Butternut squash puree is delicious, nutritious, and easy to make. There are so many strategies to utilize it: as a side dish, in baked gadgets, soups, sauces and further! Plus, selfmade is significantly additional sweet and flavorful than store-bought. So study alongside to find methods to make the easiest creamy selfmade butternut squash puree on this simple step-by-step info.
Since that’s one in every of my favorite strategies to shield modern butternut squash from the yard, we’ll moreover uncover how one can freeze butternut squash puree, along with a number of of the best recipes and strategies to utilize it. In truth, we love and use butternut puree rather more than selfmade pumpkin puree!
Disclosure: Homestead and Chill is reader-supported. Whilst you purchase by the use of hyperlinks on our web site, we might earn an affiliate price.
RELATED: Have to make it homegrown? Be taught to develop butternut squash (and totally different winter squash) along with suggestions on exactly when to reap butternut squash. Moreover don’t miss our delicious butternut squash pie recipe!
What’s Butternut Squash Puree?
Butternut squash puree is strictly what it seems like: butternut squash that has been cooked and was a thick and creamy puree. It strikes the wonderful steadiness between sweet caramelized notes and savory earthy flavors. To me, it tastes like fall!
Butternut squash puree will be very nutritious and versatile. This concentrated winter squash puree may be served as a side dish by itself, or built-in into every kind of various recipes along with baked gadgets, soups, chili, pasta, sauces, pie filling, little one meals, drinks and further – very very like pumpkin puree.
The reality is, you need to make the most of butternut squash puree as a substitute for pumpkin puree in any recipe. Spoiler alert: most canned “pumpkin” isn’t even precise pumpkin, nevertheless pureed butternut or totally different associated squash! Severely, study the substances label subsequent time you’re on the grocery retailer.
See a complete itemizing of the best way to utilize butternut squash puree on the end of this textual content.
Roasting vs Steaming Butternut Squash for Puree
There are few different methods you’ll soften and put together dinner squash sooner than turning it into selfmade butternut squash puree. Some recipes title for steaming butternut in an unlimited pot on the stovetop, whereas others toss it proper right into a crock pot or Immediate Pot. All these methods work! However we wish to roast our butternut squash throughout the oven in its place. Why?
When butternut squash is roasted at 400°F or better, it begins to evenly brown and caramelize – which transforms vegetal, earthy, and even barely bitter flavors into increasingly more sweet, nutty, and toasted caramel notes in its place. The result is a wonderfully naturally-sweetened selfmade butternut squash puree! It’s moreover how we start our delicious roasted butternut squash soup. Nonetheless, steaming butternut squash might make it additional bland and watery.
Gives Needed
Instructions
1) Scale back and Clear
All through prep, preheat the oven to 400°F.
Wash the butternut squash and punctiliously cut back them in half. Use an enormous metal spoon or totally different company utensil to scrape out the stringy guts and seeds from the center cavity. Lastly, sprinkle a lightweight pinch of salt over the uncovered butternut flesh.
Bear in mind, you possibly can probably moreover save the seeds to roast later for a delicious, healthful snack. Attempt our Crunchy Roasted Pumpkin Seeds recipe. Butternut squash seeds are edible too!
2) Pan and Poke
You’ll roast butternut squash throughout the oven each flesh side up or face down. However, we’ve found that conserving them face down (pores and pores and skin side up) helps lure in steam and because of this truth makes the butternut retain additional moisture, put together dinner faster, and peel additional merely.
We moreover use a sharp knife to fastidiously poke the once more pores and pores and skin side of each squash in only a few areas. The small slits permits the steam to get in between the flesh and pores and pores and skin, and makes peeling them after roasting an absolute breeze!
Line the baking sheet with parchment paper or foil for easier clear up.
3) Oven Roast
Subsequent, roast the butternut squash throughout the oven on 400°F for about 45 to 60 minutes, until the flesh could also be very easy and tender when poked with a fork or knife. Rotate trays halfway by the use of to promote even cooking. Bear in mind, slightly bit browning is unquestionably issue!
As quickly because the flesh is easy and the skins are wrinkled, take away the butternut squash from the oven. If time permits, permit them to take a seat to cool for at least 10 minutes so you’ll safely cope with them sooner than persevering with to the following step.
4) Puree or Mash
Now it’s time to separate the squash flesh from the skins. By this time, the pores and pores and skin should peel correct off the flesh! If needed, use a spoon to scoop the cooked squash out.
Subsequent, you’ll should resolve the best way it is advisable put collectively or season your butternut squash puree, alongside alongside along with your preferred texture.
For instance, we generally depart our butternut squash puree plain (unseasoned) and combine it into a extremely clear puree using a Vitamix or meals processor, very similar to canned pumpkin puree. That technique, it’s ready to utilize in every kind of every sweet or savory recipes.
Nonetheless, to get pleasure from butternut squash puree as a side dish, it is doable you will need it with slightly bit additional texture – significantly for many who like chunky mashed potatoes like I do! In that case, I merely scoop out the flesh and mash it with a fork or spoon in its place of blending it completely clear. See suggestions on how one can season it as a side dish underneath.
Butternut Squash Puree Facet Dish
After mashing or pureeing it to your preferred texture, one of many easiest methods to eat butternut squash puree as a side dish is to season it in the identical technique as mashed potatoes: mix in a pad of butter and/or a splash of heavy cream, plus salt to model. Sweeten it up with a drizzle of maple syrup, brown sugar, and sprinkle of cinnamon for many who’d like! Or, make a savory butternut puree with the addition of chopped rosemary, thyme, parsley, or sage along with a sprinkle of parmesan cheese.
Tip: Go delicate on the seasonings at first, then do a method examine and modify as needed. You’ll on a regular basis add additional!
Storage and Shelf Life
Retailer selfmade butternut squash puree in an air-tight container with a lid and refrigerate at all times. Butternut puree will maintain good throughout the fridge for about one week. Discard if mould or off flavors develop. Or, freeze the puree to guard it for as a lot as a yr.
Freezing Butternut Squash Puree
To guard and freeze butternut squash puree, begin by putting it inside air tight freezer-safe containers – equivalent to ziplock baggage or these sturdy, reusable BPA-free freezer containers. We want to divvy ours up into easy-to-use components, equivalent to in 2 cup or 16-ounce containers.
Chances are you’ll as nicely freeze butternut puree in broad mouth glass jars, equivalent to half-pint or pint jars. Widespread mouth glass jars with curved “shoulders” won’t be freezer protected and are weak to cracking.
Fill your chosen containers fairly full. The a lot much less empty air space, the a lot much less probability of freezer burn! However, make sure you depart at least a half-inch empty head room on excessive to allow for enlargement as a result of it freezes.
Butternut squash puree stays good for as a lot as a yr throughout the freezer, though the texture and prime quality will doubtless be best if used inside only a few months.
Defrost throughout the fridge a day or two sooner than it is advisable use it, or place in a bowl of warmth water for a pair hours immediately prior to utilize.
Strategies to Use Do-it-yourself Butternut Squash Puree
Do-it-yourself butternut squash puree can add an incredible addition of nutritional vitamins, rich earthy sweet flavors, and color to a wide range of meals.
- Butternut squash puree is great in baked gadgets, along with as pie filling for butternut squash pie with a sourdough pie crust. It might be used as a substitute for pumpkin puree in recipes for sweet breads, muffins, or cookies – like our healthful sourdough pumpkin spice bread recipe.
- It is going to even be utilized in waffles, pancakes, ice cream or totally different frozen desserts.
- Serve butternut squash puree on it’s private as a side dish, very similar to mashed sweet potatoes!
- Sweet breads aside, add butternut puree to frequent loaf of rustic selfmade sourdough bread. (I add a number of cup of puree and cut back the water by 1/2 cup to compensate.)
- Dollop some into your morning oatmeal or plain yogurt and granola with a splash of cinnamon, nutmeg, and brown sugar.
- Don’t neglect savory dishes! Add butternut squash puree to soup, stew, sauces, lentils, curry, and further! Attempt our Roasted Pumpkin 3-Bean Chili recipe as an example. You may even use it as ravioli filling, or mixed with ricotta cheese and modern herbs in butternut lasagna.
- Use butternut squash puree in selfmade little one meals recipes.
- Butternut squash puree generally is a protected and healthful cope with for lots of pets, along with canine and yard chickens. Provide it plain, or added to a selfmade pet cope with recipe.
- This fall, we’ve been using ours to make rich and creamy selfmade “pumpkin spice lattes” with espresso or black tea. It’s divine!
And that’s the within observe.
All in all, I hope you get pleasure from this simple recipe – and the entire tasty strategies to utilize homegrown butternut squash puree too! Please be at liberty to ask any questions throughout the suggestions underneath, and depart a analysis if you give it a try.
You may additionally like:
Do-it-yourself Butternut Squash Puree + Freezing Concepts
Be taught to make simple selfmade butternut squash puree from modern oven-roasted butternut, plus suggestions on how one can shield and freeze it!
-
Oven
-
Baking sheet
-
Parchment Paper
-
Blender, or meals processor
-
Freezer protected containers (if preserving)
- modern full butternut squash
-
Preheat the oven to 400F
-
Wash the butternut squash and punctiliously cut back them in half.
-
Scoop out the stringy guts and seeds from the center cavity.
-
Evenly sprinkle a small pinch of salt over the uncovered squash flesh.
-
Place the butternut squash halves face down (pores and pores and skin side up) on a baking sheet. We line ours with parchment paper for easy clean-up.
-
Use a sharp knife to fastidiously poke the once more pores and pores and skin side of each squash in only a few areas. The small slits allow steam to get in between the flesh and pores and pores and skin, and makes peeling them after roasting an absolute breeze!
-
Roast the squash on 400F for about 45-60 minutes, until the skins wrinkle and the flesh could also be very tender when poked with a fork. Rotate trays halfway by the use of to promote even cooking.
-
As quickly because the roasted butternut squash are cool enough to soundly cope with (at least 10 minutes), peel off the pores and pores and skin and/or scoop out the flesh.
-
Place peeled squash flesh in a blender or meals processor, and combine until clear. OR for a additional chunky puree, merely mash the squash with a fork or spoon (significantly to get pleasure from as a side dish).
-
Each use, refrigerate, or freeze your selfmade butternut squash puree. Use inside one week when saved throughout the fridge.
-
To get pleasure from as a side dish, season very similar to mashed potatoes: add butter and/or a splash of heavy cream, plus salt to model. Sweeten it up with maple syrup, brown sugar, and sprinkle of cinnamon. Or, make it savory with chopped rosemary, thyme, parsley, sage or parmesan cheese.
-
To freeze, divvy up selfmade butternut squash puree into usable components in freezer-safe containers and depart at least a half inch of head space. Butternut squash puree is nice for as a lot as a yr throughout the freezer, though the texture and prime quality will doubtless be best if used inside only a few months. Defrost throughout the fridge a day or two sooner than it is advisable use it.
