Mashed potatoes – we all love them, right?
Smooth, creamy, satisfying and delicious…. Yum!
The truth is, we can mash ANY starchy vegetable (even non-starchy vegetables like cauliflower), and tubers to make a mash.
My personal favorites are the “sweet” flavored ones like butternut squash or kabocha squash.
They are mouthwateringly good.
But, guess what?
Butternut squash, kabocha squash, spaghetti squash, acorn squash, and other squashes are actually NOT vegetables at all. They are members of the Cucurbitaceae family that includes cucumbers, watermelons and other fruits.[1]
Surprise, surprise, maybe that’s why they taste so darn sweet!
A squash mash makes a wonderful base to ladle a thick and hearty stew on top. Or you can use it as a delicious side in any meal you would normally include potatoes.
When you eat a butternut squash mash you get the added benefit of not only the sweet flavor that satisfies the body on a deeply nourishing level (more about that here – Do you have sweet cravings?), but a BIG hit of vitamin A that boosts immunity, protects your eyes, lowers your risk of cancer and supports bone health.[2]
One of the best ways for your body to get access to this awesome carotenoid to support your health is to add some good old-fashioned fat into your mash. Vitamin A is fat-soluble.
When I prepare my Butternut mash I finish it with a little bit of grass-fed butter. This makes it both savory and more nutritious.
If you don’t like butter, use any other fat like coconut oil, olive oil, or ghee to gain the most benefit.
I like to cook this squash dish quick and easy on the stovetop in a pot with a little bit of water to keep things simple.
But, if you want your mash to be even sweeter, I suggest you roast it. Roasting caramelizes the sugars – oh my!
Below are both options for you.
Enjoy!
- 1 large butternut squash, peeled and seeded
- 1 cup water
- 2-3 tbsp. butter
- ½ tsp. sea salt
- Couple of dashes of ground cinnamon
- Simple Butternut Squash Mash
- Put the squash and water into a soup pot or saucepan and bring to a boil.
- Add the salt and a couple pinches of cinnamon.
- Cover and cook on medium heat for 15 minutes or until most of the water evaporates and the squash is easily pierced.
- Add butter and salt onto the hot squash and mash the squash as you would potatoes.
- Add more salt and butter if desired.
- Roasted Butternut Squash Mash
- If roasting, preheat the oven to 375.
- Remove the seeds from the squash and coat with olive oil (leave skin on)
- Salt the squash.
- Place squash into a baking pan, skin side up, and roast uncovered for 40-45 minutes or until easily pierced.
- Remove from oven and wait until it’s cool enough to handle.
- Scoop the flesh out of the squash and mash with butter and cinnamon.
- Add more salt and butter if needed.
[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cucurbitaceae
[2] https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/vitamin-a-benefits#section1
Andrea Beaman is an internationally renowned Holistic Health Coach, Natural Foods Chef, Speaker, Herbalist and best-selling author. Named one of the top 100 Most Influential Health and Fitness Experts, she is also a recipient of the Natural Gourmet Institute’s Award for Excellence in Health-Supportive Education and a Health Leadership award from The Institute for Integrative Nutrition. Since 1999, Andrea has been teaching people how to harness the body’s own preventative and healing powers using food, herbal remedies and alternative medicine.
Some recipes and articles on this site may contain affiliate links to products we trust and love. The money received helps keep this website and all of its healthful and delicious content FREE to the public.
