How to Roast & Puree Winter Squash

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Sadly it’s almost mid-December and I still have a lot of winter squash to go through.  I’ve found roasting winter squash is the best way to cook it to retain the great flavor. It’s almost caramelized if done right. It’s very delicious and flavorful, both served in roasted chunks or pureed.

I also recently learned that there are a lot of health benefits to eating winter squash, including the following INFO SOURCE:

• Antioxidant
• High in Vitamin C
• Anti-Inflammatory (including omega fats)
• Cancer prevention/reduction capabilities
• Potential Blood Sugar Regulation
• Cardiovascular disease prevention (due to the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, as well as some cholesterol blockers)

Roasting vegetables, including winter squash, is not difficult. Let me show you step by step how to do it!

<Scroll all the way to the bottom for a standard printable recipe>

Preheat your oven to 425° F (218°C).

Carefully cut each squash in half and scoop out the seeds with a sturdy spoon.

Next take the squash halves and place them cut side down on a baking sheet.  I didn’t do this here, but a tip is to line your sheet pan with parchment paper for easier clean-up.

Roast at 425° F (218°C) for 30-45 minutes. It’s obvious, however the smaller the squash, the less time needed to roast (and conversely for a larger squash). Use the “fork” method to test doneness. When it feels soft and you’re not forcing the fork in the squash flesh, you know it’s done. If it’s not done, don’t be afraid to place it back in the oven and check every 5 minutes or so.

Once the winter squash has passed the fork doneness test (very technical term), allow it to cool for at least 5 minutes. Then scoop out the winter squash flesh into a bowl and reserve for processing. I had 2 full sheet trays to process, so I used a large mixing bowl. If you have only one or 2, you can just place it in the bowl of your food processor OR blender.

In batches (if you have enough), place the roasted winter squash in the bowl of your food processor OR blender. Blend or process until very smooth.

If you need to, add a teaspoon of water at a time to get to the desired puree. Just don’t be afraid to blend for a few minutes more than you think – especially if you’ve overfilled your bowl (like I did).

It’s very smooth and creamy. It looks almost identical (if not) to pumpkin puree in a can. In fact, I pureed substitute winter squash for pumpkin puree in all sorts of recipes. Yum! Store excess roasted winter squash in zip-top freezer bags and store in the freezer for 3-4 months.

Enjoy the comfort of food!

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Printable Recipe:

Roasted Winter Squash & Puree

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Serves	4-8
Prep time	5 minutes
Cook time	45 minutes
Total time	50 minutes
Dietary	Diabetic, Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian
Meal type	Side Dish
Misc	Child Friendly, Freezable, Pre-preparable, Serve Hot

I've found roasting winter squash is the best way to cook it to retain the great flavor. It's almost caramelized if done right. It's very delicious and flavorful, both served in roasted chunks or pureed. Roasting vegetables, including winter squash, is not difficult. Let me show you step by step how to do it! https://recipesingoodtaste.com/?p=4014

Ingredients

• 1-2 Medium whole winter squash (or pumpkin)

Note

https://recipesingoodtaste.com/?p=4014

Directions

Step 1		Preheat your oven to 425° F (218°C).
Step 2		Carefully cut each squash in half and scoop out the seeds with a sturdy spoon. Next take the squash halves and place them cut side down on a parchment lined baking sheet.
Step 3		Roast at 425° F (218°C) for 30-45 minutes. Use the "fork" method to test doneness. When it feels soft and you're not forcing the fork in the squash flesh, you know it's done. Place back in oven if it isn’t done and check every 5 minutes or so.
Step 4		Once confirmed done, allow it to cool for at least 5 minutes. Then scoop out the winter squash flesh into a bowl and reserve for processing.
Step 5		Place the roasted winter squash in the bowl of your food processor OR blender (in batches if necessary). Blend or process until very smooth (can take a few minutes).
Step 6		Store excess roasted winter squash in zip-top freezer bags and store in the freezer for 3-4 months.

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PS: If you see mistakes (i.e., spelling errors or inconsistencies in the recipe), please tell me right away. I appreciate any help I can get!

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