This savory butternut squash casserole with bacon, mushrooms, and a buttery walnut crumble is the kind of side dish that disappears fast. It’s cozy, tastes amazing, and is perfect for Thanksgiving, Christmas, or any fall dinner.

A Butternut Squash Casserole topped with golden breadcrumbs, chopped walnuts, and fresh parsley sits on a gray surface, surrounded by parsley sprigs, whole walnuts, two forks, and a plate.

If you’re ready to try a new side for the holidays, a butternut casserole is just the thing. It starts in a skillet and finishes in the oven where the squash develops so much flavor. It soaks up the smoky flavor from bacon and garlic, and mushrooms add a great flavor to the mix.

And then there’s the crumble, buttery, a little crisp on top with toasted walnuts that give every bite a nutty crunch. It’s baked just long enough for the flavors to come together but still hold their shape, so you get a mix of tender, and crisp all in one bite.

When it comes out, it’s already fantastic. But topping it with the crumble takes it to another level. Think of your favorite fruit crisp, but savory instead of sweet, flour, butter, herbs, and chopped walnuts baked until golden and crisp. That mix of textures is what makes it amazing.

A ceramic baking dish holds a golden-brown Butternut Squash Casserole crumble topped with chopped parsley. A serving spoon reveals diced vegetables inside, while three metal forks rest nearby on a gray surface.

While it’s hard to beat your favorite sweet potato casserole, butternut squash might be a nice change from the classics this year. It goes great next to a fresh green bean casserole.

If you’ve ever tried to peel a butternut squash raw, you know it can be difficult. My trick? Slice off both ends, poke it a few times with a fork, and microwave it for about three minutes. The skin softens just enough to peel without a struggle.

What You’ll Need

A flat lay of various ingredients in bowls on a gray surface, perfect for making Butternut Squash Casserole, including chopped carrots, onions, mushrooms, butter, flour, broth, parsley, cubed meat, garlic, seasonings, and olive oil.

Simple Steps For An Easy Side Dish

Step 1 – Create some flavor

Chopped bacon and diced onions cooking in a skillet, with a hand adding minced garlic from a small white bowl—perfect aromatics for starting a delicious Butternut Squash Casserole, all sizzling together on the stovetop. — Cook the bacon and onions.

A frying pan filled with chopped carrots, mushrooms, onions, and pieces of bacon being sautéed for a savory Butternut Squash Casserole, with a wooden spoon resting on the side. — Add the butternut squash.

A skillet filled with sautéed diced butternut squash, bacon, and mushrooms, reminiscent of a hearty Butternut Squash Casserole, topped with a mound of freshly chopped parsley in the center. — Once softened, add broth and parsley.

Step 2 – Cook the squash

A close-up of a Butternut Squash Casserole filled with diced orange vegetables, mushrooms, bacon pieces, and fresh herbs, all mixed together in a white scalloped-edge baking dish. — Place in a baking dish and bake.

Step 3 – Add a crumble

A glass bowl with flour, brown sugar, and fresh thyme sits on a gray surface, ready for your Butternut Squash Casserole—alongside a silver spoon and a light purple cloth. — Combine the dry ingredients.

A glass bowl with flour and cubed butter, partially mixed with a metal spoon—perfect for starting a Butternut Squash Casserole. A light purple cloth rests beside the bowl on a dark textured surface. — Add cold butter.

A glass bowl filled with a crumbly flour mixture for Butternut Squash Casserole, with chopped walnuts being poured in from a small white ramekin, and a beige cloth partly visible beside the bowl. — Add walnuts.

Step 4– Finishing step

A close-up of a Butternut Squash Casserole topped with a golden breadcrumb mixture in a white baking dish. A spoon scoops up the crumb topping, revealing tender, diced vegetables underneath. — Add crumble and continue to bake.

A white baking dish filled with golden, crumbly Butternut Squash Casserole topped with chopped parsley and walnuts sits on a gray surface. Fresh parsley, walnuts, a fork, and a mauve cloth are nearby. — Remove with golden brown.

Pro tip: This recipe makes enough to fill a pie pan but you can easily double the recipe to fill a 9 x 13 baking dish.

This is always a big hit at home, but I’ve also taken it to the office Thanksgiving potluck. It’s nice to have something a little different when you have a bunch of people all bringing sides.

If you want to make this ahead, just assemble and wrap in plastic wrap and store in the fridge for a day or two. Let it come to room temperature before putting it in the oven for the final bake.

This might be one of the easiest ways to win over anyone who claims they don’t like vegetables. The smoky bacon, the buttery crumble, the caramelized squash, it’s comfort food through and through.

A close-up of a spoonful of Butternut Squash Casserole topped with golden breadcrumbs, lifted above a baking dish filled with more casserole and garnished with chopped herbs.

If you loved this recipe, give it a star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating! Also, snap a picture of your finished dish and share it with me on Instagram using the hashtag #butterandbaggage and tagging me @butterandbaggage.

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What You’ll Need