12 New Ways to Use Butternut Squash

Butternut squash is an iconic fall vegetable. Simply halved or cubed and roasted, it’s a perfect side dish for roasted chicken, tossed in a salad or pureed into a soup—but that’s not all it’s good for. Here, 12 new, out-of-the-box ways to cook with sweet and creamy butternut squash from wontons to sorbet.

1. Butternut Squash Turnovers

These buttery squash turnovers make a perfect fall lunch alongside a big green salad.

2. Mashed Potatoes with Butternut Squash

Creamy mashed potatoes get a delicious sweetness and beautiful color from squash.

3. Buffalo Butternut Squash Matchsticks with a Blue Cheese–Celery Salad

This dish is a neat spin on the classic flavor pairing of buffalo wings with a blue cheese dipping sauce.

4. Spiced Butternut Squash Sorbet

For an easy, festive dessert, pair this golden sorbet with vanilla ice cream and gingersnaps.

5. Butternut Squash and Chorizo Tortilla

This Spanish omelet is topped with thin slices of squash and spicy chorizo.

6. Butternut Squash Latkes with Chive Sour Cream

Making these butternut squash latkes bite-size and topping each with a dollop of chive sour cream turns this Hanukkah staple into an elegant appetizer.

7. Golden Macaroni and Cheese with Butternut Squash Puree

Mashed butternut squash makes for a healthier, but still creamy take on classic, cheesy mac and cheese.

8. Butternut Squash–and-Sage Wontons

"Wonton wrappers are terrific for making ravioli when you don't have time to make homemade pasta," says Jill Donenfeld, founder of the Culinistas, a private chef and catering agency. The wontons here are filled with mashed butternut squash and roasted garlic and get nicely crispy when sautéed in a touch of oil, but they're also delicious simply steamed.

Tina Rupp Tina Rupp

These terrifically crisp wontons are filled with mashed butternut squash and roasted garlic.

9. Rice Pudding with Butternut Squash and Sweet Milk Tea

The most unexpected ingredient in this not-too-sweet rice pudding: butternut squash. “I think it can work really well in dessert,” chef Hugh Acheson says.

10. Butternut Squash Rösti Cakes

Adding shredded butternut squash to mini potato pancakes adds a touch of sweetness and a nice orange hue.

11. Roasted Butternut Squash and Sage Pierogi

Perfectly nutty and sweet roasted butternut squash makes a great pierogi filling.

12. Butternut Squash Lasagna

Roasting butternut squash makes for a tender and creamy sauce.