Butternut Squash
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This is the article for you if you want to learn how to cook butternut squash.

With recipes for halving, cubing, and cooking this nutritious winter squash in the microwave for a super quick and easy version. It’s delicious as a side dish or stuffed as a main course!

What Makes This Vegetable So Special?

  • Butternut squash is high in fiber and vitamins, as well as being low in calories and fat. Yes, this fruit. Fruit! Although it is not strictly a vegetable, we cook and treat it as such.) is also high in antioxidants.
  • It’s a flexible side dish that’s ideal for the holidays! Butternut squash is a real fall rockstar in its own right, but pumpkin gets all the post-summer fruit attention. You’re missing out if you don’t have fried butternut squash on your Thanksgiving table!
  • It may be made in the oven, the Instant Pot, or the microwave. It also requires very little work to prepare – some methods only require cutting in half!

What Can You Do With It?

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You might be wondering what you can do with cooked butternut squash. Oh, SO MUCH! The alternatives are nearly unlimited.

You can eat the squash right away. It’s a tasty side dish that goes with a variety of main courses. I also like to sprinkle the roasted cubes on top of a salad for a little color and texture.

Season the cooked butternut squash with salt and pepper before mashing it with butter until it has the consistency of mashed potatoes.

Is It Possible to Eat Squash Skin?

Well, yes. Technically. It is debatable.

The skin of cooked butternut squash is completely edible and high in fiber, vitamins, and minerals. However, depending on how old your squash is, it may have a harsh, disagreeable texture.

The skin of a newborn squash may be delicate enough to eat, but the flesh of an older squash should be scooped out instead.

Chef’s Advice

  • Peel the butternut squash before cubing it if you’re roasting it. Don’t worry, an ordinary vegetable peeler will suffice!
  • Sometimes you’ll want to cook butternut squash without any spice, but if you do, you can season it in a variety of ways. Season with salt and pepper, or add a pinch of cinnamon and brown sugar.
  • Drizzle a little maple syrup on top of the squash or brush it with avocado oil. Butternut squash may be savory or sweet when cooked, which is one of the reasons I enjoy it so much.

How do you decide which butternut squash to buy at the supermarket?

It’s easy! Look for one that is a solid dark beige color with no green streaks or brown blotches.

If it’s perforated (which can happen in transit), skip it since punctures can allow bacteria to enter the flesh. Pick up two or three similar-sized butternut squash and compare their weights.

Don’t toss out those butternut squash seeds since they may be seasoned and roasted just like pumpkin seeds.

Butternut Squash

5 minutes to prepare
50 minutes to cook
55 minutes total

This is the article for you if you want to learn how to cook squash.

With recipes for halving, cubing, and cooking this nutritious winter squash in the microwave for a super quick and easy version. Great as a side dish or as a main entrée when packed!

Ingredients

  • 1 butternut squash washed and dried
  • 1 tablespoon avocado oil or other neutral oil
  • seasonings optional, as desired

Equipment

  • Cutting board
  • Sharp knife
  • Spoon or scoop (to remove seeds)
  • The cooking appliance of choice
  • Microwave-safe dish (if microwaving)
  • Baking sheet (if oven-roasting)

Instructions For Cooking Butternut Squash

In the Instant Pot: Butternut Squash

  1. In the Instant Pot, place the trivet and 1 cup of water.
  2. Remove any seeds and cut the squash in half lengthwise. Place each portion in a single flat layer in the Instant Pot.
  3. Cook for 8 minutes on high pressure, then 10 minutes on natural release. Remove the lid with care and transfer the squash to another basin or dish.

Microwavable Butternut Squash

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  1. Remove any seeds and cut the squash in half lengthwise. Microwave the squash face up (skin side down) in a microwave-safe dish or plate.
  2. Microwave for 8 to 10 minutes, or until readily pierced with a fork. The duration is determined by the size of the squash, the size of the microwave, and the wattage of the microwave. If you have a small microwave, cook one squash half at a time.

In the Oven: Butternut Squash

  1. Roasted Halves: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Cut the squash lengthwise in half. Remove any seeds and apply avocado oil to the orange flesh. Bake for 50 minutes, face down (skin side up) on a baking sheet, or until tender enough to pierce with a fork.
  2. Cubes roasted: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Cut the squash in half after peeling it. Remove any seeds before cubing the squash. Season with salt and pepper and drizzle with avocado oil. Place in a single, equal layer on a baking sheet. Bake for 40 minutes, or until vegetables are soft.

Notes

This recipe makes 1 cooked squash, which serves 4 people. The nutritional values provided are for a single serving. Avocado oil nutritional information is included in the figures.

Macros may differ significantly based on the components used; for example, if you use brown sugar or maple syrup instead of white sugar, your macros will be greater.

Prepare the recipe as directed, then weigh the completed product to calculate the size of one serving.

4 times the total weight (not including the bowl, pot, or plate in which the food is served). The weight of one serving will be the result.

Nutrition Information

Serving: 1serving, Calories: 115kcal, Carbohydrates: 22g, Protein: 2g, Fat: 4g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Sodium: 8mg, Potassium: 660mg, Fiber: 4g, Sugar: 4g, Vitamin A: 19931IU, Vitamin C: 39mg, Calcium: 90mg, Iron: 1mg, Net Carbs: 18g