Warm Butternut Squash and Cheddar Dip Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What flavors go with butternut squash? ›

Cumin, coriander, and cayenne pepper bring warmth and spice to this simple, tender roasted squash dish.

The squash also retains most of its nutrients when it is steamed and has a wonderfully sweet butternuttiness to it. Steamed butternut can also be used in a variety of ways – added to salads, mashed, puréed or enjoyed as is with a simple seasoning of your choice.

I typically cut mine into 1/2-inch or 3/4-inch cubes for roasting, but the size/shape of the cut is totally up to you. Once your butternut squash is cut, you can either cook the squash immediately. Or you can refrigerate it in a sealed container for up to 3 days, or freeze it in a sealed container for up to 3 months.

In a large bowl mix the cubed squash, garlic cloves and ginger with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and 1 tablespoon of the spice mix. Season with salt and pepper and scatter in a single layer in a roasting tray. Place in the preheated oven and cook for 30 minutes until tender all the way through.

Butternut squash contains considerable amounts of fiber, which can help you keep a healthy weight and regulate bowel movements. It's known to help prevent colorectal cancer while the beta-carotene in butternut squash can also improve eye health.

Generally, butternut squash is safe to feed to most pooches, unless your vet has advised otherwise. As a guide, we would recommend feeding small dogs no more than 1 or 2 teaspoons of butternut squash, whilst bigger dogs can eat up to 3 or 4 tablespoons of butternut squash.

They can also be difficult to cut, peel, and prep. There's a simple solution likely in your kitchen: the microwave. Whether you're working with a petite honeynut, deep green acorn, or the ubiquitous butternut, the safest and easiest way to break down a squash is to start with a spin in the microwave.

As the veggies hit the boiling water, volatile acids are released into the water and are carried away in the steam. When the pot is covered, the steam and the acids it contains are forced back into the water. Once there, the acids react with the chlorophyll in the vegetables, turning them an unsightly shade of brown.

Butternut squash has a lot of powerful antioxidants, including vitamin C, vitamin E and beta-carotene. Antioxidants help prevent or slow cellular damage and reduce inflammation, which may reduce your risk of several chronic diseases.

Is acorn or butternut squash healthier? ›

Acorn squash: It has less vitamin A than butternut but provides even more fiber (9 grams per cup) and potassium (896 mg).

It's supply and demand!" Hard squash used to be a seasonal commodity until imports from Central America commenced and allowed for year-round supply. Currently, Acorn, Spaghetti and Butternut squash are being packed in a broad area stretching from the southeast to the Midwest United States.

You will need around a pound of butternut squash per person. It is rather heavy, and you will trim off the skin, seeds, and stem. So even though it seems like a lot, it will all work out.

If you're planning to use only part of a butternut squash, or want to prep the vegetable beforehand, you can store cut butternut squash in the refrigerator. Store cut squash in an airtight container and use within seven days. Once you're ready to use your butternut squash, the possibilities are endless.

Pair squash with cowpeas or grow a mixture of prolific flowering plants like buckwheat, dill, coreopsis, cosmos, and sweet alyssum to attract beneficial insects like pollinators and predators such as parasitic wasps, ladybugs, lacewings, and minute pirate bugs.

"Autumnal squash pairs especially well with herbs and spices like sage, thyme, cumin, ginger and chili," Ceri Jones, a professional chef in London, tells LIVESTRONG.com. "It also goes well with meaty flavors such as pork or creamy, salty cheese like feta."

When is butternut squash in season? Butternut squash are harvested in late summer and autumn, but because they keep so well, they can be found all year round.

Start with salt and pepper. As always, go slowly when seasoning, but you may well find that squash requires a little more salt and pepper than usual. You'll also get better results by seasoning before cooking, so the flavor can better permeate the squash.