18 Butternut Squash Recipes We Love

on October 11, 2013
Mark Boughton Photography / styling by Teresa Blackburn

Bring on the Butternut...

Butternut squash is nutritious and sweet, loaded with creamy flavor, antioxidants, and potassium. Combined with other fall vegetables, it becomes the perfect base for delicious, healthy, and colorful vegetarian meals.

Teresa Blackburn

Butternut Squash and Heirloom Bean Chili

Although this is a vegetarian chili, the squash and beans give it a rich, meaty quality. We like it served over of a bowl of rice or with a side of cornbread to mop up the sauce.

Get the Recipe: Butternut Squash and Heirloom Bean Chili

Meredith Steele

Butternut Squash Linguine with Kale

This one-pot recipe combines kale and butternut squash in a healthy and filling pasta dish that's a nice alternative to traditional spaghetti and tomato sauce recipes.

Get the Recipe: Butternut Squash Linguine with Kale

Mark Boughton Photography / styling by Teresa Blackburn

Butternut Squash-White Bean Stew

The squash, celery, tomatoes, and mushrooms in this stew help make for a colorful fall meal—perfect for eating on a cold, rainy day. Serve it with a side of cheese toast to make it a full meal.

Get the Recipe: Butternut Squash-White Bean Stew

Meredith Steele

Crock Pot Butternut Squash Applesauce

The sweetness of the butternut squash and cinnamon in this applesauce hide a full serving of vegetables, making this a great breakfast meal or after-school snack.

Get the Recipe: Crock Pot Butternut Squash Applesauce

High Cotton Food Styling and Photography

Rigatoni with Sausage, Butternut Squash, and Spinach

Sweet butternut squash, savory sausage, pasta, and a healthy sprinkling of cheese combine to make this a casserole that even picky kids will find hard to resist.

Get the Recipe: Rigatoni with Sausage, Butternut Squash, and Spinach

Mark Boughton/styling: Teresa Blackburn

Butternut Squash Soup with Apple Bruschetta

An apple, sugar, and cinnamon mixture piled on toasted bread and drizzled with honey is a perfect garnish for this warm, creamy, and flavorful soup.

Get the Recipe: Butternut Squash Soup with Apple Bruschetta

High Cotton Food Styling and Photography

Butternut Squash Risotto with Pumpkin Seeds and Parmesan

The tender risotto in this dish absorbs the flavor of the butternut squash. Both vegetarian and gluten-free, the risotto can easily be served as a side dish or as a main course.

Get the Recipe: Butternut Squash Risotto with Pumpkin Seeds and Parmesan

Roasted Butternut Squash, Cheddar, and Sage Galette

Butternut squash, sharp cheddar, and sage fill a tender pastry crust in a beautiful and tasty dish. For even easier preparation, use a premade crust.

Get the Recipe: Roasted Butternut Squash, Cheddar, and Sage Galette

U.S. Apple Association

Smoked Apple and Butternut Squash Soup

The chipotle chili powder in this soup sets off the milder flavors of the apple and squash. Garnish the soup with toasted pecans, sour cream swirls, and apple slices, and everyone at your table will be impressed with your culinary skills.

Get the Recipe: Smoked Apple and Butternut Squash Soup

Mark Boughton Photography / styling by Teresa Blackburn

Squash and Greens Winter Lasagna

Butternut squash and turnip greens might not be normal lasagna ingredients, but they combine in perfect harmony in this dish. It’s so filling, you just might forget that there’s no meat!

Get the Recipe: Squash and Greens Winter Lasagna

Mark Boughton Photography / styling by Teresa Blackburn

Butternut Squash Filled with Spinach and Ricotta

Enhance simple butternut squash by filling it with a spinach and ricotta cheese stuffing. The bright colors of this dish will balance the season's autumnal tones beautifully.

Get the Recipe: Butternut Squash Filled with Spinach and Ricotta

United States Potato Board

Browned Butter Smashed Potatoes with Butternut Squash

Potatoes and squash combine in a fluffy, delicious twist on normal mashed potatoes. For an added bonus, these have over 1000 mg of potassium, a nutrient that is often lacking in an American diet.

Get the Recipe: Browned Butter Smashed Potatoes with Butternut Squash

Mark Boughton Photography / styling: Teresa Blackburn

Butternut Squash and Tomato Bisque

The maple syrup in this dish makes it rich enough so that no cream is needed, making it great for Dairy-free dieters looking for a tasty yet creamy soup. It can be prepared up to a month in advance and frozen so you can easily pull out a ready-made meal on a busy day.

Get the Recipe: Butternut Squash and Tomato Bisque

Holly Clegg

Butternut Squash Soufflé

This soufflé can be mixed in the same dish it’s baked in, making it an easy weeknight casserole. The secret to its sweetness comes from the simple streusel—made out of cereal and brown sugar—that gets sprinkled on top.

Get the Recipe: Butternut Squash Soufflé

Mark Boughton

Roasted Winter Squash with Cornbread Stuffing

Instead of turkey and stuffing, try squash and stuffing—this squash overflows with nuts, fruit, and other dressing ingredients.

Get the Recipe: Roasted Winter Squash with Cornbread Stuffing

Quinoa with Roasted Butternut Squash and Cranberries

Combine cooked quinoa and pre-diced butternut squash with the other basic household ingredients found in this recipe, and you have an easy salad that takes almost no time to put together. Vinegar gives the dish a slight bite, and a goat cheese garnish sets off the flavors of this colorful dish.

Get the Recipe: Quinoa with Roasted Butternut Squash and Cranberries

Mark Boughton Photography / styling by Teresa Blackburn

Butternut Squash and Cheese Panade

This panade can be a vegetarian main dish or a filling side. Leftover vegetables and bread combine in a broth-covered dish baked to bubbling, puffy perfection.

Get the Recipe: Butternut Squash and Cheese Panade

Mark Boughton Photography / styling by Teresa Blackburn

Mayan Hot Chocolate with Butternut Squash

Finish off your butternut squash feast with this hot chocolate with—yes—more squash hidden inside. The squash adds calcium and beta-carotene, lending added health benefits to the indulgence of this thick and creamy drink.

Get the Recipe: Mayan Hot Chocolate with Butternut Squash