Maple Bacon Butternut Squash Cranberry Casserole

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If you’re looking for a fall side dish that’s both sweet and savory, this maple bacon butternut squash cranberry casserole is so good. Tender roasted squash, smoky bacon, caramelized onions, and tart pops of cranberry all bake together in one dish with a maple-spiced glaze that makes your kitchen smell amazing.

It’s one of those easy recipes that feels special enough for holiday dinners but is still simple enough for busy weeknights. Just toss everything together and bake until it’s golden and bubbling.

It’s delicious with turkey, chicken, or ham, really, anytime you want a warm, comforting side dish.

Lifting up a serving spoon of maple bacon butternut squash cranberry casserole.

This casserole also fits beautifully on a Thanksgiving or Christmas table. It brings together all the best fall flavors. It looks so pretty alongside your other favorites like easy mashed potatoes, pear cranberry sauce, garlic roasted carrots, and ground pork stuffing.

Why You’ll Love This Butternut Squash Cranberry Bake

Easy: Everything bakes in one casserole dish with simple prep and no fussy steps.
Flavor: A perfect mix of sweet maple, savory bacon, caramelized onions, and warm spices.
Crowd Pleaser: This simple recipe goes great with holiday meals or weeknight dinners and always gets compliments.
Budget Friendly: It uses affordable, in-season ingredients like squash, onions, and cranberries.

Ingredients

3-pound butternut squash, peeled and 8 cups cubed
2 tablespoons olive oil
6 slices bacon, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
2 onions, sliced thin
1 cup cranberries
5 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried sage
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 tablespoons maple syrup

How To Make Maple Bacon Butternut Squash Cranberry Casserole

Preheat your oven to 400°F and grease a 9×13 baking dish with cooking spray.

Cubed butternut squash in a large mixing bowl.

Peel and cube your butternut squash into 1-inch cubes, then place them in a large mixing bowl.

Cook the bacon in a large skillet until cooked but still soft. Remove and place into the bowl with the butternut squash.

Cooked bacon, caramelized onions, cranberries, garlic, and seasonings were added to the butternut squash.

Cubed butternut squash tossed with bacon, cranberries, and seasoning.

Add the sliced onions to the skillet and cook in the bacon grease until caramelized. Then drain and add to the bacon in the bowl, along with the fresh cranberries.

Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil, chopped garlic, thyme, sage, cinnamon, and maple syrup. Toss to evenly coat the vegetables well.

The squash filling has been spread into a casserole dish.

Spoon the mixture into a casserole dish, cover with foil, and bake for 40 to 45 minutes.

Remove from the oven, remove the lid, then return to the oven for another 10 minutes, until the top is golden.

Baked maple bacon butternut squash cranberry casserole, warm from the oven.

Substitutions

Don’t have bacon? Try diced ham instead or leave the meat out and it’ll still taste great.
Out of maple syrup? Toss with honey or brown sugar instead.
No fresh onions or garlic? Garlic powder and onion powder will work too.

Serve With:

Baked maple bacon butternut squash cranberry casserole in a red and white dish.

More Butternut Squash Recipes:

FAQ’s

Yes, cooking the bacon and onions before adding them to the casserole adds flavor, but prevents the casserole from getting greasy or watery.

The squash should be fork-tender, the cranberries softened, and the top lightly caramelized. If the top needs more color, bake it uncovered for a few more minutes.

Yes! Just drizzle an extra tablespoon of maple syrup over the top before baking.

Baked butternut squash casserole with cranberries and bacon cooling on the counter.

Maple Bacon Butternut Squash Cranberry Casserole

This maple butternut squash cranberry casserole is the perfect mix of sweet, savory, and cozy fall flavors. Tender roasted squash, bacon, onions, and cranberries bake together in a maple spiced glaze for a beautiful side dish that’s easy enough for weeknights and special enough for the holidays.

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 1 15

Serving Size servings

Ingredients

3 pound butternut squash peeled and cubed (about 8 cups)
2 tablespoons olive oil
6 slices bacon cut into 1/2 inch pieces
2 onions sliced thin
1 cup cranberries
5 cloves garlic chopped
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried sage
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 tablespoons maple syrup

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400°F and grease a 9×13 baking dish with cooking spray.
Peel and cube the butternut squash into 1-inch cubes, then place them into a large mixing bowl.
Cook the bacon in a large skillet until cooked but still soft, about 15 minutes. Remove and place into the bowl with the butternut squash.
Add the sliced onions to the skillet and cook in the bacon grease until caramelized, about 5 minutes. Then drain and add to the bacon in the bowl, along with the fresh cranberries.
Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil, chopped garlic, thyme, sage, cinnamon, and maple syrup. Toss to evenly coat the vegetables well.
Spoon the mixture into a casserole dish, cover with foil, and bake for 40 to 45 minutes.
Remove from the oven, remove the lid, then return to the oven for another 10 minutes, until the top is golden.

Nutrition

These values are from a nutritional database and automatically calculated, and should only be used as an approximation.

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Kim

Kim Mills is a homeschooling mom of 6 and lives on an urban homestead in Ontario, Canada. Blogging at Homestead Acres she enjoys sharing tips to help you save money, grow and preserve your own food.