Squash Baking Primer

• Baking a butternut squash is one of the easiest kitchen experiences. While dicing is the method of choice if you are serving the squash on its own or a part of a saute, when you are including it in a recipe in pureed or mashed form, baking it whole makes your task easier. Turn your oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit and place the squash in it as is. You do not need to wait for the oven to heat up to get the cooking started. Place a baking sheet or dish under the squash to catch juices.

Baked Squash Timeline

• Unlike a baked potato, eggplant or other vegetable baked whole, you do not need to pierce the flesh of the butternut squash before baking it. Once it heats, the squash begins to break down and juices begin to flow from it without an incision preventing it from exploding. When baked whole, a 2-pound butternut squash takes about 90 minutes to cook until softened. To reduce that time by half or even two-thirds, simply cut the squash once, in half, using a sturdy, sharp knife and drop the oven temperature to 400 F. Once you can pierce the squash easily with a knife, remove it from the oven and let it cool to touch before proceeding.

Clean It Out

• When the squash is cool enough to handle, slice it in half, if it is still whole, and remove the seeds using a spoon. The flesh easily peels away from the skin at this point. Use the spoon to scoop out the flesh. Generally, the size of a butternut squash is reduced by half once it has been cooked and cleaned, so if you need 1 pound of squash flesh for your recipe, roast a 2-pound squash to end up with 1 pound of cooked squash.

Squash Ideas

• Pureed squash is an excellent, nutritious addition to a number of baked goods. Include it in muffins, breads and other baked items. When mashed, squash can be served as a side dish to meats and other foods. Make mashed squash savory with the addition of Parmesan cheese and roasted garlic, or opt for a sweeter side by adding brown sugar or maple syrup to it. Roast more than one squash at a time and save the leftovers by freezing them pureed in the portions needed for your recipes.