Butternut squash is a rich and versitile vegetable. Try one of these recipes to incorporate butternut squash into your next meal.
Honey Butternut Squash Soup![4348804687_5c57740ce9]()
(makes about 4 servings)
2 lbs butternut squash (1 medium squash)
3 cups vegetable stock (preferably homemade)
4 tbsps honey
2 tbsps olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Halve squash lengthwise and scoop out seeds and pulp. Rinse seeds and pat dry completely. Coat in one tablespoon of olive oil and a pinch of salt and spread evenly on a baking sheet. Toast until seeds are just darkened.
Place squash cut side down in a separate tray coated with oil and roast about 30 minutes until tender. Cool and scoop the flesh from the skin. Puree in a food processor or with a hand blender in a pot until smooth. Thin the soup with stock and season with salt and pepper to taste. Add honey and stir until dissolved. Garnish with toasted seeds.
Bulgur and Freekeh Pilaf with Roasted Butternut Squash, Feta and Parsley
(makes about 6 servings)
1 cup bulgur
1 cup freekeh
5 cups water
about 1 lb butternut squash, skinned, seeded and chopped into about 1-inch chunks
about 6 oz. Greek feta, crumbled
half a bunch Italian flat-leaf parsley, chopped
about 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
juice of half a lemon
dash of cayenne pepper (optional)
salt and pepper to taste
Cover the bulgur with 2 cups of water and place on medium-low in a saucepan. Reduce heat to low when it begins to bubble, and cook for about 20-30 minutes, until water is all soaked up. At the same time, do the same for the freekeh and 3 cups of water. Once cooked, fluff grains with a fork and let cool, uncovered, for 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Toss the squash pieces in about 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and a couple pinches of salt and pepper, and the optional cayenne pepper. Roast for about 10 minutes; flip and toss once with a spatula and roast for another 10-15 minutes (depending on how large your chunks are) until pieces are just golden and crisp on the outside. Let cool completely, about 10 minutes.
In a large bowl, toss the grains with the remaining olive oil and lemon juice and season with generous dashes of salt and pepper. Add the crumbled feta, squash and parsley. Serve immediately to retain crispness of the squash pieces; mixture can also be made up to a couple days in advance.
Better Than Pumpkin Pie![19285]()
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups peeled and cubed butternut squash
- 1 cup lightly packed brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 egg, beaten
- 1 cup evaporated milk
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 pinch ground allspice
- 1 pinch ground cloves
- 1 pinch ground ginger
- 1 pinch ground nutmeg
- 1 (9 inch) unbaked pie shell
Directions
- Place squash in a saucepan with enough water to cover. Bring to a boil, and simmer over medium heat until tender, about 15 minutes. Drain, and cool.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
- In a blender or food processor, combine butternut squash, brown sugar, cornstarch, egg, milk, cinnamon, allspice, cloves, ginger, and nutmeg. Process until smooth. Pour into the unbaked pie shell.
- Bake in preheated oven for 50 minutes, or until a table knife comes out clean when inserted in the center.
