Mashed butternut squash is the perfect side dish for fall — creamy, smooth, and delicious. In-season winter squash is blended with butter and cream, sweetened with maple syrup, and seasoned with pumpkin pie spice for a the perfect balance of sweet and savory fall flavors. The best part? This butternut squash mash is easy to make with less than 10 minutes of actual effort.
Why You’ll Love Mashed Butternut Squash
- Made with healthy butternut squash. Butternut squash is the star of the show. In addition to its sweet, nutty flavor, butternut squash contains tons of vitamins, minerals, fiber, and antioxidants. So, this mashed butternut squash tastes phenomenal and does wonders for your health, too.
- It’s so easy to make. Although you will need to set aside an hour of baking time, you only need to give this recipe 10 minutes of your attention to make it. When you consider that you could spend the other hour doing something else, this is a relatively quick dish!
- It’s bursting with fall flavors. The butternut squash lends a lot of flavor to this mashed butternut squash—but it doesn’t end there. Olive oil, butter, and heavy cream add indulgent flavors while maple syrup and pumpkin pie spice shake things up.
Ingredients and Substitutions
To make this easy mashed butternut squash, you will need the following ingredients (full quantities in recipe card below):
- butternut squash - in this recipe, we roast butternut squash and turn it into a puree. You can also substitute with 1 and ¼ cups butternut squash puree to cut on the cooking time and spend less than 10 minutes to make this.
- butter
- heavy cream - can substitute with half and half.
- maple syrup - this is optional, for some extra sweetness. You can also use brown sugar.
- salt and pepper
- pumpkin pie spice - you can also substitute with ground cinnamon.
- chili powder - optional, to sprinkle on top for a kick.
You will also need measuring cups and spoons, mixing bowl, and a potato masher or hand mixer.
How to Make the Best Mashed Butternut Squash
- Cook the butternut squash. Cut butternut squash in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds. Lightly brush the cut sides with olive oil. Place on a quarter sheet baking pan cut side up and bake in a 350F preheated oven for 1 hour or until very tender.
- Mash the butternut squash. Scoop out the flesh of the butternut squash and place in a large mixing bowl. With a potato masher or an electric hand mixer on low, mix until smooth. If the butternut squash is too chunky for your liking, transfer it to a blender and puree it until desired consistency is achieved.
- Combine ingredients. Add butter, heavy cream, maple syrup, salt, pepper, and pumpkin pie spice to the bowl. Stir to combine.
- Serve. Serve warm with a sprinkle of chili powder on top (optional, for a spicy kick).
How to Serve
Mashed butternut squash is one of those fall side dishes that you can serve with almost any meal. For a complete meal, try pairing it with:
- Dutch Oven Whole Roast Chicken
- Roasted Turkey Breast
- Honey Glazed Roast Pork
- Slow Cooker Turkey Breast
- Stovetop Mac and Cheese
Storing Instructions
- How to store: Keep leftover mashed butternut squash in an airtight container in the fridge for up to five days. You can also freeze this side dish for up to three months.
- How to reheat: Reheat cold mashed butternut squash in a covered, microwave-safe container on low heat in the microwave. Heat in 20 to 30-second intervals, stirring in between. You can also reheat it on the stovetop over medium-low heat until warmed through.
More Butternut Squash Recipes
- 20 Easy Butternut Squash Recipes
- Roasted Butternut Squash Soup
- Butternut Squash Quesadillas with Chicken
- Stuffed Butternut Squash with Wild Rice
- Roasted Butternut Squash
- Butternut Squash Galette
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Recipe
Mashed Butternut Squash
- Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
Mashed butternut squash is the perfect side dish for fall — creamy, smooth, and delicious, with the perfect balance between sweet and savory fall flavors.
Ingredients
- 1 medium butternut squash (about 1-2 lbs.)
- 2 tablespoons butter
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ½ teaspoon maple syrup (optional)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ⅛ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- chili powder (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Cut butternut squash in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds. Lightly brush the cut sides with olive oil. Place on a quarter sheet baking pan cut side up and bake 1 hour or until very tender.
- Scoop out the flesh of the butternut squash and place in a large mixing bowl. With a potato masher or an electric hand mixer on low, mix until smooth. If the butternut squash is too chunky for your liking, transfer it to a blender and puree it until desired consistency is achieved.
- Add butter, heavy cream, maple syrup, salt, pepper, and pumpkin pie spice to the bowl. Stir to combine.
- Serve warm with a sprinkle of chili powder on top (optional, for a spicy kick).
Notes
Use butternut squash puree: Instead of roasting a whole butternut squash, you can also substitute it with 1 + ¼ cups butternut squash puree to make this faster in less than 10 minutes.
How to store: Keep leftover mashed butternut squash in an airtight container in the fridge for up to five days. You can also freeze this side dish for up to three months.
How to reheat: Reheat cold mashed butternut squash in a covered, microwave-safe container on low heat in the microwave. Heat in 20 to 30-second intervals, stirring in between. You can also reheat it on the stovetop over medium-low heat until warmed through.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: America
Keywords: mashed butternut squash, how to make mashed butternut squash, homemade mashed squash, how to mash butternut squash
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