Back in January, my husband and I signed up for weekly produce bags through school. Every Friday we got to pick up a paper bag, filled to the brim with veggies (and sometimes fruit), fresh from the farm. This bag included a lot of veggies that I have not once purchased on my own, including butternut squash (with the exception of making baby food). Since I had no idea what to do with this large, orange vegetable…I scoured Pinterest for a scrumptious recipe so that I could introduce it to my family with style.

Follow / THIS DOMESTICATED DIVA /’s board / F A V E S / on Pinterest.

Since then we have incorporated butternut squash into several meals, which to my delight…my family loves! But among the new favorites, the one that stood out the most was this recipe for Butternut Squash Enchiladas.

Now, you may not know this about me…but anytime I am trying something new, I tend to follow the recipe to the T, and follow up later by making it my own. Every family has their own style of seasoning and cooking. Ours is no exception.

That recipe was bomb. Don’t get me wrong. But I wanted to really make it my own and bring in some of the authenticity from traditional enchiladas (think Pioneer Woman’s Enchiladas). So low and behold, this masterpiece (I say oh-so-humbly) was born. May I present to you…

/ BUTTERNUT SQUASH ENCHILDADAS /

/ S A U C E /

1 TBS olive oil
1 TBS flour
30 oz mild green enchilada
2 cups chicken broth
pepper, to taste

/ F I L L I N G /

1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 sweet onion, chopped
1 small butternut squash, chopped
2 TBS butter
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp chilli powder
8 oz mushrooms, chopped
4 oz can green chillies
1 can black beans, rinsed
corn tortillas
shredded cheese

/ O P T I O N A L / T O P P I N G S /

queso fresca
cilantro
green onions

/ FOR THE SAUCE /

Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add flour and whisk, letting thicken for 2-3 minutes. Add in the enchilada sauce and broth (if you don’t have broth, you can use the chicken “better than bouillon” and mix it with water). Mix well, add pepper to taste. Bring to a boil and then cover and let simmer for 30 minutes.

/ FOR THE FILLING /

Over medium-high heat, add red bell pepper into a large frying pan and let cook until it begins to brown, stirring only occasionally. Add in onions, and cook until translucent. Stir in the butternut squash, then add 1 TBS of butter, followed by the salt, cumin and chilli powder. Stir occasionally and let cook until butternut squash is tender to a fork. Set aside in a large bowl.

Add 1 TBS butter to the pan, followed by the mushrooms. Let cook until softened and brown. Add the green chillies, black beans, and a little more seasoning. When all warmed, combine with the rest of the filling.

/ TORTILLAS /

While cooking the veggies, soften the corn tortillas by warming about a minute on each side in a small frying pan. Set aside until filling is ready.

/ ASSEMBLY /

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cover the bottom of your pan with a thin layer of sauce (I use two 8×8 dishes, but you are welcome to use a 9×13 if you would rather). With a pair of tongs, gently lay the tortilla in the sauce and cover on both sides. Add in a portion of the filling, top with cheese, roll and place in casserole dish. Repeat until you fill your casserole dish. Cover with remaining sauce. Crumble on queso fresca, and then cover with shredded cheese. You have the option of adding any toppings before or after cooking. I love green onions and cilantro, but I usually leave it until the ends because my kids don’t. Bake (uncovered) for 10-15 minutes, or until cheese is melted and bubbly.

This is one of those meals that takes a bit of prep time, but is so completely worth it. And meat lovers – this is packed with so much flavor and goodness, believe me when I say you won’t even miss the meat! When I made this last night, my kids devoured their first and second helping in under 10 minutes flat. No joke. Hollywood even woke up the next morning and asked if he could have it for breakfast! Hahaha!

I hope you give it a try, and if you do – please let me know what you thought!