12 Easy Squash Recipes to Put on Repeat for Fall Dinners

By Alison Spiegel
Updated October 25, 2018
Fall means many things: apples, apple cider, apple cider doughnuts… But when you’re not knee deep in Galas and Granny Smiths, you’re probably turning your attention to another one of the season’s hallmarks: squash. Whether it’s Butternut or Kabocha, Acorn or Spaghetti, squash is one of our go-to vegetables when the weather starts to cool, and we rely on it for quick sides or easy mains for weeknights and dinner parties alike. So, here are 12 of our favorite low-lift squash recipes that you should add to your repertoire this season.
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Vinegar-Glazed Butternut Squash Pasta

Credit: Abby Hocking / Food & Wine
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This pasta

combines some of fall’s best flavors in this rustic, satisfying dish. For the best results, seek out a great-quality unrefined hazelnut oil, which imbues the whole dish with a lovely nuttiness.

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Roasted Acorn Squash with Garlic Butter and Burrata

Credit: Con Poulos
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Chef Dave Beran created this wonderfully indulgent vegetarian dish of roasted sweet squash topped with just-melted burrata. It's fantastic with a lush Chardonnay.

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Butternut Squash Risotto with Shrimp

Credit: Sarah Bolla
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Roasted butternut squash gets incorporated into decadent risotto, then topped with juicy shrimp in this fantastic dish.

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Spice Roasted Butternut Squash

Credit: © <a data-cke-saved-href="http://mattbites.com/" href="http://mattbites.com/" class"="external">Matt Armendariz
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Cumin, coriander and cayenne bring warmth and spice to this tender roasted squash.

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Roast Chicken with Butternut Squash

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Chicken quarters roasted with golden squash and sage are nice for a chilly autumn evening. To help the squash to brown evenly, be sure to spoon off the fat from the roasting pan after removing the breasts.

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Kabocha Squash Salad

Credit: Marcus Nilsson
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Bitter greens are the perfect foil for the sweet, caramelized kabocha squash in this hearty, festive salad from Jessica Koslow of Sqirl in Los Angeles. It's an interesting, tasty alternative to your normal salad that brings all the fall flavors you're craving. Make it on a weeknight and then pack your leftovers for lunch.

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Wheat Berry and Squash Salad

Credit: Abby Hocking
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Apron guru Ellen Bennett’sflavorful grain salad is a meal unto itself, combining winter squash, parsnips and wheat berries with kale, pomegranate seeds and feta cheese. It’s a light, festive crowd-pleaser that you can certainly serve as a vegetarian main dish or on the side of a delicious fall roast.

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Roasted Squash and Mixed Sprouts Bowl

Credit: David Malosh
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This outstanding, good-for-you vegetarian salad from chef Jessica Koslow features an array of textures and flavors, from tender roasted Delicata squash to crunchy sprouts and creamy lebneh, a delicious Lebanese strained yogurt. This seasonal dish is the definition of lunch goals that you can actually achieve.

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Orecchiette with Butternut Squash, Cinnamon and Mint

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Butternut squash and orecchiette pasta get a huge dose of flavor thanks to cinnamon, red pepper flakes, and lemon in this brilliant, quick dish. It's a great go-to weeknight pasta dish for the season and takes just 35 minutes to whip up.

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Roasted Kabocha with Maple Syrup and Ginger

Credit: John Kernick
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Cookbook author Melissa Clark likes sweetening up slices of roasted winter squash, so she roasts them with maple syrup, olive oil, fresh ginger and thyme. It’s a simple idea, but the combination of flavors highlights the squash in a delicious way. Another bonus: The recipe can easily be made ahead and served at room temperature.

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Butternut Squash with Fennel and Apple

Credit: Food & Wine
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Fennel and apple round out this easy oven-roasted butternut squash dish. Gala apples are suggested, but any mild, sweet variety will do.

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Butternut Squash Soup

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Adding collard greens, bell pepper, corn and carrot to a rustic butternut squash soup is Mary Ellen Diaz's clever way of making it even more healthy. Together these vegetables deliver vitamins A and C as well as fiber and powerful antioxidants.

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By Alison Spiegel