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This creamy Vegan Casserole with Chickpeas and Butternut Squash is perfect for serving as a hearty side or starring as a meatless main! Although this chickpea-butternut squash casserole is infused with the signature fall flavors of sage and thyme, you will want to eat this dish all year long! Perfect for the holidays too!
♪ I’m in a chick-pea state of mind. ♫
OK, fine…I’ve always got chickpeas on the brain.
I mean, chickpeas are my life!
OK, maybe that’s an exaggeration, but the chickpea is my favorite legume and all!
So, of course I’m always looking for ways to show some chickpea love on the biggest eating day of the year – Thanksgiving!
I’ve already got a veggie loaf starring chickpeas and a vegan gravy made from chickpea flour.
I even have a dessert hummus that tastes like pumpkin pie.
And, thanks to my blogger friend, Kate, over at Babaganosh, I now have this amazing vegan Thanksgiving side dish featuring chickpeas too. 🙂
But honestly, amazing is an understatement. And, I’m so excited that Kate suggested I post my vegan version of her genius creation on Watch Learn Eat!
This casserole is so delicious, you don’t just have to eat it on Thanksgiving. In fact, I’ve already made it twice this fall and plan on making it lots more…All. Year. Long. 😉
So, let’s get on with it, shall we?
Ingredients you’ll need
- Butternut Squash Chunks (I buy pre-cut cubed butternut squash for convenience, which is available at most supermarkets)
- Onion
- Garlic
- Olive Oil
- Sea Salt
- Freshly Ground Black Pepper
- Vegan Half & Half (I used Natural Bliss by Coffee Mate, but you can use your favorite brand) or canned light coconut milk
- Vegetable Broth
- Ground or Rubbed Sage
- Dried Thyme
- Canned Chickpeas
- Vegan Parmesan-Style Cheese (I used Follow Your Heart, but you can use your favorite brand)
How to make this vegan casserole with chickpeas and butternut squash – step by step
Preheat your oven to 400° F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Add cubed butternut squash, onion and garlic to a mixing bowl with olive oil, salt and pepper. Mix to combine.
Transfer to a baking sheet.
Spread everything out evenly on the sheet in one layer. Bake for 15 minutes. Then, carefully give the veggies a stir and return to the oven.
Bake for another 10-15 minutes until the squash is fork-tender. Remove from the oven and set aside for 5 minutes to cool. Increase the oven temperature to 425° F.
Add vegan half & half and vegetable broth to a high-powered blender. Carefully pick out the onion pieces and garlic cloves and add them to the blender.
Then measure 1 1/2 cups of butternut squash and add to the blender as well. Next, add sage and thyme.
Blend on high speed until everything is pureed.
Add the chickpeas to a casserole dish and top with the rest of the butternut squash chunks.
Pour the pureed butternut squash sauce over top.
Stir to combine.
Top with vegan Parmesan-style cheese, more black pepper and more thyme.
Bake for approximately 20 minutes, until the casserole is bubbling and is heated throughout, but not starting to burn. Allow to cool 5-10 minutes before serving.
How to serve this casserole
This casserole pairs perfectly with our maple Dijon baked tempeh, marinated tempeh or chickpea “meatloaf” alongside some mashed potatoes with almond milk and vegan cream cheese.
You can also serve it as a main dish alongside a simple salad or over rice.
Storing and reheating leftovers
Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Cover and reheat in a 350° F oven until warmed throughout.
Alternatively, reheat in a covered microwave-safe dish until hot in 1-minute intervals, stirring in between.
Vegan Casserole with Chickpeas and Butternut Squash
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 tbsp. olive oil
- 20 oz. cubed, fresh butternut squash (I buy the pre-cut butternut squash for convenience, which can be found at most supermarkets)
- 1 small yellow onion, cut into large pieces
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled
- Sea salt to taste (I used 1 1/2 tsp.)
- Freshly ground black pepper to taste (I used approximately 1/4 tsp. for the butternut squash as well as more to top off the casserole)
- 3/4 cup vegan half & half, plain and unsweetened or canned light coconut milk
- 1/4 cup gluten-free vegetable broth
- 1 tsp. ground or rubbed sage
- 3/4 tsp. dried thyme, divided
- 2 (15 oz.) cans chickpeas (aka garbanzo beans), drained and rinsed
- 1/4-1/2 cup vegan Parmesan-style cheese (I used 1/4 cup)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400° F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Add cubed butternut squash, onion and garlic to a mixing bowl with olive oil, salt and pepper. Mix to combine.
- Transfer veggies to a baking sheet. Spread everything out evenly on the sheet in one layer. Bake for 15 minutes. Then, carefully give the veggies a stir and return to the oven. Bake for another 10-15 minutes until the squash is fork-tender. Remove from the oven and set aside for 5 minutes to cool. Increase the oven temperature to 425° F.
- Add vegan half & half and vegetable broth to a high-powered blender. Carefully pick out the onion pieces and garlic cloves and add them to the blender. Measure 1 1/2 cups of the butternut squash chunks and add them to the blender, followed by sage and 1/2 tsp. thyme. Blend on high speed until everything is pureed.
- Add the chickpeas to a 1.5- or 2-quart *casserole dish and top with the rest of the butternut squash chunks. Pour the pureed butternut squash sauce over top. Stir to combine. Top with vegan Parmesan-style cheese more freshly ground black pepper to taste and 1/4 tsp. dried thyme.
- Bake for approximately 20 minutes, until the casserole is bubbling and is heated throughout, but not starting to burn. Allow to cool 5-10 minutes before serving.
Suggested Equipment/Tools
Notes
Nutrition
This recipe has been adapted from Babaganosh’s Thanksgiving Chickpeas with Butternut Squash Casserole.
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