A harvest Fall dish I never knew I would enjoy so much, but my goodness it’s something I make every Fall season now! The inspiration for this roasted butternut squash puree came from a meal we had at one of our absolute favorite restaurants, Hell’s Backbone Grill in Boulder, Utah…yep, we’ve got a Boulder too Colorado! They served a silky butternut squash puree under a gorgeous bison tenderloin and I am not exaggerating when I tell you my mouth was amazed from the very first bite. I knew I had to recreate it at home. If you are ever in Utah, that drive to Boulder is absolutely worth it!
My version is pretty simple by design because the whole point is to let those beautiful roasted flavors shine without a lot of fuss. Everything goes on one baking sheet, the oven does most of the work, and what comes out is this deeply savory, slightly sweet, warmly spiced puree that pairs beautifully with so many things. It’s the perfect fall and holiday side dish and one I am so proud to share. It also pairs absolutely beautifully with my Pork Wellington – those two together on a plate are genuinely stunning!
Why This Roasted Butternut Squash Puree Works So Well
Roasting is the whole key here and when isn’t that the case with winter squash?! Roasting the butternut squash, Honeycrisp apple, and onion together on the same baking sheet concentrates all those natural sugars and develops a depth of flavor that steaming or boiling simply can’t touch. The apple adds the most beautiful subtle sweetness that plays perfectly against the savory squash. The onion gets caramelized and mellow. And when you blitz that with an immersion blender (or high powered a blender) with sage, nutmeg, garlic, butter, and good bone broth…oh my! Silky, scrumptious, and so good.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Here’s a quick look at what goes into this puree. Full amounts are in the recipe card below.
One and a half pounds of butternut squash (roughly two cups of baked squash), one Honeycrisp apple, half a Vidalia onion left skin-on for roasting, avocado oil, salt, fresh garlic cloves, dried sage, black pepper, and ground nutmeg. Then a tablespoon of salted butter or ghee (swap for ghee to keep it Whole30 compliant), and a half to one full cup of good quality chicken or vegetable bone broth to bring everything to your preferred consistency. That’s your whole ingredient list – simple, real, and every single one earns its place in this puree.
A Note on the Apple
Honeycrisp is my personal favorite here because it’s naturally sweet and breaks down beautifully in the roasting process. That said, Fuji, Gala, or whatever apple you love and have on hand will work beautifully. The apple is what gives this puree that subtle sweetness that makes it so special and just a little different from your average butternut squash situation. It is the little kiss of flavor that makes people ask what’s in it, right?!
How to Make Roasted Butternut Squash Puree
Preheat your oven to 425°F degrees. Pour avocado oil onto a large rimmed baking sheet and place the halved squash, halved apple, and onion on top. Rub everything well with the oil and season with salt. Slide into the oven and roast for 20 to 25 minutes, then check on the apple, it will soften and caramelize faster than the squash. Remove the apple halves to a plate when they’re done and return the baking sheet to the oven. Continue roasting until the onion is caramelized and the squash is completely soft when pierced with a fork, typically 45 minutes to an hour depending on the size of your squash.
Once everything is beautifully roasted, remove the core from the apple (the skin can stay on it blends right in and adds a lovely color), peel and roughly chop the onion, and scoop the soft squash flesh away from the skin. Add everything to a saucepan along with the garlic, sage, nutmeg, pepper, and butter. Pour in about half a cup of broth to start and use an immersion blender to puree to your desired consistency, adding more broth as needed. For an extra silky restaurant-style finish, transfer to a high-powered blender instead. Taste, adjust salt, and serve warm with a pat of butter or ghee and fresh herbs on top. Absolutely gorgeous!
Tips for the Best Roasted Butternut Squash Puree
Roast the onion with the skin on. This is a tasty tip! The skin acts as a little protective jacket and actually imparts more flavor as it roasts. Just peel it off before it goes into the blender – the flesh inside will be sweet, caramelized, and absolutely gorgeous.
Watch the apple closely. It will soften and be ready well before the squash. Pulling it out early prevents it from getting too dark and keeps that beautiful sweet flavor intact.
Start with less broth and add more slowly. You can always thin the puree but you can’t thicken it back up once you’ve added too much liquid. Start with half a cup, blend, and add more tablespoon by tablespoon until you reach the silkiness you’re after.
Use a high-powered blender for the silkiest finish. An immersion blender gives you a wonderful result but for that truly restaurant-quality silky puree that Hell’s Backbone serves, transfer to a high-powered blender and blend until completely smooth. It is a grand choice for a special occasion dinner!
Ways to Serve Roasted Butternut Squash Puree
This puree is one of those versatile side dishes that makes everything it sits under look and taste more special. Here are some of my favorite pairings:
- Pork Wellington — the ultimate pairing, stunning on a holiday plate
- Seared chicken thighs or pork chops spooned right on top
- Served on its own as a soup-adjacent side with a drizzle of olive oil and fresh sage
- Scooped alongside roasted vegetables and a protein for an easy weeknight bowl
- Served mashed-potato style at the Thanksgiving table – so yummy that way!
Roasted Butternut Squash Puree (Paleo + Whole30)
Course: Side DishesCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy6
servings20
minutes50
minutesIngredients
1.5 lb Butternut Squash (roughly 2 cups baked flesh)
1 whole Honeycrisp Apple (can sub Fuji or Gala), halved
1/2 whole Vidalia Onion, skin on
2 Tbsp Avocado Oil
1/2 tsp sea salt
2 cloves Garlic, roughly chopped
1/4 tsp Dried Sage
1/4 tsp Black Pepper
1/8 tsp Ground Nutmeg
1 Tbsp Salted Butter (sub ghee for Whole30/dairy free)
1/2 – 1 cup Bone Broth (chicken or vegetable, to desired consistency)
Directions
- Preheat oven to 425°F. Pour avocado oil onto a large rimmed baking sheet. Place squash halves (cut side down), halved apple, and onion (skin on) on the sheet. Rub everything well with oil and season with salt.
- Roast 20-25 minutes then check the apple — if softened and golden, remove to a plate. Return the baking sheet and continue roasting until the onion is caramelized and squash is completely soft when pierced with a fork, about 45 minutes to 1 hour total depending on squash size.
- Once everything is roasted, remove core from apple (skin stays on), peel and roughly chop the onion, and scoop squash flesh from the skin. Add everything to a saucepan.
- Add garlic, sage, nutmeg, pepper, and butter to the saucepan. Pour in about 1/2 cup broth and use an immersion blender to puree to your desired consistency. Add more broth as needed up to 1 full cup. For an extra silky finish, use a high-powered blender.
- Taste and adjust salt. Serve warm garnished with a pat of butter or ghee and fresh herbs if desired.
Notes
- Roast the onion with the skin on – it imparts more flavor and the skin peels right off after roasting. Watch the apple closely – it will be done well before the squash. Start with less broth and add more slowly for best texture control. For a truly silky restaurant-quality puree use a high-powered blender. Pairs beautifully with my Pork Wellington! For Whole30: sub ghee for butter and use compliant bone broth.
If you make this Roasted Butternut Squash Puree I would love to hear how you served it! Drop a comment below or tag me on Instagram. And if you ever find yourself in central Utah, please make the drive to Boulder and give Hell’s Backbone Grill a visit , it’s one of those truly special places. 🎃🍂
