The Best Butternut Squash Recipes

Whether you’re searching for a quick weeknight dish or a big weekend meal, there’s a Butternut Squash recipe. It can be eaten raw in salads or cooked with meat for a nutritious lunch or dinner. You may also serve it as an oven-baked dessert to savor the crunch. Remember, any Butternut Squash recipe will be fantastic no matter what it comprises.

butternut squash

Here Are Some Best Butternut Squash Recipes

Butternut Squash Casserole With Leeks

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and grease a 9-by-13-inch ceramic baking dish. Toss the butternut squash with one tablespoon of olive oil and the thyme in a large mixing basin—Salt & pepper to taste. Roast the squash in a single layer on a baking sheet for about 25 minutes, or until soft, stirring halfway through. Allow cooling. Meanwhile, melt the butter in one tablespoon of olive oil in a medium skillet. Season with salt and pepper and add the leeks. Cook, occasionally stirring, until the vegetables are soft, about 20 minutes. Allow cooling slightly before serving.

Winter Squash Gnocchi With Brown Butter And Sage

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Place racks in the oven’s lower and middle thirds. Drizzle the garlic with olive oil, wrap it in foil, and bake for 50 minutes on the bottom rack of the oven. Rub the potatoes lightly with olive oil, prick them all over with a fork, and bake for 45 minutes on the lowest rack, until fork-tender. Using foil, cover a large baking sheet. Rub the squash with olive oil. Bake for about 30 minutes on the upper rack, stirring once, until tender. Squeeze the roasted garlic cloves out of their skins and mash them to a paste in a small basin.

Roasted Butternut Squash

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Toss the squash with olive oil, cumin, coriander, and cayenne in a large mixing bowl and season with salt and pepper. Spread the squash out on a baking sheet in a single layer and roast for about 40 minutes, stirring halfway through, until soft and lightly browned. Serve immediately in a bowl.

Roast Chicken with Butternut Squash

Cook for about 20 minutes, turning the squash occasionally until the chicken breasts are just done. Remove the breasts from the pan and take them out of the oven. Scoop out most of the fat from the roasting pan by tilting it. Place the pan back in the oven. Cook for another 10 minutes or until the chicken legs and squash are cooked through. Take the chicken and squash out of the pan and set them aside. Using a strainer, remove the fat from the roasting pan. Place the pan over medium heat and pour in the water.

Roasted Butternut Squash with Sage

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Toss the butternut squash with the olive oil and sage in a large mixing dish and season with salt and pepper. Spread the squash out on a baking sheet in a single layer and roast for about 40 minutes, stirring halfway through, until soft and lightly browned. Serve immediately in a bowl.

Mashed Potatoes with Butternut Squash

Grace Parisi uses a ricer to make her potatoes extra fluffy. Pass the potatoes through a food mill or a fine-mesh sieve to create a similar texture. If you opt to mash the potatoes by hand, be gentle; otherwise, they will become gluey. Mashed Potatoes with Parmesan Cheese and Fresh Thyme and Mashed Potatoes with Crispy Shallots are some of Grace’s other inventive mashed potato recipes.

Gingered Butternut Squash Soup

Meanwhile, pulse the pecans in a food processor until finely chopped. Whip the cream into a medium mixing bowl until it forms soft peaks—season with salt and pepper after mixing in the chopped pecans, hazelnut oil, and cayenne pepper. Blend the squash soup until smooth in batches in a blender—season with salt and pepper after adding the lemon juice. Serve by ladling the soup into bowls and topping with a dollop of pecan cream.

Roasted Butternut Squash With Cilantro

Meanwhile, heat the remaining three tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet. Cook for 3 minutes over moderately high heat until the garlic and onions are sizzling. Season with salt and pepper, then reduce to low heat and simmer, stirring periodically, for about 15 minutes, or until the onions are very soft. Cook, occasionally stirring until the scallions are browned, about 12 minutes. Cook, constantly stirring, until the cumin, paprika, and cinnamon is fragrant for about 4 minutes. Simmer for 1 minute after adding the tomatoes and their juices—season with salt and pepper. Pour the sauce over the squash and gently toss to combine.

Butternut Squash Soup with Crisp Pancetta

Remove the thyme sprigs and bay leaf and discard. Transfer the soup to a blender or food processor, working in batches, and puree until thick and creamy-smooth, about 1 minute per batch. Transfer the soup—season with salt and pepper in a clean saucepan after adding the heavy cream (and sugar). If necessary, reheat the soup. Pour the mixture into 12 bowls. Serve the soup with pancetta, the remaining three thyme sprigs’ leaves, and a drizzle of olive oil.

 

How Do You Pick The Best Butternut Squash?

Butternut squash should have a solid beige color and no significant wounds or bruises. It’s typical for the surface to scratch a little. Choose squash that feels substantial in comparison to its small. Squash with brown patches or punctures should be avoided since they can introduce bacteria and mold. Butternut squash with an entire stem and firm to the touch is ideal.

Your squash will last longer if the stem is left intact. The stem may have burst out because the squash is past its prime. Take note of the stem’s color as well. The color and texture of the outer rind of a butternut squash indicate if it is ripe. It’s not ready to cook if there are any green patches. According to the Farmer’s Almanac, the skin should be firm, not shiny, and of an even tint.

How Do I Make Butternut Squash Better?

With plenty of salt and pepper, sauté chopped butternut squash in olive oil with minced garlic. Finish with a sprig of sage and a grating of lemon zest. Cook chopped butternut squash in a bit of chicken stock, sautéed shallots, white wine, and butter on the pan.

Make a squash gratin in the oven Butternut squash should have a solid beige color and no significant wounds or bruises. It’s typical for the surface to scratch a little and chooses squash that feels substantial compared to its small. Squash with brown patches or punctures should be avoided since they can introduce bacteria and mold.

Which One Is Better For You Butternut Squash and Sweet Potato?

Butternut squash is a healthier alternative to sweet potatoes because it has fewer calories, sugar and has a lower glycemic index and load. In addition, per one-cup serving, butternut squash contains more magnesium, potassium, iron, calcium, vitamin E, and vitamin C than sweet potatoes. Both are high in vitamins and minerals, especially antioxidants such as beta-carotene. Sweet potatoes have roughly twice as many calories, carbohydrates, and sugar as butternut squash per serving. It does, however, contain more fiber and protein than butternut squash. Butternut squash is low in calories and high in fiber, making it an excellent addition to any balanced diet.

Conclusion

The best butternut squash recipes are helpful all year long, as this particular squash is available in all four seasons. However, butternut squash is at its best in the fall and winter, which is also when we make these recipes regularly. Roasted, mashed, baked, or slow-cooked butternut squash are all options. It gives soup body and color and a creamy texture to portions of pasta. We adore it as the star of vegetarian recipes, but it’s also delicious with sausage, bacon, turkey, or brisket. Whether crisped in hash or blended into porridge for breakfast, providing sweet crunch to a salad or sandwich for lunch, or laced throughout a casserole or chili for the night, butternut squash can improve any meal.