It's Fall!
The leaves are starting to change.
Pumpkins patches are popping up.
October is right around the corner...
And pumpkin spice is taking over our lives.
Now, for me, I thoroughly enjoy the pumpkin spice explosion that is Fall.
I love it in my pumpkin spiced lattes, pumpkin spiced muffins, healthy pumpkin pancakes, healthy pumpkin bread, and in my pumpkin frozen yogurt.
That's right: I am a certified pumpkin spice freak. Sorry, not sorry 😉
But, alas, there does come a time when making recipes using fresh pumpkin puree gets old. For me, that threshold seems a lot longer than most.
So, I've found another delicious way to enjoy the flavors of Fall using butternut squash.
If you've ever made homemade pumpkin puree (and I TOTALLY recommend that you do!), then you pretty much know how to make butternut squash puree.
Making your own puree is awesome because (1) it makes your home smell amazingly Fall-y, (2) is a great (and cheap!) way to use fresh seasonal produce, and (3) is the perfect healthier ingredient to add to your food to replace oil.
You can use homemade butternut squash puree in all the same ways as you could pumpkin puree (or canned pumpkin). I also use it in this delicious butternut squash bisque.
Making my own puree is just another reason why I am head over heals in love with my food processor. I have the same Cuisinart Food Processor we received as a wedding gift over 11 years ago and it's still going strong.
And, trust me, I use it like A LOT.
If you don't happen to have a food processor, you can also use a kitchen blender to turn the squash meat into a smooth puree.
Seriously...the most difficult step in how to make butternut squash puree is slicing the squash in half.
To do this, I highly recommend doing it in two steps. First, slice from the middle of the squash towards the end. Then, flip the squash around and continue the slice through the other half. That way, you're not slicing the whole thing at once.
Try replacing applesauce or pumpkin puree with butternut squash puree next time and enjoy this Fall and all its squashy glory!
How To Make Butternut Squash Puree
Equipment
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Ingredients
- 1 medium-to-large butternut squash
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil or parchment paper and set aside.
- Slice the butternut squash in half, crosswise through the stem, and scoop out the seeds and strings.
- Place halves, cut-side down, onto the baking sheet.
- Roast, uncovered, for 45-65 minutes, or until tender.
- Remove from oven and allow to cool enough to handle.
- When cool, carefully scrape the butternut squash meat from the skin. You can discard the skin.
- Using a food processor or blender, puree until even and smooth.
- Store in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to one week. Can also be frozen for later use.
Nutrition
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June A O'Connor
Thanks for the instructions. Just finished up making puree for Thanksgiving pies. Only thing missing from your recipe is final water content. How dry should the puree be when complete?
Lacey Baier
It's really just dependent on your squash. It'll likely be the consistency of pumpkin puree, perhaps a little looser. If you need it to be thicker, you could strain it through cheesecloth or, if you need it more liquidy, you could add a little water to it.
Dustin
This was so easy to make.
Matt
Are you sure about the serving size? 1 gram seems like a fingernail portion haha. I’m not sure what it comes out to be, but I’m pretty sure I would have like 200carbs in one sitting
Lacey Baier
That was a mistake in the recipe generator - I've updated it to be 1/2 cup servings. Thanks for pointing it out! 🙂
Lacey Baier
So good and shockingly easy!