Boring weeknight dinners, step aside! This savory, satisfying sheet pan meal, inspired by our fan-favorite Crispy Baked Tofu with Italian Herbs, combines caramelized roasted veggies with crumbled tofu and a tahini or garlicky hummus sauce.
The result …
Boring weeknight dinners, step aside! This savory, satisfying sheet pan meal, inspired by our fan-favorite Crispy Baked Tofu with Italian Herbs, combines caramelized roasted veggies with crumbled tofu and a tahini or garlicky hummus sauce.
The result is a nourishing vegan and gluten-free meal made with just 10 ingredients. Easy to make and packed with plant-based protein, this will become one of your go-tos! The best part?
I snagged a few really big butternut squashes on sale the other day, chopped them up, and stashed most of them in my freezer for later. One of the first things I made with my butternut squash haul was this delicious and super easy butternut squash curry! It’s warm, cozy, filling, and most of all, budget-friendly!
What’s in Butternut Squash Curry
This simple curry starts with a trio of aromatics, including onion, garlic, and ginger. We layer in some curry powder and cumin, and finally build the sauce with some diced tomatoes and water. The butternut squash is then simmered into the flavorful sauce until tender and then creamy coconut milk is added to give the curry body. The curry is then finished off with some fresh spinach for color and texture. So easy, so pretty, and SO delicious!
How to Serve Butternut Squash Curry
The creamy curry sauce is the star of the show in this dish, so you definitely want to serve this curry with some type of bread or rice to make sure all of those delicious flavors get soaked up and enjoyed. You could serve the curry in a bowl with some naan bread for dipping, or spoon it over a bed of rice like we have it pictured here.
How to Store Leftovers
Divide the curry into single portions after cooking, then chill in the refrigerator for 4-5 days. This curry can be frozen, although you may want to give it a good stir after thawing and reheating. You can thaw the curry in the refrigerator overnight, or microwave straight from the freezer on the defrost setting, stirring occasionally, until reheated.
What Else Can I Add?
Curries are great because they’re so flexible. You can toss in just about anything you might have on hand. If you don’t have butternut squash, you can substitute the same amount of sweet potatoes. If you want to bulk up this curry, you can add in a mix of frozen vegetables (broccoli, peas, carrots, cauliflower), or even a drained can of chickpeas.
Peel and dice the butternut squash into ½-inch pieces. Dice the onion, mince the garlic, and grate the ginger.
Heat a large skillet over medium. Add the olive oil, onion, garlic, and ginger, and sauté for a few minutes, or until the onions are translucent. Add the curry powder and cumin and sauté for one minute more.
Add the diced tomatoes and water to the skillet. Stir to combine and dissolve any browned bits off the bottom of the skillet.
Add the diced butternut squash and stir to combine. Place a lid on the skillet and let the squash simmer in the sauce for about 10 minutes, or just until fork-tender.
Add the coconut milk to the skillet, stir to combine, and heat through.
Once the sauce is hot again, add the fresh spinach. Stir to combine and allow the spinach to wilt in the hot sauce. Season the curry to taste with salt, then enjoy!
How to Make Butternut squash curry – Step by Step Photos
Prepare the aromatics. Dice on yellow onion, mince two cloves of garlic, and grate about 1 Tbsp of fresh ginger.
Heat a large skillet over medium, then add 2 Tbsp olive oil along with the onion, garlic, and ginger. Sauté over medium for a few minutes, or until the onions are translucent. Add 1 Tbsp curry powder and 1 tsp ground cumin, and continue to sauté for about one minute more.
Add one 15oz. can of fire-roasted diced tomatoes and ½ cup water to the skillet. Stir to combine and dissolve the brown bits off the bottom of the skillet.
Add the diced butternut squash and stir to combine. Place a lid on the skillet and let the squash simmer in the sauce for about 10 minutes, or just until fork-tender. Don’t overcook the squash or it will begin to break down into a mash as you finish the dish.
Once the squash is tender, add one 13.5 oz. can of full-fat coconut milk. Stir to combine and allow the sauce to heat through.
Once the sauce is hot again, add about 2 oz. fresh spinach (two big handfuls) and stir to combine. Allow the spinach to wilt in the hot sauce.
Season the curry with salt, starting with ¼ tsp and adding more to your liking. I used ½ tsp total. Keep in mind that salt doesn’t just make things taste salty, it actually helps other flavors pop and allows your tongue to detect and distinguish flavors.
Serve the curry with bread for dipping or over a bed of rice and enjoy!
During the fall months, I love butternut squash everything: soup, salad, ravioli, enchiladas, and this Butternut Squash Baked Ziti. Classic Baked Ziti is one of our families favorite meals, but during the fall months, we like to make this butternut squ…
During the fall months, I love butternut squash everything: soup, salad, ravioli, enchiladas, and this Butternut Squash Baked Ziti. Classic Baked Ziti is one of our families favorite meals, but during the fall months, we like to make this butternut squash version. It is the perfect dish for easy weeknight dinners, dinner parties, or serving…
They say it’s the most important meal of the day, and we say it can be the most delicious! This Southwestern-inspired breakfast bowl features smoky enchilada sauce, salty-sweet butternut squash, and satisfying black beans and avocado. Big YUM!
And than…
They say it’s the most important meal of the day, and we say it can be the most delicious! This Southwestern-inspired breakfast bowl features smoky enchilada sauce, salty-sweetbutternut squash, and satisfying black beans and avocado. Big YUM!
And thanks to protein and fiber-rich black beans it’s (optionally) vegan, or you can add an egg or two for more protein — SO delicious either way!
I have a complicated relationship with these best butternut squash recipes. When I was 15, I attempted to cook my first-ever pot of butternut squash soup from scratch. I was using a dull chef’s knife to cut the squash in half when, in the blink of an e…
I have a complicated relationship with these best butternut squash recipes. When I was 15, I attempted to cook my first-ever pot of butternut squash soup from scratch. I was using a dull chef’s knife to cut the squash in half when, in the blink of an eye, I sliced the tip of my pointer finger. The mediocre knife was no match for the tough root vegetable.
If you’re wondering how to cut a butternut squash without losing a finger, we’ve got you covered with tips and tricks. (My 15-year-old self would appreciate the how-to guide). But if you want delicious butternut squash recipes to make during the cold weather months, here are 31 of our very best. From butternut squash soup to pizza to fall pasta recipes galore, these mains and sides will get you through the chilliest months of the year.
We try not to play favorites in the MB kitchen, but we’re BIG fans of butternut squash and risotto. It was only a matter of time before we brought them together. This fall-forward risotto combines the sweet and wholesome goodness of butternut squash wi…
We try not to play favorites in the MB kitchen, but we’re BIG fans of butternut squash and risotto. It was only a matter of time before we brought them together. This fall-forward risotto combines the sweet and wholesome goodness of butternut squash with roasted garlic and creamy arborio rice for the ultimatecomforting entrée! And with the ease of the Instant Pot?
This squash soup recipe is everything fall! Serve a cup or bowl of this lusciously creamy puree with any fall meal.
What’s more quintessential for fall and winter than a great Squash Soup recipe? This cozy orange puree warms you from the inside out, ideal with a grilled cheese for lunch or as a first course to Thanksgiving dinner. Sure, it takes a while to peel and dice the squash: but that’s all part of the fun! This is the top way to use the season’s most popular squash, the mighty butternut, but it works with other varieties as well. Through the years we’ve honed our recipe to perfection: and we think you’ll love this creamy, classic take.
Ingredients in squash soup
There are many different ways to make a squash soup, and here’s ours! A few secrets: adding a potato to the mix helps to round out the creamy texture (using only squash can make the texture rather grainy). There’s no need for heavy cream: just a handful of vegetables and spices make a robust, cozy flavor. Here’s what you’ll need for this squash soup recipe:
Olive oil
Shallot
Celery
Garlic
Butternut squash
Red potato
Vegetable broth
Dried sage, nutmeg, and cinnamon
Sugar
Kosher salt
Types of squash for soup
The best types of squash for squash soup? Butternut squash is a favorite: its naturally sweet flavor makes it ideal for pureed soup. But there are lots of other types that work well here! Just make sure to taste the finished soup and adjust the sugar and salt to taste, since all squashes vary in sugar content. Here are a few types of squash that work well:
Butternut squash: a pear-shaped winter squash with pale orange skin. Its flavor is sweet and subtly nutty, almost like a mild sweet potato.
Acorn squash: a round, yellow and green squash that’s easy to find in grocery stores; its flavor can be slightly less sweet
Delicata squash: a yellow and orange oblong shaped squash with a very sweet flavor; this is a favorite of ours (it’s great as squash fries)
Kabocha squash: a Japanese variety that’s similar to butternut squash, with a more buttery texture
How to peel and cut butternut squash
If you use butternut squash for this squash soup, it’s notoriously difficult to peel and cut. But it’s well worth it in the end: we promise! Here are a few tips for how to cut butternut squash:
Slice off the neck first. Peeling and chopping the base and neck separately makes its oblong shape easier to handle.
Peel with a serrated peeler. It’s easier to peel tough-skinned vegetables with a squash peeler because the serrated edges grip the skin. (Here’s the serrated peeler we use.)
Slice into planks, then chop. Cut the base and neck into planks, then dice them.
Squash soup variation: curried
This squash soup recipe is classic, with a straightforward squash flavor. Want to mix it up a bit? Our favorite variation is a curried squash soup! Warm curry spices accent the sweet squash perfectly. Here’s what we’d recommend adding to the mix:
1 tablespoon finely grated ginger (add with the garlic)
1 cup full fat coconut milk (add when blending)
2 tablespoons Thai red curry paste (add when blending)
Butternut squash nutrition
Is butternut squash healthy? You’re in luck: it’s a great source of fiber and other vitamins. Here’s a little breakdown on the nutrition info of butternut squash:
Butternut squash is a good source of fiber. It’s got 7 grams per 1 cup diced, or about 28% of your daily need (source). You’ll get that in one serving of this butternut squash soup, along with more from the other ingredients.
Butternut squash is also high in Vitamin A and Vitamin C. The same serving size also provides 457% of your daily Vitamin A and 52% of your daily Vitamin C. (Source)
Butternut squash is a low calorie food. 1 cup has 82 calories.
Ways to serve squash soup
This squash soup recipe is creamy and delicious: but it’s not a meal in itself! You’ll need to add a decent source of protein to this soup to make it a meal. Here are some ideas for what to serve with squash soup:
In a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat, heat the olive oil. Add the shallots, celery, garlic, butternut squash, and potato and sauté for 5 minutes.
Add the broth, sage, nutmeg, cinnamon, sugar and salt. Increase the heat to medium high and bring to a steady simmer. Then lower the heat, cover, and cook until the squash is tender, stirring occasionally, for 20 to 25 minutes.
Carefully transfer the hot soup to a blender, then blend and transfer back to the pot (or puree the soup using an immersion blender). Add a splash more broth if it is too thick. Return the soup to the pot and allow it to cool for a few minutes; it will become thicker and creamier as it cools. (If using a squash other than butternut, taste and adjust the sugar and salt to taste.) Serve immediately or refrigerate for up to 4 days.
Notes
*Optional: Adding 1 tablespoon finely grated ginger with the garlic brings even bigger flavor.
It’s no secret we love butternut squash and certainly no secret the Instant Pot is a good friend of ours. Putting the two together? It had to happen! This Instant Pot butternut squash soup is creamy, comforting, quick and easy, plus warm and spicy than…
It’s no secret we love butternut squash and certainly no secret the Instant Pot is a good friend of ours. Putting the two together? It had to happen! This Instant Pot butternut squash soup is creamy, comforting, quick and easy, plus warm and spicy thanks to a touch of Thai red curry paste.
It’s perfect for chilly days and meal prep and pairs beautifully with everything from peanut tempeh to salads and spring rolls.
Want to know something cool about roasted butternut squash? You don’t have to peel it before roasting. That’s right. You do not have to suffer through peeling…
Want to know something cool about roasted butternut squash? You don’t have to peel it before roasting. That’s right. You do not have to suffer through peeling an entire slippery butternut squash if you’re going to roast it. The skin is perfectly safe to eat, and it’s hardly noticeable after a nice roast in a hot oven. You can see proof here and here.
Butternut squash is technically a winter squash, and it is indeed hearty and wonderful on a chilly day. Spring zucchini hasn’t arrived yet, so let’s use up the butternut in the pantry while it’s still good.
Butternut squash is naturally quite sweet. Roasted butternut squash is my favorite preparation because the edges caramelize against the pan, yielding delicious savory bits that help balance the sweetness.
Roasted butternut makes a great side dish with a few garnishes on top, but it’s more versatile than that. Over the years, I’ve used it in risotto and soup, hearty fall and winter salads, and even tacos. Again, I love to contrast the sweetness with spicy and savory ingredients, and you’ll find a list of suggestions below.
This Butternut Squash Salad is irresistibly fresh, featuring apple and a citrusy orange vinaigrette. Perfect for fall and winter!
Here’s a standout fall or winter salad starring everyone’s favorite ingredient: Butternut Squash Salad! This one is a symphony in a bowl: hearty sweet squash pairs with crisp apple, chewy cranberries and a citrusy orange vinaigrette. All the best flavors of fall and winter ingredients sing together in perfect harmony! We’ve served this one to guests and everyone remarks how tasty it is, especially the acidic zing of the dressing.
Elements in this butternut squash salad
This festive butternut squash salad is the poster child for fall and winter salads! It’s packed with nutrient-dense seasonal produce with all the perfect contrasts. Crisp tart apple contrast tender sweet squash, crunchy pecans contrast chewy tart cranberries. A sprinkle of salty cheese sets off the fresh vegetables and it’s covered in a zesty orange dressing. Here’s what you’ll need:
Butternut squash
Apple
Dried cranberries
Pecans
Mixed greens
Feta cheese, or substitute goat cheese (omit for vegan)
Homemade orange vinaigrette
Make the roasted butternut squash in advance
The trickiest part of this butternut squash salad? Roasting the butternut squash. It takes about 45 minutes total, so we suggest making it in advance if possible. You could also try roasting frozen butternut squash, but to us there’s nothing like the real thing! Here’s what you’ll need to know:
Peeling and cutting the butternut squash is the hardest part! Here’s our method for How to Cut Butternut Squash. A serrated vegetable peeler is key for removing the tough skin.
Leave at room temp for a few hours, or refrigerate until serving. If you make the day before, refrigerate then bring to room temperature before serving on the salad.
Tips for the orange vinaigrette
The star of the show in this butternut squash salad recipe is the orange honey vinaigrette! It makes a massive pop of citrusy flavor that brings all the ingredients together. Here’s what to know about this dressing:
The big flavor comes from orange zest, not juice! When developing this recipe, we played around with using a combination of orange juice and zest. What we found? The juice wasn’t needed (and made the dressing too watery). All you need is a hefty tablespoon of orange zest, and the flavor pops!
Use about half of the dressing for the salad, then refrigerate the remainder. A good rule of thumb is about 1 to 1 ½ tablespoons dressing per serving. But you can eyeball it! Just make sure there’s good coverage (no one likes naked greens!).
Ways to serve butternut squash salad: side or main!
This butternut squash salad is the ideal fall salad or winter salad for any occasion, be it a weeknight meal or dinner party. It also works as a main dish with some added protein! Here are some ideas:
Roast the squash: Make the Roasted Butternut Squash, following the instructions in that recipe. (We suggest making this portion in advance; store the roasted squash refrigerated until ready to use and bring to room temperature before serving.)
Make the dressing: In a medium bowl, whisk together the white wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, orange zest, honey, and kosher salt. Gradually whisk in the olive oil 1 tablespoon at a time until a creamy dressing forms. (Store leftovers refrigerated and bring to room temperature before serving.)
Serve the salad: Add greens to a platter or individual salad plates, and top with the roasted squash, diced apple, cranberries, cheese crumbles, and chopped pecans. Drizzle with the desired amount of dressing (use approximately 6 tablespoons for 4 servings; store the remaining dressing refrigerated).