Making acorn squash puree is low maintenance and easy. With only 2 ingredients, I'm going to walk you through how to roast an acorn squash to make the perfect puree for muffins, baby food, pancakes, and so much more!

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You're probably asking yourself, "Why acorn squash puree? Like, what in the world would I make with it?" It's a good question and I'll answer it with this these Squash Muffins.
Oh wow - so delish! These are some healthy breakfast muffins.
Different Types of Squash
Butternut and spaghetti squash get a lot of attention, but I love acorn squash and feel it's seriously underutilized in recipes. But how does acorn, spaghetti, and butternut differ? While they all have taste a little similar, they are actually pretty different.
When you hear someone say "Summer" vs. "Winter" squash, that just refers to the time of year most people use that particular type in a recipe. For instance, you typically see hubbard squash in more of the heavy winter based recipes, but you see butternut in more summer type recipes like salads, etc. Acorn is both a summer and winter squash. It's super versatile and can be used in so many recipes all year long.
Spaghetti squash is mild in flavor and is the perfect substitute for pasta. After you roast it in the oven, you can take a fork and shred it. Add marinara or pesto and you've got a low carb meal!
Butternut is an autumn vegetable and a tad bit sweeter than acorn. It has a nutty taste and works really well as a soup base like in this Spiced Butternut Squash Soup.
Acorn has more of a nutty taste and is a bit more stringy and fibrous. It's also great for stuffing. It has a slightly higher calorie rate than other type. One cup of baked and cubed butternut squash is about 82 calories, where acorn is 115 calories for the same 1 cup.
Step-By-Step Recipe Instructions
Let's jump in so I can show you how easy it is to make this recipe. First, cut the squash lengthwise on a cutting board. Take a spoon and dig out all the seeds and strings.
Take a basting brush and dip it in some extra-virgin olive oil. Brush the olive oil over the entire vegetable. This helps keep the moisture in and keeps it from drying out when roasting in the oven.
Set the oven to 350°F and once preheated, place the vegetable flesh down on a cookie sheet lined with aluminum foil. The hard shell should be face up when roasting acorn squash in the oven.
Bake in the oven for 45 minutes. When done, remove the cookie sheet from the oven and let the roasted squash cool for about 10 minutes. Flip each piece over an grab a spoon. Dig out the cooked squash and place into a food processor. Expert Tip: It should be really easy and extremely tender to spoon out the roasted squash.
To get that super smooth consistency, turn on the food processor or blender and puree. There is no need to add olive oil, water, or any other liquid. Expert Tip: To make acorn squash more of a mashed consistency, skip the food processor and use a hand held masher.
Once done, put the puree into a bowl and it's ready for use!
Expert Tips & FAQs
- While you don't need to add any additional liquid, you can if you need. I've found that if you roast the squash for a full 45 minutes, it turns out so soft and you don't need to add anything to change the consistency.
- Did you know that you can eat the skin on acorn squash? Yes, you sure can!
- You can also freeze acorn squash puree. Whenever I'm roasting any type of vegetable to make puree, I alway make extra so I can freeze it for later. To freeze, let it cool completely and then place it in a sealable plastic baggie. Seal it and then write the date on the baggie so you know when it was made. You can keep the puree in the freezer for up to 6 months.
More Squash Recipes
I love spaghetti but it's so heavy and full of carbs. For a nice alternative, I use a spaghetti squash and pile on my homemade marinara sauce. I also really enjoy this Spaghetti Squash with Goat Cheese and Arugula!
If you like chorizo, you'll love these Baked Chorizo-Butternut Squash Chile Rellenos! Cooked in a spicy, flavorful ranchero sauce, this recipe offers a twist on one of my favorite Tex-Mex dishes.
Follow Recipes Worth Repeating for more amazing recipes!
Acorn Squash Puree
Ingredients
- 1 acorn squash
- 1 Tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Start by cutting the vegetable lengthwise on a cutting board. Take a spoon and dig out all the seeds and strings. Discard or save the seeds for roasting later on.
- Take a basting brush and dip it in extra-virgin olive oil. Evenly spread the oil over the entire vegetable.
- Place the vegetable flesh down on a cookie sheet lined with aluminum foil. You want the hard shell to be face up when roasting.
- Bake in the oven for 45 minutes. When done, remove the cookie sheet from the oven and let it cool for about 10 minutes.
- Flip it over and grab a spoon. Dig out the cooked squash and place into a food processor. Note: It should be extremely tender and easy to spoon out.
- Turn on the food processor or blender and puree for 20-30 seconds.
- Serve immediately.
Video
Notes
- While you don't need to add any additional liquid, you can if you need. I've found that if you roast it for a full 45 minutes, it turns out so soft and you don't need to add anything to change the consistency.
- Did you know that you can eat the skin? Yes, you sure can!
- You can also freeze acorn squash puree. Whenever I'm roasting any type of vegetable to make puree, I alway make extra so I can freeze it for later. To freeze this recipe, let it cool completely and then place it in a sealable plastic baggie. Seal it and then write the date on the baggie so you know when it was made. You can keep the puree in the freezer for up to 6 months.
Sam | Ahead of Thyme
Wow how easy is this!! And it’s the perfect item for so many fall dishes. Can’t wait to try it
Claire
I used this to make the basis of a Mac and cheese!!!
So easy and so delicious!
My kids didn't notice the addition of veg and I loved the added nutrition it gave them.
Thank you
Amanda Mason
Hi Claire! I love it!! What an incredible base for macaroni and cheese! Brilliant!! SO glad you guys loved it and love that you got all the nutritional value!!
Dana
Do you have any other baby purée recipes?? I love the format of your website! Thanks for sharing & making it so easy.
Amanda Mason
Hi Dana!! I'm so glad you thought this was so good and easy to make!! I don't have other baby purees yet, but I plan to make more! Soe other purees you could try and tweak a little are these: https://recipesworthrepeating.com/spinach-avacado-pasta/ and https://recipesworthrepeating.com/sweet-potato-soup/