Butternut Squash Meringue Casserole {Instant Pot | Slow Cooker | Oven}

Gearing up for Thanksgiving? This 21 Day Fix Butternut Squash Meringue Casserole is a healthy and delicious twist on the popular sweet potato casserole with marshmallows.

Hey guys! We're at T minus 6 days until turkey day, so I know this side dish post is coming in preeetty late for my planners out there. However, I'm so unbelievably excited about it that I busted my ass today to get it to you. Because I freaking love you and I'm really hoping that at least some of you will make some room on your table for this one. If you do, I'd love to hear about it!

Speaking of Thanksgiving, I went with my daughter's first grade class yesterday to the senior center in town where they sang some Thanksgiving songs to the residents there. Each kid had made a turkey hat with feathers sticking out of it. On each feather, was written something that the child was thankful for. Excuse the cell phone photo, but this is my child's hat.

I mean, I may not be perfect, but at least I've taught them about the important things in life.

Anyway, back to why you're really here. So many families make the classic sweet potato casserole on Thanksgiving. You know the one, carby, super-sweet sweet potatoes topped with pure sugar marshmallows that we eat until cavities instantly develop? Everyone loves it because it's essentially dessert. Now there are tons of lightened up versions of this dish - usually topped with some sort of oat topping and I've no doubt that they're fantastic. But I got to thinking... can I get closer to that family favorite but still keep it 21 Day Fix approved and crazy-delicious?

You guys. I did it.

For reals.

I'm talking, this thing makes 12 half cup servings and my family finished it off in one night. One. Night.

My kids were calling it "that good orange stuff" and were freaking bananas over it.

You need this in your life.

This delicious casserole is a super flavorful butternut squash mash, topped with a toasty-sweet meringue. It hits all of those fantastic sweet potato casserole notes without all of the sugar, carbs and calories. It's magic, people.

Let me break down the other awesome deets:

1. The mash can be made days ahead (or longer if you want to freeze it), then just top with the meringue when you're ready to serve.
2. It's Gluten Free and Dairy Free.
3. You can make the mash in your Instant Pot, Slow Cooker, microwave or steam it on the stove top.
4. It uses a fraction of the sugar that sweet potato casserole uses, but still tastes like dessert.
5. No yellows for my fixers! In fact, each half cup only counts as ¼ Green and less than 1 teaspoon of sugar. BOOM. - save those yellows for the stuffing and pie, my friends.
6. ½ cup of regular Sweet Potato Casserole has 150 calories, 24 grams of carbs and 7 grams of fat. This beauty has 37 calories, 9 grams of carbs and ZERO fat. Magic, remember?
7. It's the perfect Thanksgiving, Christmas or absolutely any holiday or special meal side dish.
8. Did I mention that it looks pretty as pie on your table, too? Literally.

This will definitely be my last post before Thanksgiving so I hope you guys have a fun, family-filled, drama-free, damn delicious one! XO

Don't have an Instant Pot yet? Click here to check it out on Amazon! (affiliate link)

If you make this healthy butternut squash meringue casserole be sure to snap a pic and tag me @thefoodieandthefix on Instagram so I can check it out! It makes me ridiculously happy to see what you guys are making 🙂 

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📖 Recipe

Butternut Squash Meringue Casserole {Instant Pot | Oven}

Yield: 6 cups

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes

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Ingredients

Filling: 

• 1  butternut squash (about 3 lbs) - makes 3 cups mashed
• ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
• pinch of nutmeg
• ¼ teaspoon orange extract
• 2 Tbs raw sugar

Meringue:

• 4 egg whites 
• ½ teaspoon cream of tartar
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 ½ Tbs raw sugar

Instructions

Cook the butternut squash:

1. Instant Pot Method:
2. Cut off both ends of the squash so it'll fit in the IP (if it's bigger than 3 pounds, see the photo of how I cut it - I think that one was 3 ½ lbs)
3. Put squash on the trivet in the IP with 1 cup of water. Set to manual for 45 minutes, then immediately release the pressure. It should be super soft. Carefully remove it from the IP (using the trivet's handles), cut in half, remove the seeds, and then remove the flesh from the skin and put it in a bowl.
4. Slow Cooker Method:
5. Put the whole squash right in the slow cooker. No water is needed. Put it on high for 4 hours, the remove it, cut it in half, remove the seeds, then take out the flesh from the skin and put it in a bowl.
6. Microwave Method:
7. Peel and chop your squash and put it in a microwave safe baking dish with a lid. Add a few tablespoons of water and cook on high until very soft (I would start with 10 minutes, then stir and cook longer if necessary).

Finish the squash filling: 

1. To the butternut mash, add the cinnamon, nutmeg, orange extract and raw sugar and put in the bottom of a deep dish pie pan. You're going to need to put your meringue on top of hot filling, so either make your meringue while the squash is cooking (it takes less than 10 minutes, fyi), or you can make the filling ahead (days ahead, even!) and just heat it up before you put the meringue on top. 

Meringue:

1. Preheat your oven to 325 degrees.
2. In a glass or metal bowl, beat the egg whites with an electric mixer on high for about 2 minutes, then add the cream of tartar, vanilla extract and raw sugar. Continue beating on high until stiff peaks form. Put directly on the hot squash filling (important!) and place in the oven to bake for about 15 minutes or until golden brown. 

Notes

21 Day Fix Container Equivalents per Serving: ¼ Green, 1 teaspoon of sugar

Weight Watchers Freestyle Points: 1

Recommended Products

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

• 
  Instant Pot DUO60 6 Qt 7-in-1 Multi-Use Pressure Cooker
• 
  Emile Henry Made In France 9 Inch Pie Dish

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 12 Serving Size: ½ cup
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 26Total Fat: 0g

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