Butternut Squash Crostini with Ricotta

Did you ever buy a butternut squash just because it’s fall, you’re at the farm market, and it seems like they’re calling your name? Then you get the squash home and you think, well, now what? Maybe you have guests coming over for a holiday get-together and you’re pretty sure you won’t be serving butternut squash mash or butternut squash stew with their cocktails. 

Butternut Squash Appetizers

Attractive… During our crostini week cooking marathon, we tried to decide which recipe was the winner and it was a tough decision. We agreed that these butternut squash crostini are a knock-out in the looks department. Aren’t the colors fabulous? Dark orange, crimson red, creamy white, olive green–wow!

And tasty! Golden roasted squash bits, nestled in creamy ricotta spread on crispy toast, garnished with pomegranate arils, and crunchy pepitas, drizzled with sweet pomegranate molasses–I know you won’t be able to stop eating these. I love how the pomegranate arils are a little juicy burst of flavor in your mouth.

Ingredient Notes

• Crostini: The base of this appetizer is simply toasted bread, made from a baguette. The little slices of toasted bread are called crostini. Learn how to make crostini. This step can be done a day ahead of time if you prefer.
• Butternut Squash: Orange-fleshed and creamy, butternut squash is tan and oblong, narrow at the top and larger at the bottom, almost like a bell. It’s sweet in flavor and full of vitamins and antioxidants.
• Fresh Sage Leaves: Sage is a great fall herb but if you prefer, fresh thyme or oregano can be substituted.
• Ricotta Cheese: Ricotta cheese is a smooth and creamy spreadable cheese that is mild in flavor. I like full-fat but low-fat works too.
• Pomegranate Seeds: Commonly called “arils”, the brilliant red seeds are juicy and bursting with tart flavor.
• Pumpkin Seeds: You may know these as pepitas. They are the inside kernels of pumpkin seeds and are best if you toast them lightly.
• Pomegranate Molasses: Very sweet with concentrated flavor, a drizzle of pomegranate molasses is a nice finishing touch for these crostini. It’s optional and not pictured here. (If you have extra pomegranate molasses, make sure to try this fattoush recipe!)

How To Make Butternut Squash Crostini

Prep the squash. Wash, peel, remove the seeds, and cut the squash into uniformly sized small cubes. The size matters because you want to have little bits of squash on the crostini, not gigantic chunks. In addition, evenly-sized pieces will cook evenly, which is also important.

Roast the squash. Toss the cubes with a little olive oil, fresh sage, salt, and pepper, and roast briefly in the oven. This won’t take long because the pieces are small and the oven is hot. The goal is to roast them until they are tender to the bite, not crunchy, not mushy. 

Assemble crostini. When you’re ready to serve these butternut squash appetizers, spread a little creamy ricotta on a crostini, pile on the butternut squash, and sprinkle with a few pomegranate arils (seeds) and pepitas (shelled pumpkin seeds).Drizzle a little pomegranate molasses over the crostini, and serve immediately.

beer/Wine/Cocktail Pairings

Butternut squash crostini pair nicely with an oaky chardonnay. Pino noir is great, too, or a good craft beer, perhaps a nice brown ale or porter.

If you’re more in the mood for a cocktail, try a maple old fashioned, apple cider mule (fall Moscow mule), orange gin and tonic with cinnamon, or an apple cider mocktail (non-alcoholic but can easily be made into a cocktail, if you prefer).

Recipe Variations

• Flavor the squash cubes with different spices or herbs. I use fresh sage, but I love the idea of roasting the squash with curry powder, cinnamon, chili powder, or five spice powder. This recipe for spicy sweet butternut squash with maple syrup, cinnamon,  and cayenne is fantastic for the crostini. Fresh thyme, tarragon, or oregano is good. too.
• Use a cream cheese spread instead of the ricotta. Again, there are lots of flavors to choose from. Goat cheese is so yummy, too, and comes in a variety of flavors.
• Add a different topping. Other choices might be chopped pistachios or roasted sunflower seeds, or no nuts or seeds at all. Crumbled bacon is always a good choice!
• Can’t find pomegranate molasses in your store? We also like drizzling these with hot honey or balsamic reduction.

Make-Ahead Ideas

Make crostini (toast bread). Toast the bread slices, cool completely, and store in an airtight container for a couple of days.

Prep squash. The squash can cut up and stored in the refrigerator for a few days. Either roast it right before you want to serve it, or roast the squash a day ahead, cool completely, and refrigerate. Let the squash come to room temperature before serving or for best results, spread it out on a roasting pan to warm it up a bit in the oven.