Yesterday I brought you four cool reasons why you should be eating butternut squash, complete with a handy video illustrating how best to cook up a batch to have on hand at all times.
Today I’m going to show you how to re-imagine this super versatile veggie so you can eat it a few times a week without getting bored.
Top uses for make-ahead roasted butternut squash:
- Risotto For a butternut risotto, stir through 1 cup of roasted butternut squash into the rice until it becomes part of the sauce. Serve topped with extra roasted butternut, crispy pancetta, a handful of rocket and a squeeze of lemon. Crumble over some feta or goats’ cheese or Parmesan shavings.
- Mac ‘n Cheese This one is really sneaky! Purée a cup of butternut squash into the cheese sauce for added veggie power and a kid-friendly sweet taste. Pairs well with some sautéed leeks stirred through. And of course crispy bacon bits sprinkled on top before baking. As you can tell, butternut and bacon are good pals!
- Pasta For a quick and easy pasta sauce that will keep everyone happy, simply purée 3 – 4 cups of roasted butternut squash with chicken stock. For a creamy sauce, add 2 – tablespoons of cream. You won’t need much, as butternut has a gorgeous silky texture. Stir through pasta and add crispy bits of pan fried chorizo, shredded leftover chicken and baby spinach leaves. This pasta sauce also freezes very well.
- Tortillla For a twist on a traditional Spanish tortilla, simply substitute roasted butternut squash for the usual potatoes. Add strips of roasted red pepper (I cheat and buy them in a jar from Lidl), roasted courgette and pan fried chorizo. Pour over the egg mixture and cook as usual.
- Grain bowls I’m a huge fan of wholegrains, I feel so much better when I have them in my diet. Roasted butternut works especially well with quinoa and barley. Add cubes of beetroot, feta cheese, baby spinach leave, walnuts and asparagus for a hearty grain bowl or layered mason jar salad.
- Caesar chicken wraps I love a Caesar salad wrap but always feel it needs a bit of extra veggie action. I add roasted butternut cubes to my usual combo of shredded chicken, romaine lettuce and crispy bacon. I prefer the wholewheat or multigrain tortilla wraps, I find the soft white tortillas a bit stodgy and they go soggy in a lunchbox.
- Nachos Yes, you can have nachos for dinner! Nachos lend themselves to far more creative toppings than chilli. I layer up kidney beans, roasted butternut, tomato salsa, grated cheddar cheese, crumbled feta and some slice jalapeño. Bake until bubbling. Delish!
- Soup This is probably one of the most popular uses for roasted butternut squash. Simply sautée an onion, and added the roasted butternut and chicken stock. Blitz with a handheld blender to form a smooth soup. Add a bit of Thai red curry paste or regular curry powder for a change.
- Curries Curries, whether from India, Malaysia or Thailand, contrast very well with a bit of sweetness. Add the roasted butternut squash for the last few minutes of cooking to absorb some of the flavour.
- Mash Simply mashed and seasoned, roasted butternut squash makes a fantastic side vegetable and vehicle to mop up sauces -especially for those days when you realise your family hasn’t seen a vegetable in ages!
Well-known food journalist and talk show regular Rozanne Stevens is the creative chef behind Makeaheadmealz.com group and private cookery lessons. For extra recipes and tips follow @MakeAheadMealz on Twitter or Instagram: @MakeAheadMealz.
