Mashed potatoes are great and all, but have you ever tried mashed butternut squash? If not, that's okay because today I'm sharing my Creamy Butternut Squash Mash recipe. It's the perfect recipe to add to your menu this holiday season. This warm and comforting recipe is velvety and buttery despite being dairy-free. I like to think of it as the creme de la creme of guilt-free comfort food, if there ever was one.
With just a few Whole30-compliant ingredients, you can have this dish prepared in no time. The subtle blend of warm spices and creamy coconut milk makes for a delicious alternative to mashed potatoes that everyone can enjoy. This is a terrific side dish to add to your holiday menu or any meal for that matter.
Regardless of how you decide to serve this dish, I know you and everyone around your table will love it. It's super easy to prepare. It can even be made a few days ahead and pre-heated when ready to serve. I plan on making this a day or so in advance and bringing it to my family Thanksgiving gathering as a delicious and nutritious alternative to mashed potatoes. When hosting or attending any sort of gathering, I try to prepare as many dishes as possible ahead of time to make the day of as stress-free as possible. Anyone else?
Side note: bringing your own healthy side dish to a gathering is a great way to stick to your heath goals during the hectic holiday season. Pair this butternut squash mash with a slice of Thanksgiving turkey or Christmas ham and some green vegetables, and you have yourself a well-balanced holiday feast.
With squash season among us in full force, you should be able to find a butternut squash at pretty much any grocery store. This recipe yields about four 1 cup servings, so if you're feeding a crowd feel free to double or triple the recipe.
Here's a quick briefing on how to make it (check out the detailed recipe below)!
Begin by pre-heating your oven to 400 degrees. My method for roasting butternut squash bypasses having to cut the flesh away from the skin, which can be incredibly daunting. Especially if you're in dire need of a good knife sharpening, like myself.
Anywho, simply cut the raw squash into 4 large chunks (halved and then quartered), scoop out the seeds and brush a little cooking oil and salt and pepper over the squash. Next, roast the squash (flesh facing up) in a 400 degree pre-heated oven for 50 minutes. Once the squash is cool enough to touch, the skin will easily peel away from the flesh. What's left is a heaping pile of delicate roasted butternut squash, ready to be mashed.
To finish this dish, add the roasted butternut squash, coconut milk and spice blend to a food processor or blender and blend until a very creamy consistency is reached. Give it a quick taste and adjust the salt and pepper to taste
That's all there is to it. If you're making it ahead of time, store it in an air-tight container for up to three days and reheat over medium-heat when ready to serve.
So what do you think of this delicious Whole30 alternative to traditional mashed potatoes? Let me know in the comments section below! Will you be adding this dish to your holiday spread? Don't forget to save it to your holiday Pinterest board for later -and as always be sure to tag your recipe recreations on Instagram with #paleoishkristaeats! I SERIOUSLY CANNOT WAIT FOR Y'ALL TO MAKE THIS!
Creamy Butternut Squash Mash
Ingredients
- 1 butternut squash large
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil
- salt and pepper
- ¼ cup coconut milk
For the spice blend
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon chipotle chili powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- Quarter the butternut squash and remove the seeds. Rub the squash flesh with avocado oil and season with salt and pepper.
- On a baking sheet, roast the squash skin side down in pre-heated oven for 50 minutes or until the flesh is very fork tender.
- Meanwhile, in a small bowl mix the spice blend ingredients together.
- Once the butternut squash has finished roasting, remove it from the oven and let it rest until it is cool enough to touch. Once it's cool enough to touch, carefully peel away the skin from the flesh; discard the skin.
- Add the roasted butternut squash flesh, spice mixture and coconut milk to a blender or food processor. Blend until a creamy, smooth consistency is reached. Add additional salt and pepper to taste.