Two questions I often receive are a) What do I make on an average night, and 2) What are some of my favorite dishes for entertaining friends. These Butternut Squash Spinach Enchiladas are my answer to both.
Although itโs fun to bust out the fancy recipes every now and then, honestly, when Iโm hosting friends for dinner, Iโd rather choose something that makes everyone feel comfortable, happy, and glad that they wore pants with a little bit of stretch.
Iโm also not usually organized enough to have a lot of different sides all ready at the same time, so I like to opt for recipes that provide an entire meal in a single pan.
In the fall, that means butternut squash spinach enchiladas.
These butternut squash spinach enchiladas are one of the earlier dinners I cooked for Ben and myself after we were married, and theyโve since transitioned onto our greatest hits list.
Theyโve also become one of my favorite recipes to serve friends, because they offer a unique twist on enchiladas, a dish Iโve found to be universally loved and adored by all.
Why I Love These Creamy Butternut Squash Enchiladas
While classic enchiladas typically feature red sauce, meat, and chili-inspired spices, these butternut squash enchiladas instead use warm fall flavors and ingredients: butternut squash, nutmeg, and sage.
White beans make the filling super creamy and filling and spinach sneaks in a serving of healthy veggies, but itโs the ooey-gooey white sauce poured generously over the top that takes these butternut squash enchiladas from โoooh, these are good,โ to โI NEED MORE IMMEDIATELY!โ
One of my little secrets about these enchiladas is that, although they taste ultra decadent, they are healthy, meat free, and can be made dairy free too, thanks to almond milk, which I use as the base for the white sauce (itโs flavor is perfect with the nutmeg!).
Ben and I make a point to eat meatless a few times a week, a habit that started in law school to save us a little extra cash and has continued afterwards to help us eat more healthfully and sustainably too.
More Enchiladas Recipes
- Instant Pot Chicken Enchiladas
- Zucchini Enchiladas
- Vegetarian Enchiladas with Butternut Squash and Black Beans
- Vegan Enchiladas
- Green Chile Chicken Enchiladas
From my Monday night dinner table to yours: Butternut squash spinach enchiladas. Make a big pan tonight, enjoy the leftovers tomorrow (or during overtime), and feel free to make these ahead and freeze too.
Butternut Squash Spinach Enchiladas
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion diced
- 4 cups cubed butternut squash (1/2-inch), about a 1 3/4 pound squash
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage, plus additional for topping
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt divided
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg (freshly grated if possible) divided
- 1 can white beans (14 ounces) (cannelli, Great Northern, or similar), drained
- 1 package frozen chopped spinach, (10 ounces) thawed and pressed of excess water
- 1 1/2 cups freshly grated fontina, mozzarella, gruyere or similar, melty cheese, divided (to make the recipe dairy-free, use a dairy-free mozzarella-style shredded cheese alternative)
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup white whole wheat flour
- 2 cups unsweetened vanilla almond milk
- 8 whole wheat tortillas (8-inch)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly coat a 9×13 baking dish with cooking spray. Set aside.
- Heat the olive oil in a large, deep skillet over medium. Once the oil is hot, add the onion and cook until beginning to soften, 2-3 minutes. Stir in the squash, garlic, sage, 3/4 teaspoon salt, pepper, and 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg. Cover and let cook until the squash is softened but still has a bit of chew, about 6-8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in the drained beans and spinach. Remove from heat, then toss with 1/2 cup of the grated cheese. Set aside.
- Meanwhile, melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium high. Sprinkle in the flour, then whisk for 2-3 minutes, until the flour turns golden and smells nutty. Slowly pour in about 1/2 cup of the almond milk, whisking constantly until the flour is smooth. Add the rest of the milk, then let the mixture bubble, stirring occasionally, until it thickens, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the remaining 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 cup grated cheese.
- Pour a thin layer of the cheese sauce into the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Fill the tortillas with the squash and bean filling, roll snugly, then arrange side by side in the dish. Pour the remaining white sauce over the top, then sprinkle the top with the remaining 1/2 cup cheese. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until hot and bubbly. Let cool slightly, then serve.
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these sound delicious! i love enchiladas and butternut squash but not in combination with tomatoes so i’m excited this recipe is tomato-free. pinned and can’t wait to try this!
Wow! This sounds like the perfect recipe for you, Kate! I hope you love it.
I don’t remember how I came across your website, but ever since I discovered your recipes I look forward to cooking again! I love the flavor profiles and mix of foods and spices that I never imagined trying. I love the tried and true and out of the box ingredient pairings. I have triplet toddlers and am always on the look out for nutritious meals they like. So excited to keep trying more recipes! This is one of our family’s favorites!
Lara, this comment has me smiling from ear to ear. Thank you so, so much! It means more that I can say that you and your family (especially your triplets!) enjoy what I post. Thanks for leaving this lovely note, and have a wonderful weekend!
I was wondering if corn tortillas and gluten free all purpose flour could be used for a GF version of this dish.
Hi Dee! The texture and flavor will be different, since corn tortillas have a unique flavor and tend to break down a bit more, but otherwise, I think that would work fine. For the flour, I’d look for a gum-free blend, as some times GF blends with gum in them can give cream sauces a strange texture. You could also try mixing cornstarch into the milk, instead of flour. I hope that helps!
These look amazing! Would the recipe work with regular cow’s milk if I don’t have any almond milk on hand?
Definitely Erin!
Definitely a winner. Such a unique flavor. We loved it. Added just a small amount of chicken and it was just so tasty. Love your site. I’m on WW and I use your recipes a lot to help keep the variety going. Thanks so much!
Thank you so much for this kind comment, Michele! I’m so glad to hear you enjoyed the recipe!
Made it with corn tortillas, NM enchilada casserole style (stacked instead of rolled). It was so good! The toasty nutty warmth of the corn tortilla was such a nice compliment to the flavors. For my family the breakdown of the tortillas is what we like, so making ahead with the sauce is what Iโll probably try in the future. My picky, cheese hating 4 year old loved it!
Thank you for the recipe!
YAY! I’m so happy to hear that this was a hit, Jenny! Thank you for taking the time to share this kind review!
This sounds really tasty. Can I use frozen butternut squash?
Robin the squash will be very soft/not al dente, but I think if you have cubed frozen squash that’s cut the same size as the recipe, you could thaw it, pat it dry, then use it in the recipe. I hope you enjoy it!
Quick question: do you have a suggestion for a replacement for the nutmeg? We have nutmeg allergy in the family.
Jess, you can simply omit it. I hope you enjoy!
Can you make a day ahead, then reheat? Thanks.
Hi Melody! To reheat, gently reheat enchiladas on a baking sheet in the oven at 350 degrees F until warmed through. You can also rewarm this recipe in the microwave. Hope this helps!