Mashed Butternut Squash

Mashed Butternut Squash is an easy, good for you, side dish that is perfect anytime!! This butternut squash recipe is a sun kissed fruit (yes, it’s a fruit) that is loaded with fiber, vitamins, antioxidants, and minerals.

As long as I can remember, butternut squash has always been on our family’s Thanksgiving table.  Everyone looks forward to having mashed squash because it comes right out of our garden and is made fresh for our Thanksgiving dinner.

Squash Ingredients

• Butternut Squash
• Water
• Brown Sugar
• Butter

How To Peel Butternut Squash

Let’s Get Started: Gather all of your ingredients to make mashed butternut squash. Start by washing your squash with water.  Use a cutting board, a sharp chef’s knife, vegetable peeler and a large spoon.  

Cut the Butternut Squash: Place your butternut squash on its side on the cutting board.  With your chef’s knife, cut off each end.  Stand the squash up so that the thick part of the squash is on the bottom and the thin part is up in the air.  Cut the squash in half by starting at the top and carefully working your way down to the bottom.  Make sure to use knife safety while doing this.  

Flip the two halves so that the flat sides are facing the cutting board.  Then cut each in half, right where the bottom round and the top skinny part of the squash meet.  So you should have 4 pieces, 2 rounder bottom and 2 longer top pieces.  

Remove the Seeds: With your spoon, scoop out the seedy center of the 2 rounder pieces.  If you would like to save the seeds, separate, and properly store.  Discard any remaining “guts”.  

Peel and Dice the Squash: Cut each of the 4 pieces in half.  Using your vegetable peeler, remove all the peelings from each piece.  Throw away all the peelings.  Cut all the pieces into small cubes.  

How to Make Mashed Butternut Squash

Boil the Squash: Place squash cubes into a medium sized pot.  Fill the pot with cold water to cover all the squash.  Sprinkle 1 teaspoon of salt into the water.  

Test the Squash: Over medium heat on a stovetop, bring the pot of diced butternut squash to a boil.  Continue to boil until the squash is fork tender which takes about 30 minutes.  Make sure not to boil the water over.  If needed, turn down the burner so the water is at a low boil.  

Drain and Add Ingredients: Once the squash is done, drain the water off the cooked squash.  Then add the butter and brown sugar to the hot squash.   

Mash the Squash: Mashing your butternut squash can be done in a couple of ways.  My preferred method is to use a hand masher.  With the hand masher, combine all the ingredients and mash all the squash pieces.  This will create a chunky texture.  

Taste for Flavor: If desired, add more butter and/or brown sugar to taste.  Want to have a smoother butternut squash texture?  Use an electric mixer such as a hand mixer or a stand mixer with beaters or a flat paddle.