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Fast and Healthy Butternut Squash Recipes

Fast and Healthy Butternut Squash Recipes

Butternut squash season has finally arrived! While we love slow-cooking this quintessential fall ingredient as much as anyone, busy autumn weeknights aren't the easiest time to fit in a slow roast. Luckily, all of these squash sides and mains add a burst of butternut to dinner in 45 minutes or less! This doesn't mean you're limited to sautéing. We have a few quick roast recipes you can still serve in almost no time.

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Orzo with Butternut Squash, Sage, and Bacon

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Combat the chilly fall with this warm, cozy orzo bowl. Cooking the butternut squash in a Dutch oven makes this recipe much faster than roasting.

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Radicchio and Roasted Butternut Squash Salad

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If you let autumn pass you by without making this rainbow salad, you're seriously missing out. Instead of plain old lettuce leaves, use purple-red radicchio for your salad "greens," and mix in fennel and roasted butternut squash. In place of croutons, keep the fall theme going by topping off your salad with roasted pumpkin seeds.

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Crispy Parmesan-Roasted Butternut Squash

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If you want a fuss-free side of butternut squash with dinner, you can't go wrong with roasting. This simple recipe is super easy and will really let your fresh butternut squash shine. Just toss the cubes of squash with a drizzle of oil, a pinch of dried thyme, and a handful of Parmesan cheese, then let them roast to perfection.

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Cheesy Butternut Squash Cavatappi Bake

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If you have picky eaters at your table who normally wouldn't touch squash with a 10-foot fork, this easy, cheesy casserole sneaks it onto their plates. After cooking, mash the butternut squash and mix it in with pasta, Fontina cheese, and mushrooms. Once this casserole is finished baking, sprinkle on a few slices of crispy chopped bacon. Who could resist trying a bite?

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Squash and Curried Noodle Soup

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Soup in just 30 minutes? Sign us up! Even though you can throw it together in almost no time, this soup is full of fresh ingredients and big flavors that'll make it taste like it's been simmering all day. Curry powder gives this recipe a kick, while fresh butternut squash and spinach make it healthy and tasty enough to serve for dinner every week.

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Baked Butternut Squash with Thyme

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Whether it's a weeknight dinner or you're prepping for the holidays, you can't go wrong with this simple side dish. Just add a sprinkle of salt and thyme, and let the butternut squash shine.

Sample even more squash recipes with these favorite butternut dishes!

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Butternut Squash and Chickpea Curry

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Heat up your butternut squash by cooking it in a spicy coconut milk and green curry sauce. Chickpeas add enough protein for dinner, and serving over jasmine rice completes this fiery fall meal.

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Roasted Butternut Squash Salad

Roasted butternut squash is nice, but it's even better when you serve it mixed into a tasty fall salad. Mixed greens and squash are the only veggies you'll find here—the rest of this side dish is dedicated to fresh herbs and tasty toppers. Manchego cheese and roasted pumpkin seeds top off this recipe, along with a tangy homemade vinaigrette.

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Butternut Squash and Mushroom Noodle Bowl

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Sweet, spicy, and full of fall flavor, this recipe adds Asian flair to your usual bowl of pasta and butternut squash. Besides a few servings of veggies, we used soy sauce, fresh ginger, and sriracha to create this 40-minute craveable dish.

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Citrusy Mashed Squash with Toasted Pecans

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If you really want a taste of fall flavors, skip the mashed potatoes and make mashed butternut squash instead. This pillowy pile of squash is just as creamy and delicious as the best mashed potatoes out there, but has a hint of citrus flavor thanks to orange and lemon zest. To add some crunch, top with toasted pecans before diving in.

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Red Beans and Rice with Squash

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Hearty, warm, and filled with fall flavors, this cozy butternut squash dish was meant for a night in. Serve butternut squash, red kidney beans, and chicken sausage over rice for a healthy comfort food dinner. It's almost like a tasty fall chili.

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Spaghetti with Roasted Butternut Squash

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No canned spaghetti sauce here! Instead, serve your noodles with roasted butternut squash, crispy bacon, and pecorino cheese. Trust us: You won't miss your store-bought tomato sauce.

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Butternut Risotto

Tender, melt-in-your-mouth butternut squash is an ideal addition to creamy risotto when you want a taste of fall. A few threads of saffron add an extra layer of flavor, while sprinkling Parmesan cheese on top makes each bite a little more decadent. Serve this easy side alongside a roast or chicken breast for a meal that'll make you say "yum!"

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Gluten-Free Baked Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese

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We'll never say to no to creamy, luscious mac and cheese—especially when butternut squash is mixed in! Rather than roasted cubes, we sautéed and pureed the squash, so this mac is extra gooey.

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Butternut Squash Soup with Ravioli

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Two pounds of butternut squash might sound like a lot, but it's worth the chopping and peeling for this silky-smooth soup. To make dinner a little more elegant, top with cheese ravioli and swirls of molasses to turn your bowl of soup into art.

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Pappardelle with Butternut Squash and Blue Cheese

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Thick pappardelle noodles are just right for partnering with tender butternut squash. Of course, plenty of fresh sage and crunchy pine nuts don't hurt this pairing, either.

Don't stop at squash! Check out some of our other fall recipes!

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Butternut Squash Bake

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If you cook the noodles for this casserole while the butternut squash roasts, the dish can be done in less than 45 minutes. That's a short amount of time to wait before sinking your fork into this cheesy, creamy fall casserole.

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Orzo Risotto with Roasted Vegetables

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Who says you need rice to make risotto? Not us, that's for sure. You can make risotto just as creamy and dreamy by using orzo instead! To make it a healthy side dish (or even a main meal), add in delicious roasted vegetables like butternut squash, mushrooms, and onions.

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Squash-Quinoa Soup

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This soup hits almost every food group—it's loaded with chicken, quinoa, and butternut squash. The fruitiness comes from apricot nectar, and fresh zucchini adds an extra dose of veggies. If you want to hit all five, add a sprinkle of cheese on top!

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