I’ve always had a thing for finding new butternut squash recipes; especially for the holidays! There’s something almost addicting about their slightly nutty, slightly sweet, creamy texture and flavor.

Butternut squash is at its best between the months of September and March; part of why it’s such a great recipe to have in the fall.

 
“The only problem I can find with butternut squash is that I can’t stop eating it!”, says Jessica from Coffee and Crayons (her delicious recipe for 5 Ingredient Oven Roasted Garlic and Herb Butternut Squash is below!)

And I have to say, I 1,000,000% agree. You can find butternut squash on our table most nights throughout the fall and winter.

So when I started planning my Thanksgiving menu for the year, my eye kept turning to butternut squash. I love it for its simplicity; one of my all-time fave ways to eat butternut squash is cubed and roasted with olive oil and salt.

Which reminds me: have you ever found yourself trying to cut a ginormous butternut squash and it feels like an impossible task? Me, too! Sometimes I feel like I’m gonna cut my whole arm off along with the squash.

Here’s one of my favorite kitchen tips for slicing a hard-to-cut butternut squash: pop it in the microwave for 10-30 seconds first! This will soften the skin enough so that the knife slips right in.

Of course, that’s not so easy when you have a jumbo sized squash on your hands inside a teeny tiny kitchen with a small microwave to match, but oh well. it’ll work in most instances #tinykitchenproblems
Read:  Thanksgiving Turkey With Herb Butter Seasoning

So now that you’re armed with some easy-slicin’ squash, let’s get to some fab recipes that feature it, ok? Ok!

Oh, but first: if you’re trying to get your Thanksgiving plans in order, I’ve got a Survival Guide for that! Click here to check out the detail on my awesomely comprehensive Thanksgiving Survival Guide, packed full of recipes, cheat sheets, charts, lists and more, so you can be on top of your Thanksgiving planning this year.

(If you’re even the slightest bit overwhelmed by cooking for Thanksgiving, you need this guide in your life!)

All right! On to the recipes!

Honey Roasted Butternut Squash with Cranberries and Feta, from Jenn at Peas and Crayons

I love the pop of color that cranberries bring to this dish! Plus, everything is better with cheese. Salty feta is a great balance to the creamy butternut squash and the tart cranberries. This would look fab on a holiday table spread! Click here for the recipe.

Easy Garlic Herb Roasted Butternut Squash, from Katie at Healthy Seasonal Recipes

Garlic and herby butter coat roasted butternut squash cubes here. It’s a simple dish made by first roasting butternut squash in the oven, then tossing it with garlicky butter and freshly minced herbs. This seems like the kind of recipe that would be even better on Day Two (and so perfect for a make-ahead power hour side!) Click here for the recipe.

Easy Butternut Squash Skillet, from Tiffany at Eat at Home

Disclosure: I’m a huge fan of Tiffany’s. She shares not only simple, easy-to-follow recipes, but she’s a meal planning genius as well. Her newsletter always has tons of great value. And I love this easy, simple butternut squash skillet side. It’s cooked in the cast iron pan, one of my must-have kitchen items! Click here for the recipe. 

5 Ingredient Oven Roasted Garlic and Herb Butternut Squash from Jessica at Coffee and Crayons, guest posting for Rachael at Eazy Peazy Meals 

Only 5 ingredients!? Sign me up, seriously. Jessica at Coffee and Crayons guest posted on EZPZ Meals with this incredibly simple butternut squash recipe, and I fell in love at first sight. This is an easy recipe to make on the side when you’ve got something a little more complicated cooking, like a full Thanksgiving meal. It shows that you really don’t need to get all detailed and crazy to have a good side dish! Click here to get the recipe.

Slow Cooker Butternut Squash from Karen at 365 Days of Slow Cooking

We were discussing the idea of using our slow cookers for holiday cooking over in my Facebook group, Busy Mamas Cooking in Tiny Kitchens, and afterward, I fell down a Pinterest rabbit hole of holiday dishes made in the slow cooker. That’s how I found this deliciously simple butternut squash in the slow cooker recipe! Our general consensus during that Facebook chat was that yes, using a slow cooker is an awesome way to free up stovetop space and have a hands-off approach to holiday cooking. So this recipe from 365 Days of Slow Cooking fits right in with that! Click here to get the recipe. 

Butternut Squash Homefries from Stacie and Jessica at the Real Food RD’s

How genius is this idea!? I love a good plate of crispy, creamy, fried potato homefries, but subbing butternut squash in place of potatoes blew my mind when I saw this. It’s such a great idea, saves calories, and tastes incredible! Click here for the recipe

Farro, Kale and Butternut Squash Gratin from Land O’ Lakes 

I love the chewy texture of farro and it’s one of my favorite additions to add into holiday and seasonal salads. That’s why I got so pumped to find this butternut squash gratin dish, and even more thrilled that it also calls for kale! I think the nutritional benefits of farro, squash and kale balance out the butter and heavy cream. Eat this one in good health. Click for the recipe. 

Butternut Squash with Wilted Spinach and Blue Cheese from Whole Foods

This is another deceptively simple recipe that calls for only a few ingredients but delivers huge flavors. I love the pungent blue cheese mixed with creamy roasted butternut squash, and the wilted spinach adds heft to the dish. Click here to get the recipe.

Roasted Butternut Squash with Kale and Almond Pecan Parmesan, from Angela at Oh She Glows

Kale, almonds, pecan, parmesan cheese, skillet cooked, roasted butternut squash… this recipe is everything I love about a fall dish AND include cheese. It’s a keeper and I plan on putting this one into some serious rotation. Click here for the recipe. 

Maple Roasted Butternut Squash and Beets, from Julia at the Roasted Root

Maple roasted butternut squash for sweetness and flavor, roasted beets for color and health benefits, the whole thing together for maximum tastiness and a gorgeous presentation. I love this combo of roasted goodness from Julia, and her funny take on why we need more beets in our lives was an entertaining read as well. Click here for the recipe. 

Oven Roasted Butternut Squash, from the Sonia at the Healthy Foodie

Sonia keeps it real and proves that a great dish is found in the quality of the ingredients and the use of good technique. She roasts her butternut squash to perfection but makes sure it browns nicely in the oven, getting a great caramelized crust in the process. She says, “Caramelization really is the key with this dish. You’d be surprised what it brings to the squash in terms of depth and flavor.” Click here to get the recipe. 

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There you have it; 12 of the BEST butternut squash recipes for your holiday table!

Which one do you think you’ll make first this year?

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