Name: Squash Apple Cranberry Bake
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 60 min
Total time: 75 min
Ingredients: 1 large butternut squash (peeled and cut in to 1" cubes); 1 large apple (peeled); 3/4 cup fresh or frozen cranberries; ¼ cup maple syrup; 2 tbsp. coconut oil (melted); 1 tbsp. tapioca starch (can also sub in regular flour or gluten-free flour, if preferred); 1/2 tsp. salt; 1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg; 1 tsp. cinnamon

Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

This Squash Apple Cranberry Bake is the perfect side dish to serve for any weeknight or holiday meal. It has just the right amount of sweetness and tartness to keep you running back for more! {vegan, gluten-free & paleo}

It’s hard to believe, but several weeks ago was our Canadian Thanksgiving.

I’m lucky because I got to have a couple of Thanksgiving dinners, one at my husband’s house with his family and one at my house with my family.

Both dinners were great of course, but my mother-in-law made this one dish that was absolutely out-of-this-world!

It was this Squash Apple Cranberry Bake.

After taking one bite, I knew that I needed the recipe ASAP.

Now, whenever I ask someone for a recipe, they have a tendency to give me this whole guilty confession of all of the not so good-for-you ingredients that are found in the recipe.

OR even if I don’t ask for a recipe, people still have a tendency to list off to me all of the junk that they ate last night.

The big bag of doritos, the bowl of ice cream….ANDDD let’s not forget about the chocolate bar.

It’s like an automatic instinct for people when they’re talking to a dietitian to confess these things, like I’m going to punish them or something if they ate a piece of cake.

Don’t worry, I totally don’t judge you if your recipes (or your diet) don’t include the perfect healthy components.

Just FYI.

I indulge in not-so-healthy things on occasion too.

But, when I receive a recipe that could use a little help from a nutritional standpoint, I ALWAYS see it as an opportunity to give the recipe a healthy makeover!

Bring. It. On.

So of course, I asked my mother-in-law for the recipe and she did the whole guilty confession thing about all of the flour, sugar and butter.

No big deal!

I made a few modifications, and managed to create a recipe that tasted pretty much exactly like the original with half the fat and sugar!

Let’s delve in and chat about how to make this amazing dish!

How to Make Squash Apple Cranberry Bake

This recipe is a cinch to make and can be made ahead of time, so it’s the perfect side dish to prepare during the busy holiday season.

First, you’ll need to preheat the oven to 350°F. Peel the squash and apples (I love using this peeler because it moves along with the grooves of the fruits and vegetables).

Once peeled, cut the squash in half, remove the seeds and dice it into one-inch cubes.

Next, thinly slice the apples. You can really use any type of apple that you prefer. Galas or Macintosh tend to work especially well for this recipe.

In a medium bowl, mix together the squash, apples and cranberries.

Pour in the maple syrup, coconut oil, tapioca, salt, nutmeg and cinnamon and toss to evenly distribute.

Place mixture in an ungreased 7×11-inch baking dish. Cover with foil and bake for 25 minutes, and then toss to ensure all components are cooked evenly. Place back in oven, and bake for an additional 25-35 minutes.

And this is the easy part. Just sit back and smell that wonderful aroma wafting through the house.

That smell always gives me all the warm and cozy feels.

Special Tip

You’ll probably notice that when this bake comes out of the oven, there will be quite a bit of liquid at the bottom of the dish and that’s totally okay.

Toss the squash, apples and cranberries so that they’re well coated in this mixture and then allow the dish to sit for about 15-20 minutes. This will give the mixture time to thicken slightly and caramelize.

The outcome will be this delicious sauce filled with flavours of maple, nutmeg and cinnamon..all of my favourite fall flavours.

Reasons to Love this Squash Apple Cranberry Bake

Now if you can’t tell by now, I’m a huge fan of this squash apple cranberry casserole.

This recipe:

Has just the right amount of sweetness from the apples and butternut squash, and tartness from the cranberries
Is loaded with Vitamin A and C, fibre and antioxidants
Pairs perfectly with turkey and other holiday dishes
Gorgeous colours
Can be made ahead of time
Tastes just as good, if not BETTER, as leftovers
Smells A-MAZING

It really doesn’t get much better than that.

How long does this Squash Apple Cranberry Bake stay good in the fridge?

This recipe should last in the fridge for up to four days.

You’ll notice that the glaze will thicken up a bit and form more of a caramel-like consistency once it’s been sitting in the fridge overnight, but it still tastes amazing as leftovers the next day.

You’ll want to make extras of this one because it definitely won’t last long!

How to Reheat this Squash Apple Cranberry Bake

Generally, I like to pop this dish back in the oven at 350°F for about 10 minutes or so to reheat.

If you’d like a faster option, you can always place it in the microwave for a few seconds to warm it up.

Either way, you can’t go wrong!

What should I serve along with this Squash Apple Cranberry Bake?

One thing I love about this dish is that the flavours compliment so many other holiday entrees and sides.

If you’re looking for a few ideas, here you go!

This bake tends to go well with:

And so many more!

I have a strong feeling that this dish will be making a reappearance at Christmas dinner ;)

More similar recipes

Did you make this recipe? Scroll down to leave a rating and review!