Mexican Butternut Squash Bake

I have loved this combination of flavors for months, I’ve been tweaking here and there to find the perfect balance and I absolutely love this result! I just tossed this into a pan and baked it, but you could use it as enchilada or burrito filling (smother with Salsa Verde and bake!) if you wanted to. I made this for a party and split it into 2 pans, one for the event (which came home completely empty) and one I kept in the fridge for two days and baked for myself. It was just as delicious. I’ve heard butternut squash doesn’t freeze/reheat well, so maybe attempt that route at your own risk.

Now, there are a lot of spices in this recipe. I find that they add so much to the flavor of plain old veggies and if I’ve got it in my cupboard I may as well use it. I find I put dry mustard in just about everything and a tiny pinch of cayenne or red pepper flakes won’t burn your tongue but will definitely bring out some delicious flavor in any given dish. (This coming from a girl who prefers mild salsa, it’s not like I’m a hot-sauce fiend!) I don’t put any meat in this, but you could easily bulk it up a bit by mixing in one or two cooked chicken breasts or pork chops, chopped or shredded into small pieces.

Mexican Butternut Squash Bake

Preheat oven to 350.

½ medium butternut squash, peeled, diced tiny (1/2″, the size of your thumbnail)
2-3 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
Roast on a rimmed baking sheet at 350 for 20-25 minutes, until tender.

1 15 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 15 oz can corn, drained
1 4 oz can green chilies
1 red pepper, minced
½ onion, diced
½ cup salsa verde
½ cup sour cream
½ cup greek yogurt
1/3 cup diced cilantro (more if you love cilantro)
½ cup shredded pepper-jack cheese
2 cups fresh baby spinach, sliced into ribbons
1 teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon cumin
½ teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon salt (more to taste, the squash and beans need salt to be at their best!)
½ teaspoon mustard powder
¼ teaspoon cayenne (more or less, to taste)

While the squash is roasting chop the rest of your veggies, rinse your canned stuff, and measure out the spices. When the squash is done mix everything together, dump into a 9×13 pan and cook uncovered in your already pre-heated 350 degree oven for another 20-25 minutes. In the last 5 minutes slide the dish out, sprinkle with about 1/2 cup of pepper-jack cheese, and put it back in to finish cooking. This will give you melty cheese on the top without having a slippery cheese blanket.