Though pumpkin (and its spices) usually dominates fall recipes, it’s not the only sweet squash that should be dancing on your taste buds this season. Allow us to introduce you to butternut squash, the sweetest of all squash varieties—literally. Butternut squash also boasts a bevy of health benefits: It’s high in dietary fiber and potassium, and it contains a health-boosting cocktail of vitamin C, vitamin B6, vitamin E, niacin, folate and magnesium. It’s also low in calories, aids in digestion, regulates blood pressure and helps keep your hair and skin in tip-top condition. Bonus: A lot of grocery stores sell it pre-peeled and cut, so prep is a cinch. Basically, what we’re saying is that butternut squash makes pumpkin look like a boring gourd. Here, six of our favorite butternut squash recipes for fall.
Butternut Squash & Apple Soup
Not only is this soup delicious—it also has no cream or butter, so it's vegan and gluten-free. The soup is sweet but has a hint of tang and will make you feel warm and fuzzy at first bite. The pecan garnish adds a crunch that rounds out the dish. It's hearty enough to be a main course but could also be a side (if you can stop eating it!). Perfect for a Sunday supper on a night that's a little nippy, it's also a great dish to add to your traditional holiday feast.
See the recipe here.
Creamy Butternut Squash Pasta
While many people use butternut squash as ravioli filling, food blogger extraordinaire Gaby Dalkin (who happens to have a delicious line of food with Williams-Sonoma) thinks outside the pasta box. Her recipe uses the squash as a creamy pasta sauce paired with Parmesan cheese. This sauce will make you "fuggetabout" carbonara and alfredo and have you asking for seconds.
See the recipe here.
Butternut Squash & Mushroom Enchiladas With Tomatillo Sauce
Mexican probably isn't the first cuisine to come to mind when thinking about butternut squash, but these enchiladas will change your mind. Tomatillo sauce completes the vegetarian spin on this south-of-the-border classic.
See the recipe here.
Butternut Squash Breakfast Hash
What better way to get your veggies in at breakfast than with a hash? This recipe has eggs, spinach and apples to round out the healthy quotient but also boasts bacon. The protein and veggie balance makes this a breakfast dish that's totally okay to whip up for dinner, too.
See the recipe here.
Butternut Squash Cake
We know it sounds weird—butternut squash for dessert? But carrot cake probably sounded weird to people at first, too. Once you take a bite of this Butternut Squash Cake (which also happens to boast a cream cheese frosting), all doubts will go out the window. We think this could really give carrot cake a run for its money.
See the recipe here.
Velvety Butternut Cinnamon Date Smoothie
If you prefer to get your vitamins in smoothie form, Oh She Glows has you covered. This Velvety Butternut Cinnamon Date Smoothie is reminiscent of pumpkin pie and packed with ingredients to promote wellness. In addition to all of the health benefits from the butternut squash, this has chia seeds for protein, ginger (an anti-inflammatory agent) and cinnamon and vanilla to make you warm inside—just in time for sweater weather.
See the recipe here.
