Easy and Delicious Butternut Squash Recipes

You can have this deliciously nutritious Mexican-inspired meal on the table in under an hour—even less if you cheat and use precooked brown rice!

Related: Great Recipes for Canned or Dry Beans

Hello, comfort! This one-pan supper dish is loaded with Italian sausage, butternut squash, spinach and cheese.

Related: One-Pan Recipes That Make Dinner So Much Easier

This creamy dip is packed with healthy ingredients, so it's great for keeping in the fridge for weekday snacks—but it's also tasty enough to serve at a party.

Related: Easy Dip Recipes

This crowd-pleasing sweet-and-salty appetizer comes from the Chowgirls Killer Catering cookbook. For ease or just a different flavor, you can skip roasting fresh Italian sausage and swap in a smoky precooked sausage. 

This creamy squash casserole calls for mascarpone—a mild, soft, butterlike cheese—as well as Parmesan. You can substitute softened cream cheese for the mascarpone if you prefer. Time-saver: Look for precut squash in your supermarket. (You can also bake the squash in your oven first to make it easier to peel and cut.)

Related: Warm and Cheesy Recipes

Sweet butternut squash and brown sugar balance tangy balsamic vinegar and tart cherries.

Related: Our Best Roasted Vegetable Recipes

This is a great dairy-free (and cholesterol-free, too) soup in its own right, but a drizzle of Asian-spiced maple syrup adds a wonderfully unexpected kick and dramatic red flourish. The recipe comes from The Birchwood Cafe Cookbook.

Related: Simmering Soups and Stews

Lightly spiced beef chuck roast combines perfectly with soft butternut squash in the slow cooker. A surprising ingredient is unsweetened cocoa powder, which gives the dish a rich flavor. Serve with crusty French bread to soak up the sauce.

Related: So-Good Slow-Cooker Recipes

Here's a main-dish soup loaded with veggies. Need to reduce the sodium? Use only one can of French onion soup and replace the other with 1-1/2 cups water.

The combo of butternut squash, rigatoni, bacon and smoked cheese makes for a delicious twist on traditional mac and cheese.

Related: Homemade Macaroni and Cheese Recipes

This hearty, colorful side dish will be just as happy alongside pork chops or chicken as it is on your holiday table with turkey.

Polenta squares crisp up in the oven, becoming croutons that soak up the soup's rich fall flavors. Caramelized onions and fresh chives add pops of flavor to the butternut squash.

This calico-like blend is as nutritious as it is pretty. The veggies roast separately so the beets don't dye the squash pink. The recipe comes from Urban Roots Farm in Springfield, Missouri.

Roasting brings out squash's natural sugars. Blending with maple syrup, butter and nutmeg makes it utterly addictive. Bonus: This dish reheats beautifully.

Related: Celebration-Worthy Side Dish Recipes

Sweet Italian sausage and mashed butternut squash lend a contemporary twist to the traditional Irish Shepherd's Pie. 

Packed with healthy nutrients, this dish is perfect for any occasion. Serve as a side with a pork tenderloin roast or turkey breast or as a meat-free dinner salad with warm, crusty wheat rolls.

Related: Hearty, Healthy Salad Recipes

Butternut squash, apples and onions cook with boneless beef chuck pot roast. Serve over hot cooked couscous.

Related: Hearty Slow-Cooker Soups, Stews and Chilies

A little cheddar cheese, maple syrup, and turkey bacon dress up butternut squash for this side dish. 

Pumpkin, dried cranberries, jalapeno peppers, and turkey add an unusual flavor twist to slow-simmering chili.

Related: Warm-You-Up Chili Recipes

Sweet squash and apple pair with sharp Gorgonzola and tangy dressing in this salad from Black Star Farms in Suttons Bay, Michigan. The dressing calls for verjus, a tart pressed grape juice. You can order verjus online or find it as specialty stores, but wine vinegar makes a good substitute.

Shhh! Don't tell anyone, but this hearty supper soup takes just an hour to make. The secret? Deli-roasted chicken and precooked sausage. Pair with breadsticks or a crusty baguette for a perfect winter meal that will fill your house with good smells.

Butternut squash, chicken broth, coconut milk, brown sugar and seasonings combine for a creamy, rich soup. For added flavor, top with Thai Gremolata, a mix of fresh basil or cilantro, chopped peanuts and finely shredded lemon peel.