An Edible Mosaic™

Everyday Fare With Extraordinary Flair

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • about
    • contact
    • accessibility
    • privacy policy
    • terms and conditions
  • cookbooks
  • recipes
  • explore world cuisine
    • arabic and middle eastern
    • asian
    • british
    • buffalo foods
    • czech
    • dutch
    • ethiopian
    • french
    • german
    • greek
    • indian
    • irish
    • italian
    • jamaican
    • jewish
    • latin
    • polish
    • russian and ukrainian
    • tex mex
    • thai
  • web stories
  • my other blog

Home » Type » Side Dishes » How to Make Butternut Squash Purée

How to Make Butternut Squash Purée

October 17, 2012 by Faith 15 Comments

When I was a kid, every Thanksgiving I tried to hide from my mom the fact that my plate was bereft of squash. (Not veggies, mind you, just squash…the nemesis to my 10-year-old self.) My mom didn’t miss a beat though. Before I knew what had happened, she’d have spooned a “no thank you” helping onto my plate that to me felt very much like a “thank you, I loved it so much I think I’ll take seconds”-sized helping.

Now I do love squash and don’t mind a second helping.The lovely butternut, one of my favorite squashes.

With Thanksgiving next month I don’t think it’s too early to start thinking about side dishes. A simple puréed squash is something so easy, so wonderfully delicious, that I think it should have a place in everyone’s holiday repertoire.

See how creamy this purée is? It is only butternut squash – no butter, no cream, no milk, no anything – and it is creamier with a more velvety texture than any mashed potatoes I’ve ever had. While butternut purée is perfect in is simplicity as an addition to a large festive meal (like Thanksgiving dinner), it can also be flavored any way you like and enjoyed for any occasion. My mom always goes sweet with either Candied Butternut Purée (which is baked with a topping of marshmallows, brown sugar, and butter) or Streusel-Topped Butternut Purée (which is baked with an oatmeal-brown sugar streusel topping). Sweet is good, but I also like butternut purée done savory, in things like Butternut Mac and Cheese and Curried Butternut Chowder.

Butternut goes well beyond a side dish for a holiday meal though; check out the Top-Rated Butternut Squash Recipes on Cooking Light for more butternut inspiration.

How to Make Butternut Squash Purée

1 whole butternut squash, any size you like

(My squash, which was 3 lbs 10 oz raw, yielded 2 lbs of squash purée, which feeds about 10 people as a side dish)

1. Preheat oven to 400F; line a baking sheet that’s large enough to hold your squash with foil (optional, for easy clean-up). 

Ready to Roast

2. If there’s any dirt on the outside of the squash, give it a rinse and pat it dry. Use a sharp paring knife to poke several holes in various spots around the squash (you will see a clear liquid start to seep out almost immediately; this is normal). 

Beautifully Roasted

3. Roast the squash on the prepared pan until it’s very tender and a paring knife easily pierces the squash and slips right out. (My squash was 3 lb 10 oz and it took 90 minutes to roast.) 

Scoop Out the Flesh

4. Let the squash cool a bit and then cut it in half the long way. Scoop out the seeds, saving them to roast if you want, and scoop the flesh into a bowl.

Here is the Squash Before Puréeing

5. Transfer the flesh to a food processor (working in batches if it doesn’t all fit at once), and process until smooth. Alternatively, you can use a potato masher to mash the squash, but your result will be a bit lumpier (which isn’t necessarily bad – some people enjoy it that way!).

And Here it is After Puréeing…So Creamy!

6. Eat it as-is, or season to taste with anything you like…enjoy!

Filed Under: Gluten Free, Paleo, Side Dishes, Vegan Tagged: Butternut Squash, Cooking Light, Holiday Side Dishes, How to Make Squash Puree, How to Roast a Whole Squash, Recipes, Simple Side Dishes, Thanksgiving Dinner

Comments

  1. Elizabeth says

    October 31, 2012 at 1:25 pm

    What IS it about squash that we hated it as kids?! I couldn’t stand it. I would sit at the table all through dinner, miserably staring at the teaspoon of congealing squash on my plate until finally finally, I managed to swallow it – following it immediately with eyes squeezed shut, grimaces and several gulps of milk to chase it down.

    Now, of course, I adore squash. In fact, one is baking in the oven now (sliced in half, seeded – with a bit of butter and nutmeg in the cavity).

    Reply
  2. Rosie says

    October 20, 2012 at 8:54 am

    Hello Aunt Faith it’s Rose!

    Reply
  3. Veronica says

    October 20, 2012 at 6:22 am

    I can’t believe how perfectly you swirled the puree in the bowl! I just have to stare at it! lol! I never would have thought to eat butternut squash puree straight up, I always use it in recipes. Now I gotta try it!

    Reply
  4. Chaya says

    October 18, 2012 at 9:17 pm

    Butternut squash is delicious and does not need the extras although I do, all kinds of things, with it. The puree looks pretty and what a nice dish to brighten the table.

    Reply
  5. Sanjeeta kk says

    October 17, 2012 at 11:03 pm

    I made a similar puree with pumpkin the other day…what lovely colors!

    Reply
  6. Jeanette says

    October 17, 2012 at 9:29 pm

    I’ve never tried whole roasting winter squash – so glad to learn that it works so well. I just made a huge batch of roasted winter squash of all varieties today with all the squash I’ve been getting in my CSA Box – acorn, carnival, and butternut. I was eating spoonfuls of it as I scooped out the flesh – so sweet!

    Reply
  7. Barbara says

    October 17, 2012 at 8:10 pm

    I make this often. My mother used to make a Hubbard squash purée…we loved it. You must find a DRY one though. Almost impossible to tell from the outside. The wet ones had to be cooked for ages, and never was as good as the dry ones. I never made it much for my family because of that.

    Reply
  8. Lorraine @ Not Quite Nigella says

    October 17, 2012 at 7:42 pm

    That’s how we bake our squash too-my mother in law taught it to me and I was so glad that I never had to peel pumpkin or squash again!

    Reply
    • Faith says

      October 17, 2012 at 7:56 pm

      Lorraine, My mom taught me and it was one of the best things I learned from her (and that’s saying a lot, lol!). :) Try it pureed, it is so incredibly velvety.

      Reply
  9. Kiran @ KiranTarun.com says

    October 17, 2012 at 6:14 pm

    Deliciousness! Making puree is almost as therapeutic!

    Reply
  10. Alyssa (Everyday Maven) says

    October 17, 2012 at 4:13 pm

    That is too funny Faith – we are totally on the same page ;). I have really been into “whole roasting” vegetables lately but haven’t tried it with those huge squashes – I need to do that to save time!

    Reply
  11. Katerina says

    October 17, 2012 at 11:25 am

    Beautiful squash puree Faith! In Greece squash was kind of underestimated the past years but now it starts taking a place in Greek, fall tables.

    Reply
  12. Laura (Tutti Dolci) says

    October 17, 2012 at 10:41 am

    I want to dig into that bowl! All I need is a sprinkle of chipotle chili powder!

    Reply
  13. BeadedTail says

    October 17, 2012 at 10:26 am

    We just had butternut squash for the first time ever last night and it was yummy! I’ll have to show my hubby this puree now!

    Reply
  14. Erica says

    October 17, 2012 at 6:07 am

    SO good! I was the same way- I used to HATE squash. Now there is not a kind I don’t enjoy! Yours looks creamy and perfect

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Hello and welcome to An Edible Mosaic! This is my recipe collection of international favorites and updated American classics with an emphasis on seasonal dishes. Here you’ll find a focus on real foods that sustain body and mind, bring people together, and make a house a home.

 

Affiliate Disclosure

An Edible Mosaic is monetized in part though affiliate links, and as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. This means that if you click on an affiliate link and/or purchase an item after clicking on an affiliate link, I may receive a percentage of the sales price. I only recommend products that I love and use. To learn more, please read my Privacy Policy.

meet faith

I’m Faith Gorsky, the writer, cook, and photographer behind An Edible Mosaic. My goal is to inspire you to get in the kitchen and try something new! Feel free to email me with questions or comments.

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

an edible mosaic cookbook

affiliate disclosure

An Edible Mosaic is monetized in part though affiliate links, and as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. This means that if you click on an affiliate link and/or purchase an item after clicking on an affiliate link, I may receive a percentage of the sales price. I only recommend products that I love and use. To learn more, please read my Privacy Policy.

Home | About | Accessibility | Privacy Policy | Terms and Conditions | Contact

Copyright © 2023 | Faith Gorsky, An Edible Mosaic™ | All Rights Reserved