Buttoned Up Experts: Butternut Squash Recipes

posted on December 22, 2009

By Buttoned Up’s cooking experts Michelle Jenkins and Susan Aprahamian of YouveGotSupper.com.

We can’t gush enough about this veggie, especially now that we have learned how to cut it up without losing an appendage. Eat it up on salads, soups, pastas and even pizza. Your families will be oohing and aahing for more!
For tips on peeling and cutting your squash, click on this “how to” video.

Butternut Squash Soup
Ranch Salad with Butternut Squash
Roasted Red Potatoes and Butternut Squash
Pizza with Roasted Butternut Squash and Proscuitto
Ravioli with Garlic and Butternut Squash Sauce
Butternut Squash Lasagna

Butternut Squash Soup

Servings: 4-6 Prep Time: 15 min. Cook Time: 30 min.
This soup is perfect for the Fall (our families like it through the winter too). It has a fabulous, rich taste with just a little added cream.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 2 yellow onion, chopped
• 1 can(s) pumpkin (canned), 16 oz.
• 1 1/2 lb butternut squash, peeled and chopped
• 3 cup(s) chicken broth, low sodium
• 2 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1/2 cup(s) half n half
• 1/2 cup(s) gruyere cheese, grated

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat butter and oil in large pan. Add onions and cook for 10 minutes.
2. Add pumpkin, butternut squash, chicken stock, salt and pepper.
3. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes or until the butternut squash is tender.
4. Process the mixture in a food processor. Return to stove; add half-and-half, heating slowly. Serve topped with grated gruyere (optional).
Note: Pierce the squash with a fork and microwave it for a few minutes to make it easy to peel and cube.
Suggested Side: Tossed Salad and crusty bread

Ranch Salad with Butternut Squash

Servings: 4 Prep Time: 10 min. Cook Time: 30 min.
Love butternut squash, love this salad. Smoke it up a notch by adding a little smoky chipotle sauce to the ranch dressing.

INGREDIENTS

• 4 slice(s) bacon
• 1 cup(s) butternut squash, cubed
• 2 tsp olive oil
• 1/2 cup(s) craisins
• 1/4 cup(s) pine nuts, toasted
• 5 oz romaine lettuce
• 1/4 cup(s) ranch dressing, light

DIRECTIONS

1. Cut bacon with scissors into pieces and cook until crispy. Drain on a paper towel.
2. Toss 3/4 inch cubes of butternut squash with 2 tsp olive oil. Roast for 20 minutes at 450 degrees. Let cool.
3. Toss squash with lettuce, craisins, and pine nuts. Add ranch dressing and toss until coated. Sprinkle with bacon bits.

Roasted Red Potatoes and Butternut Squash

Servings: 6 Prep Time: 15 min. Cook Time: 30 min.
This is a great Fall/Winter veggie side dish.

INGREDIENTS

1 large butternut squash, peeled and chopped
• 1 lb red potatoes, quartered
• 2 red onion, quartered
• 3 clove(s) garlic, crushed
• 1 tbsp olive oil

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
2. Chop butternut squash into 1 inch pieces. Quarter red potatoes and onion. Toss chopped veggies with olive oil and crushed garlic. Spread on a rimmed baking sheet in one layer. Season with kosher salt and pepper.
3. Cook for 25 minutes. Toss and cook for about 5 more minutes. Season with more S&P if needed.
Note: Don’t forget to microwave the squash for 1-2 minutes to make it easier to peel and chop.

Pizza with Roasted Butternut Squash and Prosciutto

Servings: 4 Prep Time: 15 min. Cook Time: 30 min.
Sweet butternut squash with the salty prosciutto are a great combo for this rustic pizza.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 cup(s) butternut squash, diced
• 1 small yellow onion, chopped
• 1/4 tsp sage (dried)
• 2 tbsp olive oil, divided
• 1 medium pizza dough
• 1/2 cup(s) parmesan cheese, shredded, divided
• 4 slice(s) prosciutto, torn

DIRECTIONS

Dice butternut squash and onion into 3/4 inch cubes. Toss with 1 tbsp olive oil and sage and place on baking sheet. Roast at 450 degrees for 20 minutes.
2. Roll out dough on a floured surface. Place on parchment paper on a greased baking sheet.
3. Top dough with 1/4 cup parmesan cheese and roasted squash and onions. Top with torn prosciutto and remaining parmesan cheese.
4. Pierce dough with a fork and drizzle pizza with olive oil. Bake at 450 degrees for 10 – 12 minutes.
Note: We buy our pizza dough from the local pizzeria. Option – add blue cheese.

Ravioli with Garlic and Butternut Squash Sauce

Servings: 8 Prep Time: 15 min. Cook Time: 40 min.
Freeze the extra sauce in an airtight container for up to 3 months.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 1/2 lb butternut squash
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 tsp sage (dried)
• 5 clove(s) garlic
• 1/2 cup(s) half n half
• 1 package(s) ravioli
• 1/2 cup(s) parmesan cheese, grated

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Place squash in microwave for a minute. Peel with a vegetable peeler. Cut squash into 2 inch chunks.
3. Place squash on baking sheet. Toss with olive oil and sage and season with kosher salt and pepper. Add garlic cloves (with peel). Roast for 30 – 40 minutes or until the squash is tender. Squeeze roasted garlic from peel.
4. Puree squash and roasted garlic in a food processor. Add half and half and process until smooth. Add water, 1/2 cup at a time, until desired consistency (usually 1 cup of water is plenty). Season to taste with salt.
5. Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain, reserving 1 cup pasta water. Toss pasta with sauce and add pasta water if necessary. Top with grated parmesan. Option: add toasted walnuts

Note: Non-fat Half and half works great in this recipe.

Pappardelle with Butternut Squash and Shitakes

Servings: 4 Prep Time: 10 min. Cook Time: 25 min.
Great vegetarian pasta dish! fyi – pappardelle is the fancy word for really wide fettuccini noodles.

INGREDIENTS

• 12 oz pappardelle pasta, dried
• 1 lb butternut squash, peeled and chopped
• 4 tbsp butter, with salt, divided
• 8 oz shitake mushrooms, sliced
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg, chopped
• 5 oz spinach
• 3/4 cup(s) parmesan cheese, grated, divided

DIRECTIONS

Cook pasta according to package directions, reserving 1 cup pasta water.
2. Put squash in microwave for 1 minute. Peel with a potato peeler. Cut into 1/2 inch cubes.
3. Melt 2 tbsp butter in a large skillet. Add squash and cook for about 5 – 7 minutes (almost tender). Add mushrooms, nutmeg and 2 more tbsp of butter. Cook until mushrooms are soft and squash is tender (about 7 – 8 more minutes). Add spinach and 1/2 of the cheese and cook until spinach is wilted (about 1 more minutes).
4. Add pasta to skillet and toss to coat. Add pasta liquid if needed. Serve with leftover cheese sprinkled on top.

Note: We used a stir fry mix of different mushrooms.

Butternut Squash lasagna

Submitted by: Lisa Crescentini
Servings: 8 – 10 Prep Time: 50 minutes Cook Time: 1 hour and 15 minutes
If you want to hang out with your company instead of isolating yourself in the kitchen cave, make this lasagna ahead and then bake it for just a few minutes extra.

INGREDIENTS

• 3 lb butternut squash, seeded and chopped
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1/4 cup(s) butter, with salt
• 4 clove(s) garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup(s) flour
• 4 cup(s) milk
• 1 tbsp rosemary (fresh), finely chopped
• 1 box lasagna noodles (no boil)
• 1 1/3 parmesan cheese, shredded
• 1 cup(s) heavy whipping cream

DIRECTIONS

1. Roast squash: Peel, seed and cut squash into 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick slices. Toss with 3 Tbsp oil and season with a little salt. Place on backing pan and roast for 25 – 30 minutes at 425 degrees, stirring once, until tender. Remove and reduce oven temp to 375 degrees.
2. Make sauce: Heat butter in sauce pan over medium. Add garlic then flour and stir in milk. Cook and stir until bubbly. Stir in roasted squash and rosemary (lightly smashing squash).
3. Assemble lasagna, spread 1/4 cup of sauce in bottom of greased lasagna dish. Cover with noodles. Top with 1/3 of remaining sauce. Sprinkle with some parmesan. Repeat noodles, sauce and cheese then noodles, sauce and cheese. Pour heavy cream over top. Sprinkle with remaining parmesan.
4. Cover with foil and bake for 40 minutes. Uncover and bake for 10 more minutes, until brown and bubbly. Let stand for 10 minutes.

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