5 Festive Squash Recipes

With Thanksgiving and Christmas right around the corner, tis the season for stellar recipes to ensure our holiday dinners go smoothly. Do you have some picky or hypercritical eaters in your family? Don’t worry! Squash is a perfect way to add sweetness to your Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner and make your life easier this season. Don’t know where to start? No problem! Here are 5 festive squash recipes to liven up your holiday dinner.

This recipe offers that sweet nutty flavor that we all know and love.

1. Cinnamon Roasted Butternut Squash

This recipe is the perfect combination of sweet and tenderness for your next festive dinner. This recipe perfectly highlights any main course, offering a natural sweet and nutty treat that will turn heads at your next family dinner.

Ingredients

1 butternut squash, peeled, de-seeded and chopped
1 ½ tbsp olive oil
1 large pinch salt
1 ½ tbsp pure maple syrup
¾ tsp cinnamon
1 pinch black pepper
1 tbsp rosemary, chopped ( this works best if it is fresh as it has more aromatics)

Directions

Preheat your oven to 400F. Position your racks to the lower and upper thirds of your oven. Coat your baking sheets with some non-stick spray. Arrange your squash cubes in a large bowl. Drizzle with your olive oil, maple syrup, salt, cinnamon and pepper. Toss until fully coated and divide among your baking sheets. Make sure you are discarding any liquid that may have accumulated at the bottom of the bowl. Spread the cubes in a single layer on the prepared baking sheets. Make sure they do not overlap. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and flip your cubes with a spatula, then return to the oven and cook for an additional 15 minutes. Remove from the oven again and lightly sprinkle with your rosemary. Serve and enjoy.

This recipe is perfect for when you’re craving a little kick for your festive dinner.

2. White Chili And Butternut Squash

This recipe offers a unique blend of sweetness and warmth to your next dinner. If you’re looking for a recipe that is less sweet and has more of a kick, this recipe is a must try for you. Serve this recipe and watch as your guests clean their plates.

Ingredients

1 tbsp olive oil
1 large white or yellow onion, chopped
3 cups of cannellini beans
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 small zucchini, trimmed with ¾ inch cubes
11 ½ pounds butternut squash, peeled, deseeded and cubed
2 cans of mild green chiles with their liquid
1 pinch smoked paprika
1 pinch cumin
1 pinch chili powder
1 pinch salt
3 cups of vegetable broth
⅔ cup quinoa, rinsed
2 tbsp fresh lime juice

Directions

In a large pot over medium high heat, add your oil until it shimmers. Add in your onion and cook until tender and translucent. This should take around 5 to 7 minutes. Next, add your garlic and stir until fragrant for 1 minute. Stir in your beans, squash, zucchini, green chiles, paprika, cumin, chili powder and salt. Combine your broth and quinoa to the mixture. Increase the heat and bring your mixture to a rolling boil. Reduce the heat and lightly simmer, covering and cooking until tender. This should take around 20 minutes. Proceed to uncover your pot and stir until it has thickened. Stir in your lime juice and seasoning for about 5 minutes. Serve and enjoy.

This recipe offers a healthy crunch to the traditional recipe. Dare to challenge tradition this year with this fun filled recipe.

3. Butternut Squash Casserole

If you’re looking for a sweet textured new way to add squash into your festive meals, this recipe is a must try for you. This butternut squash casserole is a great way to add the sweet aromatics of onion, garlic and fresh kale. If you’re looking for a new and lively recipe that is not soaked in butter this festive season, this recipe is a must try for you.

Ingredients

2 tbsp olive oil
1 large butternut squash
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 pinch salt
1 pinch pepper
12 ounces of kale, stems removed and torn into bite sized pieces
1 yellow onion, sliced
1 cup of sodium veggie or chicken stock

For the Toppings

1 cup of fresh breadcrumbs
½ grated Parmesan cheese
1 tbsp minced fresh sage
1 pinch salt
1 pinch nutmeg
2 tbsp melted butter

Directions

Preheat your oven to 375F. Grease your baking dish with oil or a non-stick cooking spray. Prepare the filling for 2 batches. Heat up your olive oil in a large deep skillet over medium high heat. Add half of your butternut squash, rosemary, salt and pepper. Saute your squash until it begins to brown. This should take around 3 minutes. It should still be too firm to eat. Add in your kale, onion and garlic. Cook for an additional 4 minutes until they begin to soften. Add in your ½ cup chicken stock, stir and reduce for 1 minute. Next, transfer over to your baking dish and smooth into an even layer. Heat up your remaining olive oil in the skillet and repeat the above steps for the next batch. Cover your baking dish with aluminum foil and bake for 30 to 35 minutes until squash is soft and easily gives under a sharp knife. While your squash is baking, prepare your breadcrumbs and grated cheese, sage, salt and nutmeg. Pour your melted butter over the top and stir. Remove the casserole from the oven and remove the foil. Then, lightly sprinkle the breadcrumb mixture over the top. Reduce the heat to 350F and return to the oven. Bake until the breadcrumbs are golden, about 20 minutes. Serve and enjoy.

This pie is the ultimate creamy treat for your next dinner.

4. Butternut Squash Pie

This recipe is perfect to highlight the traditional sweetness of butternut squash while making a sweet treat. If you’re not in the mood for a butternut squash side dish but want a sweet creamy treat, this pie will rock your world.

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Ingredients

2 pre-made pie crusts
2 ½ cups butternut squash, cubed and cooked
5 eggs
1 cup of milk
1 ½ cups brown sugar
1 cup whipping cream
2 tbsp flour
1 tbsp butter
1 ½ tsp cinnamon
1 pinch ginger
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 small pinch nutmeg
1 small pinch ground cloves

Directions

Preheat your oven to 375F. Press each pie crust into 2 pie plates. Next, blend your butternut squash, brown sugar, milk, eggs, cream, flour, butter, cinnamon, ginger, salt, vanilla extract, nutmeg and cloves. Pour into pie crusts. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes. Let cool. Serve and enjoy.

This is a great healthy way to incorporate butternut squash into your dinner without having it be the spotlight.

5. Roasted Butternut Squash Salad

Do you have another festive spotlight dish in mind but still want to incorporate butternut squash into your family dinner? Roasted butternut squash salad is a great fit for you! This salad offers the bright texture of parmesan while spotlighting that sweet tender texture of roasted butternut squash. Impress your guests this season with a zesty sweet seasonal salad.

Ingredients

1 ½ pound butternut squash, peeled and diced
1 dash olive oil
1 tbsp pure maple syrup
1 pinch salt
3 tbsp dried cranberries
¾ cup apple cider or apple juice
2 tbsp cider vinegar
2 tbsp shallots, minced
2 tsp Dijon mustard
4 pinches of baby arugula, washed and dried
½ cup walnuts, toasted and halved
¾ cup Parmesan, grated

Directions

Preheat your oven to 400F. Arrange your butternut squash on a sheet pan. Add your olive oil, salt, maple syrup and pepper. Roast your squash for 15 to 20 minutes, turning once halfway through baking. Add the cranberries to the pan for the last 5 minutes. While your squash is baking, combine your apple cider vinegar and shallots in a medium saucepan on medium high heat. Cook for 6 to 8 minutes until it has reduced. Remove from heat and add your mustard and olive oil, salt and pepper. Prepare your arugula in a large bowl. Next, add your squash mixture, walnuts and Parmesan. Drizzle your vinaigrette and toss well. Season with your salt and pepper. Serve and enjoy.