I love to cook different dishes using pumpkin puree from butternut squash, it is almost always in my pantry. And if it is not there, then it is definitely in the freezer! Previously, I often used canned puree, it is very tasty, but still does not compare in quality with homemade. And since I am an activist of healthy eating and unprocessed food, I simply have to cook pumpkin puree myself, a lot, in season and from organic pumpkin.
Usually, for pumpkin puree I needed real man strength and I involved my husband in this process, since cutting a huge pumpkin is not so easy. Also, peeling the hard skin of the pumpkin took a lot of effort, this usually happened after Halloween, when there were a lot of good pumpkins left. I can’t throw them away! Later I started making butternut squash puree. Firstly, it is very, very tasty, secondly, it is enough to cut it in half and put it in the oven. No effort, just scoop out the baked pumpkin pulp with a spoon.
How to cook Butternut Squash :
1.Wash the pumpkin thoroughly under running water using a brush.
2.Cut the pumpkin in half lengthwise and remove the seeds. If the seeds are difficult to remove, leave them in place once the pumpkin is baked, this will be easy and quick.
3.Place the pumpkin skin side up on a baking tray covered with baking paper and make a few shallow holes with a fork.
4.Preheat oven to 350F(175C)>Bake the butternut squash for about 2 hours. It depends on the size of the pumpkin. I have a 2 kg pumpkin, so each half weighs about 1 kg.
5.Once the butternut squash is soft, it is ready. Let it cool slightly and scoop out the flesh with a spoon.
6.I usually puree the pumpkin pulp with an immersion blender and portion it into 1 cup ziplock bags and use as needed for my recipes.
7.Sometimes I buy already peeled fresh pumpkin from the store and for making puree, I bake the pumpkin pieces in an air fryer for about 20 minutes at 320F(160C).So if you are in a hurry this is your option that saves a lot of time!
If you make this easy Baked Butternut Squash, let me know in the comments below! Or tag me on Instagram .
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The Easiest Way to Cook Butternut Squash
Ingredients
- 5 pound Butternut squash
Instructions
- Wash the pumpkin thoroughly under running water using a brush.
- Cut the pumpkin in half lengthwise and remove the seeds. If the seeds are difficult to remove, leave them in place once the pumpkin is baked, this will be easy and quick.
- Place the pumpkin skin side up on a baking tray covered with baking paper and make a few shallow holes with a fork.
- Preheat oven to 350F(175C)>Bake the butternut squash for about 2 hours. It depends on the size of the pumpkin. I have a 2 kg pumpkin, so each half weighs about 1 kg.
- Once the butternut squash is soft, it is ready. Let it cool slightly and scoop out the flesh with a spoon.
- I usually puree the pumpkin pulp with an immersion blender and portion it into 1 cup ziplock bags and use as needed for my recipes.
Nutrition
How many minutes does it take to cook pumpkin?
It depends on the size of the pumpkin. If you are roasting whole halves weighing 1 kg each, it will take about 1.5 – 2 hours at 350F(175C)
How to bake pumpkin in an air fryer?
To bake pumpkin in an air fryer, you need to cut the pumpkin into small pieces of 3-4 cm, and bake at 320F(160C) for about 20 minutes. To make the pumpkin moist, it is important to bake it at a high temperature, since cooking in air itself creates a crunchy texture of the dish.
