How to Cook Butternut Squash

Butternut squash is one of the sweetest winter squashes. This bell-shaped squash has yellowish skin and orange pulp with seeds inside. Apart from its sweet and nutty taste, butternut squash is very rich in nutrients too. It contains a considerable amount of vitamin A, vitamin C, magnesium, manganese, potassium and fiber. Butternut squash is one of the commonly used vegetables (even though, butternut squash is a fruit, it is mainly used as a vegetable) in various parts of the world. It can be roasted, toasted, candied or fried. Butternut squash is pureed or mashed and is added to various dishes like soups, breads, muffins and casseroles. It can also be grilled with spices. Scroll down for some helpful tips about how to cook butternut squash.

Cooking Butternut Squash

Butternut squash can be cooked easily and there are different ways of cooking this squash. You can roast, toast, bake, steam or grill it. You may also add it to other dishes like soups and casseroles. Here are some guidelines to help you cook butternut squash in different ways.

How to Cook Butternut Squash in Oven?

• You may either use pre-cut butternut squash from the supermarket or go for the whole one, which has to be cleaned and cut. Remove the stalk, wash and cut the butternut squash in half (lengthwise). If you want to bake the squash, don't cut it further, as it is better to retain the half-cut shape.
• Now, remove the seeds, pulp and strings and coat the meaty parts with butter or olive oil. You may also sprinkle salt, pepper, grated ginger or nutmeg powder, as per your preference.
• Place the butternut squash in a baking pan, with the cut side up. Now, add some water to the pan (about one inch), before placing it inside the oven that is preheated to 350° F.
• Cook the squash for about forty to fifty minutes or till it becomes tender. This cooked squash will be slightly brown in color. You may serve it in the shell itself or scoop out the meat for serving. You can also mash it and blend with other dishes.
• The following is another method to bake butternut squash in oven. All you have to do is cut the squash in half. Take a foil covered baking sheet and place both the pieces face down. Bake it for around thirty to forty minutes at a temperature setting of 400° F.
• Once it is cooked, the squash will become soft and tender. Then, remove and serve it with butter, brown sugar and cinnamon. If you don't like the sweet taste, add salt and pepper.

Cook Butternut Squash in Microwave

You can also use a microwave to cook butternut squash. The microwave has to be set on high for this purpose. If you want to keep the squash in whole, then make sure that you make small slits all over the squash before placing it inside the microwave. You have to keep the squash in the microwave for around ten minutes (for a medium-sized fruit). If the squash is bigger, it may take longer to cook. If you are using halved squash, place the pieces face-down in the microwave and cook for around eight minutes. Then turn them over, cover with waxed paper and cook for another eight minutes. You have to remove the liquid, which may get accumulated in the hollows of the cut squash.

How to Cook Butternut Squash in Pressure Cooker?

A pressure cooker can also be used for cooking butternut squash. Peel and cut the squash into two halves. Remove the seeds and pulp. You may either retain the two halves as such or cut them into cubes. Put some water in the pressure cooker and let it boil. Place the steamer basket inside the cooker, but make sure that the water level is below the steamer basket. Place the squash pieces in the steamer basket and cook. If you have cut the squash in two halves, cook with the cut side up, for four minutes (at 15 psi). While it takes only two minutes for cubed squash to get cooked in a pressure cooker, whole ones may take six to eight minutes, according to the size.

The above said are some of the common methods of cooking butternut squash. Even though, cooking butternut squash is very easy, most people are confused about how long to cook a butternut squash. The cooking time may vary with the different methods of cooking and the size of the squash or squash pieces. It takes around six to eight minutes for steaming butternut squash in a steamer. Boiling is another method of cooking butternut squash. You have to let the squash chunks cook in boiling water for 10 to 15 minutes. If you want to roast the squash in the oven, it will take around forty-five minutes at a temperature of 400° F. In case of stir fry, you can check the doneness by piercing the squash pieces with a fork. Cooked squash will be tender.

Now, you have a basic idea regarding how to cook butternut squash and the cooking times for the different methods of cooking. You can further develop this knowledge by doing things practically. Try some butternut squash recipes and enjoy the goodness of this vegetable.