This gluten free pumpkin tortilla casserole is creamy and cheesy with just a little hint of spice. A great fall meal the whole family will love!
Alright guys, I walked out to my car yesterday morning to go to the gym and it was sub 50 degrees.
I had to put the heat on for the 2 mile drive despite every inch of my soul not wanting to.
So, I’m conceding to the pumpkin. It may be a week before fall officially arrives but the time has come.
I know we all love it for its perfect seasonal color, its (usual) companions of cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves and its ability to assimilate into a savory dish just as easily as a sweet one but, let’s not forget the health aspects of pumpkin too.
I mean, it really should be re-named Fall’s Most Impressive Superfood when you get down to it.
Pumpkin Health Benefits
- Pumpkin has over 200% of the daily recommended Vitamin A. Rich in beta-carotene, much like carrots, eating pumpkin is an excellent way to keep your eye-sight sharp
- Pumpkin is a fiber rich. Its 3 grams of fiber per cup will help keep you feeling full longer.
- Pumpkin seeds can help reduce LDL (bad cholesterol) making them a heart-healthy snack option.
- Beta-carotene found in pumpkins is also considered an antioxidant that can help prevent cancer.
- Pumpkin has more potassium per serving than a banana making it a great way to restore electrolytes after a hard workout.
Not bad for an orange squash best known for frightening little children, huh?
To kick off the pumpkin season, I decided to go savory with this pumpkin tortilla casserole. It’s one of my favorites for something a bit more indulgent and comforting, similar to pumpkin shells.
It’s part casserole, part enchilada and all because of some unfortunate shipping fate when it came to a box of goodies Udi’s sent me last month.
While everything else was completely intact, the poor tortilla package looked like a truck ran over it when I opened the box and saw them still in the bag but in about 150 different pieces.
Since wrapping something up in them was out of the question, I began thinking about how I could use the tortillas in a more…imaginative way.
And so, this broken tortilla pumpkin casserole was born.
It’s got all the elements of a good enchilada including a creamy, just slightly spicy pumpkin enchilada sauce for that fall spin with all the elements of a good casserole, namely cheese!
The result is this creamy, cheesy, chicken, pumpkin (butternut squash makes an excellent stand-in too) and black bean casserole all completely gluten-free thanks to those broken up tortilla pieces.
Ingredients Needed
Pumpkin enchilada sauce
- salsa
- pumpkin puree
- plain Greek yogurt
- chicken broth
- extra virgin olive oil
- sriracha
- cumin
- garlic powder
- salt
For the pumpkin casserole
- extra virgin olive oil
- red onion
- jalapeño
- minced garlic
- cubed pumpkin – you can also use butternut squash (or any winter squash really)
- cumin
- chili powder
- salt and pepper
- black beans
- cooked shredded chicken – use rotisserie chicken for a shortcut!
- gluten-free large tortillas (use your favorite brand)
- pumpkin enchilada sauce – the recipe for this can be found in the card below.
- chicken broth
- Mexican blend cheese
How to Make Easy Pumpkin Casserole
Make the sauce: Blend all of the ingredients in a food processor until smooth.
Sauté the veggies: Heat the oil in a large skillet. Add the onions and jalapeños, cook until soften. The stir in the minced garlic. Add the spices and pumpkin to skillet, cover, and let it steam for 10 minutes until it’s fork tender.
Add the other casserole ingredients: Stir in the beans, chicken, and tortilla pieces. Pour in the enchilada sauce and broth. Add the cheese and stir.
Cook: Transfer the pumpkin casserole into a 9×13 baking dish and top with cheese and fresh jalapeño slices. Broil for 5 minutes and serve!
Tips for Making
- For both the salsa and pumpkin puree, store bought is easiest, but you can also use a homemade version.
- To reduce the heat, cut back on the sriracha and jalapeños.
- While this is a one pan meal, you could also serve it with rice, cauliflower rice, or a simple salad.
- Keep the leftovers in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- To make this easy pumpkin recipe year round, buy a few extra pumpkins. Then, go ahead and cube them and freeze.
More Savory Pumpkin Recipes:
- POTATO PUMPKIN SOUP
- ROSEMARY PUMPKIN HUMMUS
- PUMPKIN GOAT CHEESE DIP WITH CARAMELIZED ONIONS
- TOASTED PINE NUT HERB PUMPKIN MUFFINS
- PUMPKIN HERB CHEESE BALL
Love this pumpkin tortilla casserole recipe?
Find more enchilada inspired meals like these Hawaiian pulled pork BBQ enchilada stacks, this open faced turkey cranberry enchilada melt or, these white chicken enchiladas!
Pumpkin Tortilla Casserole
Ingredients
Pumpkin Enchilada Sauce
- 3/4 cup jarred salsa
- 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
- 1/3 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 1/4 cup chicken broth
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon sriracha
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
Casserole
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 medium red onion, diced
- 1/2 jalapeño, minced
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 3 cups cubed pumpkin or butternut squash, cubes cut to about 1/2 inch squares
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
- salt and pepper
- 1-15 ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 cup cooked shredded chicken
- 3 large gluten-free tortillas, torn or cut into pieces
- pumpkin enchilada sauce
- 1/4 cup chicken broth
- 3/4 cup shredded Mexican blend cheese, plus more for topping
- 1/2 jalapeño, sliced
Instructions
Pumpkin Enchilada Sauce
- Combine all ingredients in a blender or food processor and blend/process until smooth. Set aside.
Casserole
- Place olive oil in a large skillet or pot over medium heat.
- Once hot, add the red onions and jalapeños and cook until softened, about 3 minutes.
- Add the minced garlic and cook for another 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Add the pumpkin or butternut squash along with the cumin, chili powder, salt and pepper, stir to combine, cover and let steam for about 10 minutes over medium-low heat until squash is fork tender.
- Uncover, add the beans, chicken and tortilla pieces and stir to combine.
- Add the enchilada sauce and chicken broth and stir again until well combined.
- Add the cheese, gently stir then transfer the entire mixture to a 9×13 or similar sized baking dish.
- Top with additional cheese (about 1/4 cup) and dot the jalapeño slices on top.
- Place the baking dish under the broiler in the oven for about 5 minutes until golden and bubbly.
- Remove and let sit for about 5 minutes before serving.
- Serve with freshly chopped cilantro and/or avocado if desired.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Gina Matsoukas is an AP syndicated writer. She is the founder, photographer and recipe developer of Running to the Kitchen — a food website focused on providing healthy, wholesome recipes using fresh and seasonal ingredients. Her work has been featured in numerous media outlets both digital and print, including MSN, Huffington post, Buzzfeed, Women’s Health and Food Network.
This was such a hit! Thank you for Love all the ingredients, can’t wait to try this!
Oh wow, this looks so delicious. My family is going to devour it!
This is absolutely delicious! I love that it’s such a crowd pleaser for the whole family