Creamy delicata squash casserole with white beans and a crunchy breadcrumb topping is fall and winter comfort food at its finest. It makes a great holiday entree, too!

Recipe Snapshot

  • Prep time: 20 minutes
  • Cook time: 40 minutes
  • Total time: 60 minutes
  • Yield: 4
  • Category: Main Course
  • Cuisine: American

Ingredients

For the creamy herbed White Beans

  • 2 teaspoons oil
  • 1/4 cup chopped onion
  • 1 clove garlic (minced)
  • 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup cashew milk (or coconut milk, oat milk, or other thick non-dairy milk)
  • 1 teaspoon Italian herb blend
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
  • 2 to 3 tablespoons vegan parmesan
  • 1/2 cup frozen spinach (thawed)
  • 15- ounce can of white beans (or butter beans, great northern beans, other beans of choice)

For the Delicata Squash

  • 1 delicata squash ((7 to 8”), sliced in half, seeds removed, and then sliced again into 1/4” half-moon slices)

For the Breadcrumb Topping

  • 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs (or other dried breadcrumbs)
  • 2 tablespoons almond flour
  • 1/4 cup vegan mozzarella shreds
  • 1/4 cup vegan parmesan
  • 1 clove garlic (minced)
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper flakes
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon oregano

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 410° F (210° C).

Make the saucy white beans

  1. In a skillet, heat the oil over medium heat, add the onion, garlic, and a pinch of salt. Cook until the onion is translucent. 3-4 mins. Add the flour, mix, and cook for about half a minute. Add the spices, herbs, and 1/2 cup of the non-dairy milk. Mix well to break up any lumps. Once all of the flour is mixed into the milk, then add the rest of the non-dairy milk and mix again.
  2. Bring to a boil, then add in the vegan parmesan, spinach, and white beans. Turn off the heat. Carefully taste and adjust salt and flavor to taste. Add more herbs, if you like, or a dash of lemon for tang.
  3. Spread the bean mixture onto the bottom of an 9 x 11” or similar-sized casserole dish. (You want the dish to be large enough that you can spread out all of the squash in no more than 2 layers. More layers will cause the squash to take too long to roast.) Even out the bean mixture with a spatula.

Layer the delicata squash.

  1. Slice the delicata squash into 1/4” half-moon shapes and spread them over the bean mixture in a slightly overlapped fashion.

Prepare the breadcrumb mixture.

  1. Mix all the topping ingredients in a small bowl, then sprinkle the mixture over the delicata squash. Drizzle 1 to 2 teaspoons of extra virgin olive oil on top.

Bake and serve.

  1. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes. After 15 minutes, check to make sure that the topping isn’t getting too browned. If it is, then cover with parchment paper and continue baking.
  2. Check again at the 25-minute mark for doneness of the squash. If needed, continue baking for another 5 to 10 minutes, until the squash is tender enough that a toothpick inserts easily.
  3. Remove from the oven, then let the dish sit for a few minutes before serving. Serve topped with fresh basil or other herbs of choice with some toasted sourdough.

Kiyaan Singh’s Kitchen Note

Keep this recipe as a working base: cook once as written, then adjust spice, texture, and serving style for your own table.