What does fall taste like? In your heart you know it tastes like the harvest: crisp apples fresh off the tree, creamy, sunset-orange butternut squash, and the warming spices of cinnamon and cloves. A Taste of Fall Casserole captures all those magical sensations, so every bite has the coziness of the season. Savory, sweet, and topped with crispy bacon and nutty, buttery pecans for extra crunch and meatiness, A Taste of Fall Casserole is what you hope for when you want a meal to embody the majesty of autumn!
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup coconut oil, melted and divided
- 3 cups butternut squash, cubed
- 2 medium firm apples, cubed
- 1 small red onion, chopped
- 1 1/2 teaspoons fresh sage, chopped
- 1 1/2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
- sea salt, to taste
- black pepper, to taste
- 6 slices thick-cut bacon, chopped into 1/2-inch pieces
- 1/2 cup pecans, roughly chopped
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
Directions
Step 1 –Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Step 2 –Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish with 1 tablespoon of the melted coconut oil.
Step 3 –Combine 2 tablespoons of the coconut oil, the butternut squash, the apple, the red onion, the sage, and the thyme in a large mixing bowl.
Step 4 –Season the squash mixture with the salt and the pepper, tossing to combine.
Step 5 –Transfer the squash mixture to the prepared baking dish, spreading it into an even layer.
Step 6 –Roast the squash mixture in the oven until the squash is fork tender, about 25-30 minutes.
Step 7 –Heat a large sauté pan over medium heat.
Step 8 –Add the bacon to the hot pan and cook, stirring occasionally, until the bacon is cooked through and crispy, about 8-10 minutes.
Step 9 –Transfer the bacon to a small mixing bowl lined with paper towels to drain, blotting off the remaining grease on top.
Step 10 –Discard the paper towels once the bacon has cooled, about 5 minutes.
Step 11 –Add the remaining coconut oil, the pecans, the honey, the cinnamon, and the cloves to the bacon mixture, stirring to combine.
Step 12 –Season the pecan mixture with the salt and the pepper, tossing to combine.
Step 13 –Top the squash mixture with the bacon-pecan mixture.
Step 14 –Roast until the topping is nicely browned, about 10 minutes.
Step 15 –Let cool for 5 minutes.
Step 16 –Serve.
