Butternut Squash Mash with Smoked Paprika
Smoked paprika makes this butternut squash mash recipe a real stand-out. Perfect for your Thanksgiving table or as a healthy side dish any day of the week.
I’ve always loved butternut squash. Despite my disdain for peeling it, butternut squash remains one of my favorite vegetables. And once my mom told me “your vegetable peeler is horrible,” and bought me a new one, the task of peeling the squash suddenly became a lot less tedious. Go figure! It’s funny when you’re used to something being so crappy that when you move to something that is functional, it’s like a miracle. A dream come true. A life saver!
Yes, I am this excited about a vegetable peeler.
Update: I discovered that if you cook the butternut squash in a slow cooker, you can skip the peeling altogether! Take a look at this easy cooking method!
How beautiful would that butternut squash look on your Thanksgiving table? I can’t get over how gorgeous it is. I added a nice little chunk of butter but you could easily make this as healthy as you want. Butternut squash is naturally very creamy. You could even make this recipe a vegan side dish by omitting the butter and using vegetable broth instead of milk.
Me, I’ll stick with butter.
But even without butter, you still get tons of great flavor from the smoked paprika. You could even add a little more. Sometimes I’m a little iffy on smoked paprika so I always play it on the conservative side. You can always add more to taste, but you can’t remove it once it is in there!
But you could add more butter. So there’s that.
Butternut squash mash can easily be made ahead. You can store it, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. It will taste just as perfect as the day you made it, which makes it a great side dish for Thanksgiving. Just reheat it in the microwave or oven when you’re ready to serve it.
Craving more butternut squash? Try:
- Quinoa, Bacon and Kale Stuffed Butternut Squash
- Moroccan Slow Cooker Chicken
- Spicy Sweet Roasted Butternut Squash
- Creamy Butternut Squash Soup
- Copycat Panera Squash Soup (but a little more healthy!)
- Farro Salad with Butternut Squash, Bacon and Cranberries
Butternut Squash Mash with Smoked Paprika
Smoked paprika adds something special to this butternut squash recipe. Makes a healthy side dish for Thanksgiving or any day.
Ingredients
- 1 large butternut squash, halved lengthwise and seeded
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- salt to taste
- 1/2 cup milk
- 2 tablespoons melted butter
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with foil. Rub cut side of squash halves with oil and sprinkle with spices and salt. Place flesh side down on the baking sheet. Roast for 45 minutes to one hour or until fork tender.
- Once cool enough to handle, scoop out flesh and put in a large bowl. Add butter and milk and use a potato masher to mash the squash until you achieve the desired consistency.
Notes
- You may use a hand mixer or an immersion blender if you prefer a smoother mash. I like a little texture in mine.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1 of 6Amount Per Serving: Calories: 79Total Fat: 7gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 12mgSodium: 140mgCarbohydrates: 5gFiber: 1gSugar: 1gProtein: 1g
RachelCooks.com sometimes provides nutritional information, but these figures should be considered estimates, as they are not calculated by a registered dietitian. Please consult a medical professional for any specific nutrition, diet, or allergy advice.
Changes I would make: None.
Difficulty: Easy.
Disclosure: This post contains an affiliate link.
9 Comments on “Butternut Squash Mash with Smoked Paprika”
No need to switch out “butter” and “milk” here for other ingredients to make vegan. Vegan butters/margarines and vegan milks work great. I used Earth Balance and oat milk.
Very true! ;) Thanks for the comment!
We make this sometimes and it always tastes sooo good!
Haha, my mom used to give me such a hard time about my terrible cutting boards. So random, but of course she was right at the end of the day :) Anyway, I love butternut squash, it’s the best! I usually do mine super sweet with brown sugar but I’ve gotta try this!
Yum! I HAVE smoked paprika and willing to use it >:-)
Oh yum!! I always go the sweet route with my butternut squash, but I’m thinking that I need to try a little smokiness! This sounds so good.
Totally agree with you on smoked paprika! Just enough and it’s perfect, but sometimes too much can be over the top. You should try the Kuhn peelers, they are great too, and only like 4 dollars. Makes the best stuffing stocker.
Love this recipe Rachel!
Oooh I’ll have to drop my husband a hint ;)
great option