21 Tasty Butternut Squash Recipes

First up, the classic Roasted Butternut Squash! Roasting butternut squash cubes in a very hot oven turns the squash irresistibly sweet and caramelized. This is our base recipe for how to roast butternut squash, and you can use it in so many ways. It's a total fall treat.

Welcome to your new favorite dinner: Butternut Squash Lasagna with Sage! The flavors are impeccable: creamy ricotta, punchy Pecorino, and fresh sage envelop the sweet squash in a cozy embrace. Every bite is a bit of sweet, savory, creamy, herby, and altogether irresistible. This recipe uses Boiled Butternut Squash for easy prep.

Another top butternut squash recipe? Let's hear it for risotto! The smell alone of this butternut squash risotto bubbling away is reason enough to cancel all your plans and make this recipe! The tender, caramelized roasted squash makes sweet pockets in the creamy Parmesan rice dotted with sage. And that smell of shallots sauteing in butter, with a splash of white wine? DIVINE. It’s a perfect stunning dinner recipe for entertaining.

Of course, no list of butternut squash recipes is complete without the classic: butternut squash soup! This soup will amaze you because unlike most recipes, there's no heavy cream needed! The creaminess comes simply from the pureed squash along with a few secret ingredients. It makes a sweet, dreamy orange puree that will have you hooked.

Here’s a standout fall salad starring everyone’s favorite ingredient: Butternut Squash Salad! This one is a symphony in a bowl: hearty sweet squash pairs with crisp apple, chewy cranberries and a citrusy orange vinaigrette. All the best flavors of fall and winter ingredients sing together in perfect harmony! 

Want to fire up your oven for squash? Try this Baked Butternut Squash! This vibrant orange vegetable is everyone’s favorite in the fall. But it’s notoriously unruly: difficult to cut and peel. The best way to bake it? Roast it whole: there’s no need to peel it, just pop it in the oven! Whole baked squash is perfect for purees and soups.

Why not add butternut squash to...mac and cheese? Yes, mac and cheese is made more perfect with a little dose of squash. This healthy spin calls for adding the squash right to the cheese sauce, making a creamy lighter spin on the classic. The sauce stars smoked Gouda cheese, which covers the pasta in a creamy, gooey coating.

You know about natural flavor pairings like peanut butter and jelly, and tomatoes and basil. Here’s another unique pairing that works like a charm: butternut squash and Thai curry paste! There’s something about the sweetness of squash and the spicy aromatic flavors of curry paste that go hand in hand. Try them together in this Butternut Squash Curry recipe! It’s easy to make, full of colorful vegetables and bursting with Thai curry flavor. 

Here’s a fantastic butternut squash recipe that’s about as quintessentially cozy as they come: Mashed Butternut Squash! The flavor is bold and sweet, with a nutty undertone. Sage, butter, and Parmesan cheese make the baked butternut squash sing! Mash it with a potato masher or even better: whip it for a light and fluffy Butternut Squash Puree. Paired with a savory protein, it adds a pop of sweet to every bite. 

Roasted butternut squash is one of the tastiest ways to cook this popular vegetable: but it can take up to 45 minutes with preheat time. Enter, the fastest way to cook squash: boiled! This Boiled Butternut Squash takes just 5 minutes to cook: combine that with chopping and boiling the water and it’s just about 20 minutes total. Eat it as a tasty healthy side dish, or use it in recipes like enchiladas, risotto, or lasagna.

Ready for the coziest, most comforting soup? This curried butternut squash soup tastes like a bowl of sunshine. It’s chock full of beautiful, colorful healthy ingredients, and because it's pureed with chickpeas, it's heartier than most butternut squash soups. The Thai flavors of coconut, ginger and curry are the perfect match to this lightly sweet orange squash! Pair with grilled cheese or fancy quesadilla to make it a meal.

Also try: Instant Pot Butternut Squash Soup

Here’s a side dish that blew us away with its bold, sweet flavor: Butternut Squash Puree! It makes any meal more elegant, from roast chicken to vegetarian main dishes. Serve your entree on top of a bed of this bright orange puree, and each bite is a pop of sweet and savory flavor! For example, we layered some strips of seared tuna over the top and it was simply incredible.

Here's a dose of sunshine in a bowl! This is one of our top butternut squash recipes because of the massive flavor that comes out of these humble vegetables. This bowl features the squash, carrots, kale, and leeks, simmered in an herb-scented broth with brown lentils. It's hard to explain how cozy it turns out! If you're looking for a delicious way to eat your superfoods, this is it.

Another top notch recipe with butternut squash: this pasta! Tender butternut squash is pureed into a creamy sauce with garlic, spices, and goat cheese. It’s savory with a sweet undertone, and the perfect sauce to cover al dente pasta. It’s a little like mac and cheese, but a little sweeter and loads healthier.

Ready for the quickest, coziest fall recipe? This Instant Pot butternut squash soup! It's spiced with sage, with a hint of cinnamon and a smoky undertone. The squash and carrot give it an electric orange hue, and it's rounded out with potato and apple for sweetness. Really, it's pure gold in a bowl! It's a star in our comforting butternut squash recipes.

Also try: Easy Butternut Squash Soup

Feeling ambitious? Try this tasty recipe for butternut squash ravioli from scratch! The roasted squash filling and assembled ravioli can be made in advance. It’s way better than store-bought! via The Clever Carrot

Here's a fun way to use the season's squash: in hummus! Roast butternut squash, then puree it up with chickpeas and garlic into everyone's favorite dip. It adds a beautiful sweetness to this creamy spread. via Minimalist Baker

Hasselback potatoes are baked potatoes cut into fans of thin strips, connected at the bottom. Once the potatoes bake, the slices become crispy and separate. So why not try the same thing with butternut squash? Add a maple pecan drizzle and it's to die for.

The perfect pizza to welcome the season? Try this butternut squash pizza! The dough is topped with rosemary herb roasted butternut squash and cheese, then baked until the cheese is melty. It’s herby, spicy, and the ideal mix of fall flavors. via Half Baked Harvest

Here's a fun way to cook the straight part of the butternut squash (called the neck): fries! Cut them thinly so they roast up beautifully crispy, and they're a fun side dish everyone will love. via Feel Good Foodie

Last up in our butternut squash recipes: in the mood for a project? This butternut squash recipe is a kitchen DIY to make your own squash chips! It's helpful to have a mandoline to slice the squash into evenly thin slices. Brush them with olive oil and top with salt and a little Parmesan cheese, then bake until they're crispy. They make the perfect alternative to potato chips!