Making your own butternut squash puree is surprisingly simple, affordable, and oh-so rewarding! Whipping up your own puree not only yields much fresher and delicious results, but also allows you to control the seasonings, roasting method, and consistency depending on your specific need. We love to stock up on a few batches of this butternut squash puree during the fall and winter months to use in cozy autumn soups, stews, sauces, pasta dishes or even as a standalone Thanksgiving or holiday side dish.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- You can easily tailor the herbs and seasonings to fit your specific needs, from sweet to savory.
- Two different roasting methods give you options to cut down on either roasting time or preparation time and achieve different degrees of browning and caramelization.
- Much more flavorful than shelf-stable store-bought butternut squash puree.
- Freezer friendly recipe allows you to make batches of puree during the fall and winter months for peak freshness and then freeze in small portions for using later.
Ingredients
- Butternut squash – select a medium sized (3-4 lb) butternut squash for this recipe. You can use a larger or smaller squash and adjust the seasoning and cooking time accordingly.
- Extra virgin olive oil – for roasting the squash.
- Seasoning – dried thyme, dried sage, sea salt, and black pepper are simple seasonings that add a ton of base flavor to the puree.
- Broth – for thinning adding extra depth to the puree. Low sodium chicken or vegetable broth work in this recipe.
Tips for Making Butternut Squash Puree
- Peel and cut butternut squash into cubes before roasting to speed up the roasting time and to achieve more browning and caramelization, which will add a sweeter depth to your puree. If you want a shorter prep time, cut the squash in half and roast, then scoop the flesh out of the skin to puree.
- Roast squash at 400-425F and cook the squash flesh side down on the pan to get the nice browning along the flesh.
- Stock up on butternut squash while it is in-season during the fall and winter months for peak freshness and flavor. Then store prepared puree in the freezer for off-season months.
- Freeze extra butternut squash puree in 1-2 cup servings for convenient ready-to-use serving sizes for any recipe.
How to Make Butternut Squash Puree
Preheat the oven to 400℉.
Option 1 – Squash Halves
Use a sharp kitchen knife to cut the squash in half lengthwise. Scoop out the seeds and discard. Brush the halves with olive oil and sprinkle with thyme, sage, salt and pepper.
Place the squash cut-side down on the baking sheet. Bake until a fork easily slides through the center of the squash without resistance, about 50-60 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside until it is cool enough to handle.
Scoop the cooked flesh into a large food processor and discard the skins. Add the broth, ½ cup at a time, to the squash and pulse until smooth. The amount of broth you’ll want to use will vary by how watery your squash is. The final consistency of the puree should be thick, but smooth (like canned pumpkin puree). Adjust seasonings to taste and use in your recipe of choice (soups, sauces, baked goods, etc.).
Option 2 – Cubed Squash
Use a sharp kitchen knife to cut the squash in half lengthwise. Scoop out the seeds and discard. Cut the halves into 1-inch wide slices. Cut the slices into roughly 1-inch cubes. Toss the cubes with olive oil, thyme, sage, salt and pepper.
Spread the squash out on the baking sheet and roast until fork tender, about 20-25 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside until cool enough to handle.
Transfer the squash to a large food processor. Add the broth, ½ cup at a time, to the squash and pulse until smooth. The amount of broth you’ll want to use will vary by how watery your squash is. The final consistency of the puree should be thick, but smooth (like canned pumpkin puree). Adjust seasonings to taste and use in your recipe of choice (soups, sauces, baked goods, etc.).
How to Store
Store butternut squash puree in an airtight container (we prefer mason jars for easy storage) in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
We prefer to freeze butternut squash in 1 or 2 cup portions for easy use. Measure out the portions and place in a small freezer Ziploc bag. Lay the bags flat in the freezer for a few hours until they set and then you can easily stack and store in the freezer for up to 6 months. Freezing is a great option for loading up on butternut squash while it is in season in the fall and winter and packed with flavor and freshness, and then storing for later use during off-season months.
Recipe Variations
When using butternut squash puree as a base for a sauce or soup, you’ll likely want a lightly seasoned base (like our recipe as written) so that you can season it accordingly. However, if you’re using butternut squash puree as a stand alone side (like for Thanksgiving), you can roast the squash with additional seasonings, herbs, and sweeteners to make it shine!
- Sweet – for a sweeter variation, drizzle a little maple syrup or honey or a sprinkle some brown sugar on the flesh before roasting for deep caramelization. You can also use a pinch of sweet spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves or all spice.
- Spicy – add some heat with a sprinkle of cayenne, chipotle powder, or red pepper flakes.
- Savory – smoked paprika, rosemary, garlic powder, onion powder, and even chili powder and cumin pair well with butternut squash.
How to Use Butternut Squash Puree
- Soups – sub in pre-prepared butternut squash puree in our roasted carrot and butternut squash soup or chicken butternut squash soup to speed up the recipe.
- Baked goods – use in breads, muffins, pancakes and even cornbread or pies for unique flavor and super moist results. Just be sure to cut out any herbs/seasonings that don’t fit the desired results.
- Sauces – use this puree as a standalone sauce and thin with broth, milk, or pasta water, like in our butternut squash and sausage pasta, or use it as a base for a vodka sauce, carbonara sauce, or other pasta sauce. This pureed butternut squash is the perfect starting point for our butternut squash and spinach lasagna or butternut squash mac and cheese.
- Ravioli and risotto – butternut squash puree is also excellent for ravioli filling or for making creamy risotto. Skip ahead in our butternut squash ravioli and butternut squash risotto recipes by starting with this puree instead of raw squash.
- Curry and ramen – make a unique Thai inspired butternut squash curry by simmering this puree with rich coconut milk and broth. Try subbing butternut squash puree for pumpkin puree in our pumpkin miso ramen.
- Burgers and tacos – we love mashing this puree with black beans in our butternut squash and black bean burgers or mixing it with cannellini beans to make our refried butternut squash tacos.
Frequently Asked Questions
Temperatures between 400F and 425F are ideal for roasting butternut squash because the flesh will brown beautifully without burning at temperatures in this range.
You can freeze butternut squash puree for up to 6 months. We highly recommend making a large batch of puree during peak butternut squash season (fall and winter months) and then freezing it for later use.
First, you can cut the squash in half, scoop out the seeds, season with oil and herbs, and roast flesh-side down with the skin on. Once roasted, simply scoop the cooked flesh out and puree. This option has shorter preparation time, but longer roasting times. The second option is to peel the squash, cut the squash in half, scoop out the seeds, cut the squash into rings and then into cubes, toss with oil and herbs, roast, and puree. This option yields greater caramelization and sweeter purees. It also requires more preparation time, but shorter roasting time.
Butternut Squash Puree
Equipment
- 1 large food processor
Ingredients
- 1 large butternut squash (3-4 lbs)
- 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp dried sage
- 1 tsp sea salt, or adjusted to taste
- ½ tsp cracked black pepper, or adjusted to taste
- 1-1½ c low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth, more as needed
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400℉.
Option 1 – Squash Halves
- Use a sharp kitchen knife to cut the squash in half lengthwise. Scoop out the seeds and discard. Brush the halves with olive oil and sprinkle with thyme, sage, salt and pepper.
- Place the squash cut-side down on the baking sheet. Bake until a fork easily slides through the center of the squash without resistance, about 50-60 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside until it is cool enough to handle.
- Scoop the cooked flesh into a large food processor and discard the skins. Add the broth, ½ cup at a time, to the squash and pulse until smooth. The amount of broth you'll want to use will vary by how watery your squash is. The final consistency of the puree should be thick, but smooth (like canned pumpkin puree). Adjust seasonings to taste and use in your recipe of choice (soups, sauces, baked goods, etc.).
Option 2 – Cubed Squash
- Use a sharp kitchen knife to cut the squash in half lengthwise. Scoop out the seeds and discard. Cut the halves into 1-inch wide slices. Cut the slices into rough 1-inch cubes. Toss the cubes with olive oil, thyme, sage, salt and pepper.
- Spread the squash out on the baking sheet and roast until fork tender, about 20-25 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside until cool enough to handle.
- Transfer the squash to a large food processor. Add the broth, ½ cup at a time, to the squash and pulse until smooth. The amount of broth you'll want to use will vary by how watery your squash is. The final consistency of the puree should be thick, but smooth (like canned pumpkin puree). Adjust seasonings to taste and use in your recipe of choice (soups, sauces, baked goods, etc.).
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