Look no further if you’re in need of a delicious butternut squash substitute for your next dish!
Several fantastic alternatives exist that taste quite similar to its sugary and nutty profile.
While being a wonderful and versatile ingredient, butternut squash can occasionally be difficult to find or just out of season.
What else can you use in its stead, then? Let’s consider some potential options similar to squash!
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What is butternut squash?
Butternut squash is a North American veggie of the winter squash family. The flesh is delicate and simple to deal with after cutting through its thick, hard covering. The sweet, nutty butternut squash has orange flesh.
Several different types of food can benefit from the addition of butternut squash. It’s used in savory and sweet dishes alike, whether roasted, baked, sautéed, boiled, mashed, or pureed.
Butternut squash is tasty and nutritious. Dietary fiber and potassium in it may enhance digestion and control blood pressure.
Choose a butternut squash devoid of bruises and soft spots. Keep it in a cool, dry area for several weeks or in the refrigerator for a week. Butternut squash is a delightful and healthful addition to meals.
7 best butternut squash substitute ideas
Let’s talk about several substitutes for butternut squash:
- Acorn squash
Acorn squash can substitute for butternut squash. Acorn squash is sweet and nutty like butternut squash and is a perfect choice for soups, stews, and casseroles. It can be substituted for mashed or chopped butternut squash in recipes.
The texture of a roasted vegetable medley I made with acorn squash instead of roasted butternut squash was unusual, but it tasted good.
Acorn squash is less creamy and more fibrous than butternut squash, making the roasted veggies chewier.
- Sweet potato
Sweet potatoes instead of butternut squash is a great idea!
In a number of sweet and savory dishes, sweet potato puree can be used in place of butternut squash puree.
My sweet potato and cream soup was excellent. It gave the perfect amount of sweetness and creaminess in place of butternut squash.
These delicious sweet potato alternatives could be of interest to you if you enjoy it.
- Pumpkin
Sweet and nutty pumpkin can be roasted, pureed, or mashed, just like butternut squash.
Since a carving pumpkin is too watery and fibrous, use a sugar pumpkin, also known as a pie pumpkin.
- Kabocha squash
Kabocha squash, often known as Japanese pumpkin, is an additional substitute for butternut squash.
It tastes like butternut squash but is sweeter and thicker. Japanese soups, stews, and baked goods use kabocha squash.
I was amazed at how wonderfully kabocha squash risotto turned out. The kabocha squash gave the creamy risotto a deep, nutty taste.
It was able to maintain its form after cooking, adding a pleasing textural contrast to the meal.
I’ve also written about some cool substitutes for kabocha squash. Check them out for more flavor profiles!
- Delicata squash
Delicata squash, which is smaller and more oblong than butternut squash, has a similar sweet and nutty flavor (many delicata squash replacements can also be butternut squash replacements). It doesn’t require peeling, unlike thicker-skinned varieties of squash.
In addition to being delicious roasted or sautéed, its distinct flavor shines in dishes like squash soups, salads and casseroles.
Want to know more about this type of winter squash? Check out these delicious vegetables to substitute for delicata squash in your favorite recipes!
- Hubbard squash
Large and hefty, the Hubbard squash has a tough rind and a delicious, orange inside. It can be roasted, pureed, or mashed precisely like butternut squash, making it a suitable replacement.
Hubbard squash is delicious in sweet recipes such as pies and soups, as well as savory ones like casseroles.
- Carrots
Although carrots are technically not a squash, they work well in place of butternut squash when called for. Whether roasted, mashed, or pureed, these sweet vegetables retain their sweetness.
Carrots’ sweetness and velvety texture can be a butternut squash alternative in soups and stews.
- Buttercup squash
This dark green winter squash is sweeter and nuttier than butternut squash, despite having a flavor and texture that are remarkably comparable. In some places, buttercup squash could be more difficult to get and might spoil more quickly than butternut squash.
Moreover, it cooks more quickly than other winter squash species due to its tiny size. Buttercup squash is ideal for fast meals like stir-fries and soups.
- Spaghetti squash
Spaghetti squash is a good butternut squash replacement. When cooked, the flesh resembles spaghetti noodles. It can be roasted, cooked, or boiled and used in many butternut squash dishes.
I cooked a delicious lasagna with spaghetti squash. Squash strands had a very distinct and tasty texture.
- Butternut squash puree
If you only have canned pumpkin or sweet potato puree, you can substitute it for butternut squash puree.
Sweet potato puree can also work as an alternative to butternut squash puree.
Butternut squash substitute FAQs
One cup of baked butternut squash cubes (205g) contains 82 calories.
Pumpkin and squash are related yet have different looks, tastes, textures, and purposes. Squash is rich, strong, and versatile in savory dishes, whereas pumpkins are milder and softer.
Butternut squash can be swapped out for healthier options like spaghetti, acorn, or kabocha squash.
Butternut squash is best prepared by roasting, which brings out the vegetable’s naturally sweet and nutty flavor.
Yes, butternut squash can be a good summer squash substitute when the subtle flavor difference isn’t a deal breaker, or when a slightly sweeter flavor is required.
BOTTOM LINE: Butternut squash substitutes are available. Sweet potato, acorn squash, pumpkin, kabocha squash, and carrots taste like butternut squash. Try these butternut squash substitutes!
What’s your favorite alternative variety of winter squash? Share your thoughts in the comments!
Are you looking for additional rich flavors and textures? You can learn how to substitute for asparagus and discover your best alternative to bell pepper.