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Mashed Butternut Squash Recipe

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Mashed butternut squash is a delicious and easy recipe to make. It is sweet and savory, enhanced with brown sugar, cinnamon, broth, and salt. This dish makes a perfect side for fall gatherings or holiday dinners with friends and family.

mashed butternut squash

Mashed Butternut Squash Recipe

I love sides recipes, probably a little bit more than the main course. Side dishes, like these Twice-baked Sweet Potatoes,  Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes, and Mom’s Corn Souffle’ Recipe

Recently, my sister-in-law invited us over for dinner. She prepared a delicious mashed butternut squash in a way I had never experienced before. I knew I had to leave with that recipe.

Ingredients

  • Butternut Squash
  • chicken broth
  • brown sugar – divided
  • unsalted butter – divided
  • cinnamon
  • salt

Equipment Needed

Potato Masher

How to Make Mashed Butternut Squash

  • Split the squash in half, and scoop the seeds out
butternut squash
  • Place the two halves of the squash with open cavities facing up, into a shallow baking dish.
butternut squash
  • Add 1 tablespoon of brown sugar and 1 tablespoon of butter to each squash cavity.
butternut squash
  • Pour a little bit of the chicken broth into the cavities of the squash (the amount will vary depending on the size of your squash, but 2-3 Tbsp. in each cavity should do the trick)
butternut squash
  • Add the rest of the broth to the bottom of the baking dish
adding broth to squash
  • Cover with foil, and bake at 400 degrees, for about 40 minutes, or until squash is fork-tender.
adding foil to pan
  • After removing the squash from the oven, transfer it to a work surface and scoop out the cooked flesh, removing it from the outer skin.
scooping butternut squash
  • Place the cooked squash into a large bowl
  • Add the juices (broth) from the baking dish
adding broth to squash
  • Mash the squash, incorporating the broth into the pan with the squash
mashing butternut
  • Add the salt and mix in. Sprinkle cinnamon over the dish.
cinnamon
  • Serve, and enjoy
butternut squash

Expert Tips

Prep the butternut squash ahead of the holiday. After placing the foil over the pan, put

the squash in the fridge for up to three days – a big time saver!

Test squash with a fork to check for tenderness. The fork should easily insert into the squash.

checking squash for tenderness

Recipe Variations

Spicy: Add a little ground cayenne pepper to the recipe to spice it up

Creamy: Add a little heavy cream or half-and-half to make this a creamy mashed squash

Sweet: Add maple syrup to the cavities before baking for an even sweeter version of this recipe. This version is delicious spread on toast.

What to Serve With

Round out the meal with these delicious suggestions:

FAQs

FAQs about this recipe

Check to see if the squash is fork tender. To be fork tender, the fork should easily insert into the flesh of the squash.

Cook the squash until it carmalizes. The flesh will start to turn a darker color and have brown caramel streaks through it.

Storing

Store leftovers in a container for up to three days in the refrigerator

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 Here’s your printable:

mashed butternut squash

Mashed Butternut Squash

Mashed Butternut Squash is a hearty side dish that is sweet, savory, and easy-to-make.
5 from 1 vote
Print Pin Rate
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
preparing: 5 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 176cal
Author: Melissa
Cost: $10

Ingredients

  • 1 large Butternut Squash
  • 2 cups chicken broth
  • 2 Tbsp. brown sugar – divided
  • 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter – divided
  • ½ tsp. cinnamon up to 1 tsp.
  • ½ tsp. salt

Instructions

  • Split the squash in half, and scoop the seeds out
  • Place the 2 halves of squash with open cavities facing up, into a shallow baking dish
  • Add one tablespoon of brown sugar and one tablespoon of butter into each cavity of the squash.
  • Pour a little bit of the chicken broth into the cavities of the squash (amount will vary depending on the size of your squash, but 2-3 Tbsp. in each cavity should do the trick)
  • Add the rest of the broth to the bottom of the baking dish
  • Cover with foil, and bake at 400 degrees, for about 40 minutes, or until squash is fork-tender.
  • Remove from oven, transfer the squash to a work surface to scoop out the cooked flesh, removing it from the outer skin
  • Place the cooked squash into a large bowl
  • Add the juices (broth) from the baking dish
  • Mash the squash incorporating the broth in the pan with the squash
  • Add the salt and mix in
  • Sprinkle 1/2 up to 1 tsp. of cinnamon over the butternut squash. Only 1/2 if you want only a hint of cinnamon in the dish, up to 1 tsp.

Notes

*In response to a question, put only enough broth in the cavity to partially fill it. You don’t want the broth spilling and taking the butter and sugar with it. You only want to have enough so that it soaks into the flesh along with the butter and the sugar
nutrition facts are only an estimate 
 

Nutrition

Serving: 8g | Calories: 176cal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 18mg | Sodium: 685mg | Potassium: 698mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 20122IU | Vitamin C: 39mg | Calcium: 115mg | Iron: 2mg

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2 Comments

  1. So you put 2 cups of broth into the baking dish and then a little extra into the cavity of the squash? How much roughly should I do?

    1. You’ll use a little bit from your 2 cups of broth. The amount you put in will vary depending on the size of your squash cavity. You don’t want to put so much that it is spilling out of the cavity, along with the sugar and butter. 2-3 Tbsp. will probably do the trick. The foil will lock the rest of juices inside the pan, giving the squash a broth bath…to even further the deliciousness. 🙂

5 from 1 vote (1 rating without comment)

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