I always have people asking me for plant based Thanksgiving main dishes. This One Pan Butternut Squash and Chickpea Casserole (vegan) is the perfect main course for thanksgiving. It is so delicious and satisfying thanks to the cashew sauce and chickpeas.

I love butternut squash. For more yummy butternut squash recipes try my curried butternut squash noodles with crispy tofu or my turmeric butternut squash and chickpea stew.
Let's get into the recipe.
Why you'll love this recipe
- It is easy to make and ready in less than 40 minutes.
- Thanks to all the veggies this recipe is super healthy for you.
- It is full of protein and fiber.
- It is perfect as a plant based main course for the holidays or thanksgiving.
Ingredients
- butternut squash
- mushrooms
- chickpeas
- black pepper
- garlic powder
- maple syrup
- apple cider vinegar
- italian seasoning
- cinnamon
- oil
- sage
- cashews
- nutritional yeast
- breadcrumbs
Substitutions
- butternut squash - sweet potato could be subbed here.
- chickpeas - white beans is a good substitute.
Recipe FAQ
Blended cashews serve as a ricotta like substitute in this recipe.
Recipe Pro-Tips
If you are gluten free feel free to use gluten free breadcrumbs.
Other fall plant based recipes to try
If you make this One Pan Butternut Squash and Chickpea Casserole (vegan), please leave me a rating and review on this blog post. This is the best way to support me!

one pan butternut squash and chickpea casserole (vegan)
Ingredients
Casserole
- 1 small butternut squash - diced
- 1 onion - roughly chopped
- 2 cups cremini mushrooms - roughly chopped
- 1 can chickpeas - drained
- 1 ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 teaspoon italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon oil of choice
- 8 oz sage - finely chopped
Cashew Ricotta (if sensitive to nuts sub firm tofu and omit the water)
- 1 ½ cups cashews soaked in hot water for 1 hour or normal water for 6 hours
- 2 tablespoon nutritional yeast
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- ½ cup water
- salt/ pepper to taste
- + 1- 1 ½ cups bread crumbs adjust to your preference
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Add all casserole ingredients to a ~10x7 baking dish. Toss to fully combine veggies and seasonings.
- Add casserole dish to the oven and bake for 35 minutes.
- While casserole is in the oven, make your ricotta. Add all ricotta ingredients to a processor and blend until smooth.
- Remove casserole from oven. Top with dollops of ricotta. Sprinkle bread crumbs evenly on top of casserole. Add casserole back to the oven and bake for 10 more minutes.
- Let casserole cool for 10 minutes and serve.
Annie says
Thank you to the recipe creator, Kristi. Today I enjoyed this casserole for supper and it was delicious and the bonus, very nutritious. Everyone and I do mean everyone in the house liked it. I dropped less than a spoonful on the floor and my dog quickly licked it up and looked at me with begging-for-more eyes (but nope, onions are not dog friendly).
Kristi says
Thank you Annie!