Here’s a side dish that blew us away with its bold, sweet flavor: butternut squash puree! It makes any meal more elegant, from roast chicken to vegetarian main dishes. Serve your entree on top of a bed of this bright orange puree, and each bite is a pop of sweet and savory flavor! We layered some strips of seared tuna over the top and it was simply incredible. It’s ideal for Thanksgiving, Christmas or any fall meal.
How to make butternut squash puree
Butternut squash puree is like mashed butternut squash, but it’s whizzed in a food processor until it’s silky smooth. We tasted both back to back, and it was unanimous: the Butternut Squash Puree was the clear winner with its lusciously creamy texture! If you have time and a food processor, it’s the way to go. This easy method for baked butternut squash bypasses the need to peel and chop it. Just cut it in half and roast it up: it works like a charm! Here are the basic steps:
Bake a whole butternut squash: Bake the squash at 400 degrees, sliced in half and brushed with olive oil, until fork tender, about 45 minutes. Scoop out the flesh: Scoop out the flesh out of the skin with a fork. Make sure to scrape off any bright orange stringy bits before using it. Puree: Place in a food processor and puree with butter, dried sage and Parmesan cheese until it’s light and fluffy.
Shortcut: boil the squash!
Want to make butternut squash puree a bit faster? Here’s a shortcut: make boiled butternut squash instead! It takes only 5 to 6 minutes to cook. Here’s the basic method:
Peel and chop the butternut squash. This takes about 10 to 15 minutes, so you’ll be spending your time on the front end. Do this while you boil a pot of water. Go to How to Cut Butternut Squash for chopping instructions. Add to boiling water and cook 5 minutes! Cook just until it’s fork tender: about 5 minutes! It’s truly the way to go if you’ve got a need for speed. Then follow the same puree instructions as above! Pros and cons: Roasting the squash is more hands off and brings out a deeper, more caramelized roasty flavor. Boiling is very quick, but has a lighter flavor. But it’s nearly as good and presents a big time savings!
Ways to serve butternut squash puree
The best way to serve butternut squash puree? Use it as a base and serve a savory protein on top. Then you get the beautiful flavor combination of a savory protein with a silky, sweet puree in each bite. Here are a few mains that would be perfect for serving with it:
Roasted chicken Seared ahi tuna Maple glazed salmon Baked shrimp Seared scallops Roast turkey Pork tenderloin Stuffed mushrooms
Dairy free and vegan variation
Want to make a dairy-free or vegan butternut squash puree? The flavor is absolutely fantastic without the Parmesan cheese. In place of the butter, use vegan butter or refined coconut oil. You can also use vegan Parmesan cheese: there are several great brands out there! We recommend using the Parmesan if it’s part of your diet (it adds a great depth!). If not, omit it and consider adding ¼ teaspoon garlic powder, another pinch or two of salt, and even a few teaspoons of nutritional yeast to amp the savory flavors.
More butternut squash recipes
Butternut squash season is an excuse to make everything squash! Here are a few more butternut squash recipes to try:
Try stunning Butternut Squash Lasagna with Sage or Creamy Butternut Squash Risotto Make a main dish of Stuffed Butternut Squash Go cozy with Butternut Squash Curry, or fresh with Butternut Squash Salad Go for Baked Squash or Mashed Butternut Squash Opt for Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese Go simple with Roasted Butternut Squash Try classic Creamy Squash Soup or Curried Butternut Squash Soup
This butternut squash puree recipe is…
Vegetarian and gluten-free. For vegan, see the vegan variation notes above. 5 from 2 reviews
