By no means would I ever try to replace our beloved potato, but when winter squash is ripe & available, it would be a darn shame to ignore their flexibility, amazing texture, subtle sweet flavor & nutritional benefits.
While all winter squash varieties (acorn, spaghetti, sugar pumpkin, delicata, etc.) have unique properties & deserve a place in your recipe book, butternut squash just has that extra something in texture & flavor as well as versatility that makes it stand out from the others. In my humble opinion, anyway.
Nutrition wise, butternut squash has more Vitamin A (beta-carotene), is high in vitamin C & fiber, but also lower in calories & carbs than potatoes.
As with potatoes, butternut squash can be mashed, roasted, stuffed, sautéed & puréed. It’s their unique sweet flavor & silky texture that sets it apart. In other words, you’re already off to a better start no matter the preparation.
Speaking of preparation, I’ll go through 3 of my favorites:
Puréed – Butternut Squash Soup
Roasted – Roasted Butternut Squash Salad with Apples, Cheddar & Salted Walnuts
Stuffed – Butternut Squash Stuffed Chorizo, Pepper & Cheese
All which highlight the deliciously amazing butternut squash.
Silky Butternut Squash Soup
One of the simplest soups to make also happens to be one of the tastiest & most comforting to eat.
If you haven’t made this beautiful butternut squash soup before, get ready. There’s a good chance you’ll be recreating it many times this fall/winter season.
Ingredients:
- 1 large butternut squash (about 3-4 pounds) halved lengthwise and seeds removed using a large soup spoon.
- 1 tablespoon olive oil, plus more for drizzling
- 1 yellow onion – small dice
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 4 garlic cloves – minced
- 1 teaspoon maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon fresh sage – finely diced OR 1/2 teaspoon dried sage
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 3 to 4 cups chicken stock or, vegetable stock/broth
- 2 tablespoons butter
Optional:
1/4 cup half & half
Pinch cayenne pepper
Roadmap:
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. On the pan, drizzle each half of the squash with just enough olive oil to lightly coat the squash on the outside skin. Rub/brush oil over the inside flesh of the squash and sprinkle it with salt and pepper.
- Turn the squash face down and roast until it’s tender and completely cooked through, about 40 to 50 minutes. If the skin or flesh browns, that’s a good thing. Set the squash aside until it’s cool enough to handle, 8-10 minutes.
- In a large soup pot, add 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat to warm. Add diced onion and 1 teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring often, until the onion has softened and is starting to turn golden & translucent, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook about 1 minute, stirring frequently – do NOT burn the garlic. If using a blender, transfer contents to your stand blender along with all other remaining ingredients. *Use extra caution with stand blender. DO NOT FILL BLENDER MORE THAN 3/4 FULL AT A TIME or it can explode from the heat & pressure.
I prefer to save the cleanup & use my Emerson blender instead.
- Use a large spoon to scoop the butternut squash flesh into the pot. Discard the tough skin. Add the maple syrup, sage & some freshly ground black pepper. Pour in 3 cups stock or broth.
- Start your Emerson blender on medium until squash begins to puree, then turn up to high. Stop once your soup is silky.
- If you would like your soup a bit thinner, stir in more stock/broth. Add butter and half & half & cayenne (if using). Blend again. Taste and stir in more salt and pepper, if necessary
This soup is one of the purest ways to enjoy the subtle sweetness of butternut squash. Bet you can’t quit at just one bowl!
Roasted Butternut Squash Salad with Apples, Cheddar & Salted Walnuts
Confetti of textures & flavors – this salad is the perfect addition to any fall meal.
Ingredients:
- 1 small (1 1/2 pounds) butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch dice (about 4 cups)
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
- ½ teaspoon salt, divided
- ½ teaspoon ground pepper, divided
- 2 tablespoons Apple cider vinegar
- 2 teaspoons maple syrup
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 6 cups packed Arugula or mixed greens
- 1 medium Honeycrisp apple – sliced
- ½ cup sharp Cheddar cheese – cubed
- ½ cup toasted salted walnuts – any other nut of your choice works perfectly
Roadmap:
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
- In a large bowl, mix together squash, 1 tablespoon olive oil, salt & pepper. Spread on a parchment or foil lined large rimmed baking sheet and roast, stirring once, until fork tender, about 18-20 minutes.
- In a large bowl, whisk together, the remaining 2 tablespoons oil, vinegar, maple syrup, mustard and 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Add the roasted squash, greens, apple, cheese and walnuts. Toss gently to coat.
This salad hits on all notes. Tender squash, salty walnuts, tangy cheddar & sweet, crunchy apples all tied together with a maple Dijon vinaigrette. Amazing!
Chorizo Stuffed Butternut Squash
Stuffing squash is the perfect way to easily pull together a compact, complete meal.
I personally love the smoky paprika flavor of chorizo & how it pairs beautifully with a subtly sweet butternut squash. The addition of onions, bell peppers & cheese, well, that certainly doesn’t hurt.
This stuffed squash can stand alone as a complete meal or it can be cut into smaller portions as a great side dish. Doesn’t matter how you cut it, it’s darn good.
Ingredients:
For The Squash:
- 2 small/medium butternut squash halved lengthwise and seeds removed
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- Kosher salt and ground black pepper
For The Filling:
1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound raw chorizo (sometimes called Mexican chorizo)
- 1 small yellow onion – chopped small
- 1 red bell pepper – chopped small
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon granulated onion
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika (hot or sweet)
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 cloves minced garlic
- 1 cup shredded Monterey or Pepper Jack cheese – divided
Roadmap:
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment for easier cleanup.
- With a sharp, sturdy chef’s knife, carefully cut off the stem & cut the squash in half horizontally from stem to base. Scoop out and discard the seeds.
- Brush each cut flesh side, with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Arrange the squash cut-sides down on the baking sheet.
- Place in the oven and bake for 40 – 45 minutes, until the flesh is fork-tender.
- While the squash bakes, prepare the filling: Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chorizo. Brown the meat, breaking it apart into small pieces for 3 -5 minutes.
- Add the onion, bell pepper, salt, pepper, granulated onion, smoked paprika and minced garlic. Cook, stirring frequently, until the sausage is cooked through, the vegetables are softened, have given up liquid, and the liquid has cooked off, about 5-6 additional minutes. Remove skillet from heat, let rest for 5 minutes then mix in 1/2 cup shredded cheese. Taste for seasoning & adjust for salt & pepper if needed.
- Remove the squash from the oven. When the squash is cool enough to handle, using a spoon, scrape some of the flesh from the neck of the squash, creating a small trench. Add the removed flesh to the skillet of chorizo, veg, cheese & mix together.
- Divide the filling mixture between the squash, filling up the seed well and the neck. Top each squash with remaining grated cheese. Return the squash to the oven and bake until the cheese is fully melted and the filling is hot throughout, 10 to 12 minutes.
This is an “all in one” dish. Between the silky sweet squash, flavorful chorizo, sautéed vegetables & creamy stretchy cheese, what else could you want?
Whether it be a soup, salad or cheesy chorizo stuffed entree, butternut squash deserves at least one spot on your table/menu during the cooler months of the year.
Once you’ve experimented with the delicate complexity of butternut squash, you & your family will find yourself wanting more & more. It’s addicting!
