How do you cook buternut squash?

Answer 1

What ever you do, do not boil it! You are ruining the taste and loosing all its goodness. I have found the best way is to roast it. Cut it in half, remove the seed (and bin) score it, season with salt, pepper and herbs ( I like parsley, basil and thyme) then wrap the two halfs seperately in foil and cook at 180 for 35-45 mnutes.

If you want a little something different squeeze one lime and half a lemon once seasoned, but before cooking.

If you have the time (this is time consuming) remove the seeds and bin, cut out the squash from the shell (it will be hard, so us a knife to make deep scores and a spoon to remove) mix it with the above seasoning, shredded carrot and suede, pack it back into the shell and cook as above. It taste lovely!

For a less vegetarian dish, do the above and also add parma ham or bacon

Answer 2

slice it in quarters lengthways. remove all the seeds. Roast it with a drizzle of olive oil over the flesh. Roast it for a long time until the skin will feel soft to the touch and the flesh is the consistency of a well baked potato. At that time you can serve it whole as the skin is edible and very tasty, if the skin is too tough to eat you have not cooked it enough. It took me quite a lot of experimenting to find the correct length of time to cook it for.

I have found a good way of making butternut squash more interesting is to cook some seasoned couscous and pack this into the 'scoop' of the squash where the seeds would have been.

Answer 3

Take out the seeds, cut the squash into pieces, you can leave the skin on. Place them in a roasing pan skin down, drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper and bake until a fork pokes in easily, squash takes just under an hour to cook. You can also microwave the cut squash pieces for 4 minutes or so before you put them in the oven to speed up the baking process.

Answer 4

You can peel it, cube it and then boil it until done, but the easiest way is to poke holes in it with a big fork and bake it in the oven at 350 until it feels like a baked potato when you poke it with a fork. Cut in half, scoop out the one bulbous end with seeds and then scoop out the flesh from the rind....much easier than trying to peel the thing raw! I usually mash it with butter and brown sugar and it is delicious!

Answer 5

Try the following ways
Butternut squash pudding

Ingredients
250g/8¾oz caster sugar
½ butternut squash, peeled and diced
1 orange, juice only
drizzle of double cream

Method
1. Heat the sugar in a pan and allow to caramelise. Add the squash to the pan and stir in the orange juice.
2. Heat gently, stirring occasionally for 10-15 minutes.
3. Transfer to a serving plate and drizzle with cream to serve.

or Spiced butternut squash wedges
Ingredients
200g/7oz butternut squash, peeled and cut into wedges
1 tsp oregano
pinch turmeric
pinch curry powder
1 tbsp olive oil

Method
1. Preheat the oven to 225C/425F/Gas 7.
2. For the squash wedges, place the oregano, turmeric, curry powder and oil into a large bowl. Add the squash and mix well to coat. Place into on a roasting tray and place into the oven to roast for 15 minutes, or until cooked through. Turn the squash occasionally, so that it will brown evenly

or Butternut squash soup
Ingredients
1 tbsp olive oil
½ onion, peeled and sliced
1 garlic clove, peeled and chopped
½ butternut squash, peeled and diced
290ml/½ pint chicken stock
55ml/2fl oz milk
To serve
2 slices of ciabatta, toasted to make bruschetta

Method
1. Heat the oil in a large non-stick saucepan and sauté the onion for 2-3 minutes to soften.
2. Add the garlic and squash and heat for a further few minutes.
3. Pour the stock into the pan and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes, or until the squash is soft.
4. Stir the milk into the soup and heat for one minute. Cool slightly.
5. Transfer the mixture into a food blender and process until smooth.
6. Pass the soup through a sieve and then return to the pan to warm through.
7. Serve the soup with the bruschetta

or Stuffed roasted butternut squash
Ingredients
1 tbsp olive oil
50g/1¾oz smoked bacon, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, chopped
3 baby leeks, finely sliced
50g/1¾oz Stilton
½ butternut squash, seeds removed and blanched for 3-4 minutes in boiling water
salt and freshly ground black pepper



Method
1. Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6.
2. Heat the olive oil in a frying pan over a medium heat. Add the bacon and fry until golden and crisp.
3. Add the garlic and leek and cook for 2-3 minutes, until soft.
4. Add the Stilton and stir well.
5. Fill the butternut squash hollow with the mixture and place onto a baking sheet. Place into the oven to roast for 12-15 minutes, until golden-brown and cooked through.
6. To serve, place the stuffed roasted squash in the centre of a warm plate

or Peppered balsamic chicken with roast chilli squash
Ingredients
For the chicken
1 chicken breast, skinned and cut into 4 pieces
salt
freshly ground black pepper
1 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp water
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
knob of unsalted butter
For the roast chilli squash
2 tbsp olive oil
½ butternut squash, peeled, de-seeded and chopped
large pinch of chilli powder
To serve
small head of broccoli florets, cooked

Method
1. Preheat the oven to 220C/425F/Gas 7.
2. To make the chilli squash, heat the oil in an ovenproof frying pan and fry the squash for a few minutes.
3. Stir in the chilli powder, and then transfer the pan to the oven and roast for 10-15 minutes, or until the squash is soft.
4. Meanwhile, season the chicken with salt and plenty of black pepper.
5. Heat the oil in a non-stick frying pan and fry the chicken for 3-4 minutes on each side, or until cooked through.
6. Add the water, balsamic vinegar and butter, reduce the heat and simmer gently for 4-5 minutes.
7. Remove the squash from the oven and transfer to a serving plate.
8. Serve the balsamic chicken alongside and with the broccoli.

Answer 6

It makes a lovely soup if you use stock, fenugreek, mixed herbs and curry powder with it. The curry powder takes away the cloying sweet taste. It's also lovely roasted in the oven with rosemary.

Answer 7

Cut in half, peel w/ veggie peeler, scoop out seeds, cut into chunks, toss w/ EVOO, S&P, and roast in a 400ºF oven for 20-30 min.

Answer 8

i peel the skin, and cut it into 1 in cubes. i put it on a baking sheet and add balsamic vinegar, brown sugar, salt and pepper. bake until tender and put it through a ricer. best squash you'll ever have

Answer 9

I cook mine like marrows, and mash with butter and herbs.Or cut into pieces and place on a baking tray with other vegetables, and roast them, with basil, and thyme until soft and crispy edges.

Answer 10

Cut it down the middle scrape out all the seeds, then paint some olive oil on it and roast it. or stuff it with mushrooms and roast it.