Name: Cozy Fall Stew with Butter Beans and Butternut Squash
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 1 h
Yield: 6 Servings
Cuisine: American

Balancing Bowls Verified

January 28, 2026

Creamy, cozy, and full of fall flavor, this Butternut Beans dish lands perfectly between a soup and a stew. I tested it both thinner and thicker before finding that ideal middle ground where roasted butternut squash melts into the bean base, butter beans add hearty texture, and every spoonful feels like a warm, satisfying hug in a bowl.

Cozy Fall Stew with Butter Beans and Butternut Squash

Cozy Fall Stew with Butter Beans and Butternut Squash cover

From the Cook

1/8

Cozy Fall Stew with Butter Beans and Butternut Squash

Balancing Bowls Verified

Ingredients

WarningTreenuts and 1 other allergen identified

Instructions

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Instructions

Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment and drizzle with olive oil.

Toss cubed butternut squash in oil and roast for about 30 minutes, until golden and caramelized.

Meanwhile, sauté chopped onion and salt in a Dutch oven until soft and golden, 15-20 minutes.

Blend drained navy beans with 1 cup of water until smooth and creamy.

Add roasted squash, cream-of-bean mixture, 2 cups water, and drained butter beans to the pot.

Add herbs and chili or red pepper flakes. Simmer 25-30 minutes until thickened and aromatic.

Stir in lemon juice and nutmeg. Simmer 5 more minutes. Remove herbs before serving.

Serve warm, topped with toasted breadcrumbs or pecans if desired.

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Tips & Tricks (5)

Roast Squash First 🎃
Roast the butternut squash separately with olive oil and herbs before adding to the stew to develop deeper, caramelized flavors and prevent mushiness.
Bean Texture Mastery 🫘
For ultra-creamy beans, soak butter and navy beans overnight and add a pinch of baking soda during cooking to help them break down and become extra tender.
Layered Herb Technique 🌿
Add fresh thyme, rosemary, and sage at different stages - woody herbs early, delicate herbs at the end - to build complex, multi-dimensional herbal notes.
Nutmeg Nuance 🥣
Freshly grate nutmeg just before adding to the stew, and use sparingly - it should whisper in the background, not overpower the other flavors.
Acid Balance Trick 🍋
Add fresh lemon juice at the very end of cooking to brighten the entire dish and cut through the stew's richness, creating a more complex flavor profile.

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About the Cook

Balancing Bowls

I'm Nora! Balancing Bowls is the product of a slightly chaotic life, a need to make and grow things, and a love of creative cooking. If you're here because you're trying to feed your family well without losing your mind, you're in the right place.