Turn a delicious acorn squash into homemade puree for use in your favorite seasonal fall and winter recipes. Mix into soups, pancakes, pastas, stews, and even make baby food. It's easy, quick, and healthy!
It's easy to make healthy and creamy acorn squash puree in your own kitchen to use in fall and winter recipes. It can be used in so many ways, from baby food to pasta sauces!
Acorn squash is lesser known as a puree than pumpkin and butternut squash. It has a more mild and buttery flavor, but is nevertheless delicious when combined with the right spices and seasonings.
Acorn squash puree also makes a great autumn or Thanksgiving side dish.
All you need is an acorn squash, a little water, and your blender! I use my Instant Ace Nova Cooking Blender, which has a special puree mode. If you don't have a cooking blender, any strong blender or food processor work great.
Why This Recipe Works!
- This puree can be used in so many fantastic ways, from baby food to soups to muffins!
- It's vegan, gluten-free, and dairy-free and diabetic-friendly so it's a great substitution for ingredients that don't work with these diets.
- It's incredibly easy!
- Since you can't buy acorn squash puree at the grocery store, knowing how to make it is a must!
What To Do With Acorn Squash Puree
- Make acorn squash "mashed potatoes".
- Use as a baby food.
- Make mac and cheese!
- Use as a healthy and vegan alternative to cheese and heavy cream to thicken creamy sauces, such as in this Instant Pot Acorn Squash Pasta.
- Blend into soups and chilis, like this cozy soup.
- Mix into oatmeal or pancakes on a chilly autumn morning.
- Use as a substitute for butter or oil in baking breads or muffins, such as pumpkin chocolate bread, morning glory muffins, or zucchini bread.
- Use instead of pumpkin puree in recipes like pumpkin muffins and cornbread.
Acorn squash is similar in flavor to pumpkin and butternut squash, but with a more mild taste. It's slightly sweet and buttery, but not bursting with flavor, so to speak. It's buttery flavor pairs well with sweet, spicy and savory ingredients and recipes.
Acorn squash is packed with fiber and nutrients. One acorn squash has about 6 grams of fiber and 3 grams of protein. It has just 1 gram of fat and is packed with vitamin A and potassium. It's also rich in antioxidants, which can help protect against many health conditions and keep our body healthy and strong!
Acorn squash is also naturally gluten-free, dairy-free and vegan.
Acorn squash puree will keep in the freezer for up to 6 months. Place in freezer bags, then flatten them and store in an even layer. To thaw, place the bag in the refrigerator overnight. For a quick thaw, place the bag in cool water for 30 minutes, or until thawed.
It will keep in the refrigerator in airtight containers for up to 2 weeks.
MORE SQUASH RECIPES TO TRY
Step-By-Step Directions
Step 1: You first need to cook an acorn squash. Do this by roasting it in the air fryer, baking it in the oven, or pressure cooking it in an Instant Pot.
Step 2: Once you have a cooked acorn squash, scoop the insides out of the skin. Put them into the blender or food processor with ¼ cup of water and blend until smooth.
💡Hint: don't discard the skin or the seeds! The skin is completely edible and is quite delicious. You can turn it into "chips", similar to how I make pumpkin chips. The seeds can be roasted with a little olive oil and salt and eaten as a healthy snack.
If you're using the Ace Instant Cooking Blender, use the puree setting. The puree setting uses heat to mix the squash (and other vegetables) into a smooth and creamy warm puree.
Step 3: Transfer to mason jars or other airtight containers. Use in recipes that call for acorn squash puree or in any of the suggestions above!
Recipe Tips
- Adding a little water helps to smoothly blend the squash pieces. Start with ¼ cup per squash and add more in small amounts as needed.
- If using an Ace Cooking Blender, use the puree setting first. This setting heats the blender, further softening the squash. Once the puree setting has completed, cycle through the smoothie setting to smooth out any leftover chunks.
- You will get approximately 1 cup of puree per 7 inch long acorn squash. They are generally 4-7 inches in length, so plan accordingly if you need a certain amount of puree.
- It's okay if you get a few pieces of skin in the blender. It's totally edible!
Enjoy!
Recipe
Acorn Squash Puree
Ingredients
- 1 acorn squash cooked
- ¼ cup water
Instructions
- Cut the cooked acorn squash in half and remove the seeds and stringy fibers. Reserve seeds for later use.
- Scoop out the insides and put into a blender or food processor. Add ¼ cup of water and blend on high until the squash is smooth. This will take anywhere from 1 minute to 2 minutes, depending on your appliance. Every so often, stop blending to push pumpkin off the sides and into the blade if needed.*If using the Instant Ace Cooking Blender, use the puree setting.
- Use in recipes that call for acorn squash puree, or use as a substitute for pumpkin and butternut squash puree.
Notes
Nutrition
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