heavy for its size.
• For a vegan alternative, you can substitute the goat cheese with vegan cashew cheese.
• While Butternut Squash & Apple Casserole is a perfect Thanksgiving and Christmas side dish, it’s also a warm and comforting side that pairs well with a Sunday roasted chicken.

Nutrition Notes

• Butternut squash is a classic fall favorite, but the nutrition will have you choosing it all year round. The color indicates it’s rich in vitamin A (beta carotene), and it also has vitamin C, both important for a healthy immune system. You can double down on those two anti-inflammatory nutrients in butternut squash to help your heart and metabolic health.
• Granny Smith apples are the perfect apples for this recipe because they are tart and hold their shape after baking. Apples are full of fiber—in the peel and in the flesh, so you get more gut-healthy prebiotic benefits by using more of the apple. 
• It’s no coincidence that walnuts look like tiny brains. They are filled with a plant-based omega-3 fatty acid called alpha-linolenic acid, which has been shown to benefit brain health by improving cognitive function and memory when eaten regularly—so feel free to add walnuts to just about everything.