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5 BEST Substitutes for Butternut Squash: Flavorful Choices

Butternut squash is one of the most popular winter vegetables, mainly because it tastes good and has a high nutritional content.

This delicious vegetable is a good source of potassium, fiber, and vitamin C.

Butternut squash can be challenging to prepare.

Many people have a hard time peeling and cutting this tough vegetable; however, the most difficult part of cooking it is finding healthy substitutes for butternut squash.

Sometimes, you can’t replace it at all, like if you want to make soup or lasagna.

But there are many dishes where you can use another ingredient instead.

For instance, when baking a pie or casserole with butternut squash in it, you can replace it with an equal amount of sweet potato.

You can also try using pumpkin in your favorite recipes that call for butternut squash.

In this article, we will list five common foods that are good substitutions for butternut squash.

What is Butternut Squash?

what is butternut squash

A lot of you must be aware of butternut squash.

For those who are not aware, butternut squash is a pumpkin that is grown on a vine.

In Australia and New Zeeland, it is also known as butternut pumpkin.

A lot of people like the taste of butternut squash. It has a sweet and nutty taste.

You can make many recipes from a butternut squash like butternut squash soup, roasted butternut squash, butternut squash tart, and many more.

According to Medical news today, 205 grams of butternut squash contains only 82 calories, making it very healthy.

But what if you want to make a recipe out of it, but it is not available?

5 Best Substitutes for Butternut Squash

best substitutes for butternut squash

Here are some substitutes that can be used for butternut squash in your recipes.

1 – Acorn Squash

acorn squash

One of the best substitutes for butternut squash will be acorn squash.

The taste of acorn squash is very close to butternut squash.

Though it is smaller in size as compared to the butternut squash and it has a milder taste.

Acorn squash is rich in fiber and can be used easily instead of butternut squash.

While the butternut squash is good for making soups, acorn squash is better for roasting.

The skin of acorn squash is a little hard to peel off compared to that of butternut squash.

But both of them can be easily used instead of each other for a lot of recipes.

So, you can consider using acorn squash next time you do not have butternut squash.

2 – Hubbard Squash

hubbard squash

One more substitute for butternut squash is hubbard squash.

It may not be the same as butternut squash from outside, but it tastes almost the same.

The skin of hubbard squash is hard, whereas it is tender from the inside.

You can roast it first and then use it for cooking. It can be used for making soups and purees.

The taste of hubbard squash is sweet, just like pumpkin. It is rich in fiber, Vitamin A and Vitamin C.

Some people find the flavor of hubbard squash similar to sweet potatoes.

It is a very good ingredient for baking, and it can be used for baking pies.

So next time, you do not need to worry about butternut squash and can use hubbard squash instead.

3 – Delicata Squash

delicata squash

Another substitute for butternut squash is delicate squash.

It is smaller in size as compared to butternut squash and its other substitutes.

However, it tastes just like the butternut squash.

The skin of delicata squash is edible, so you do not need to peel off its skin.

You have to roast it by sprinkling some salt and spices on it.

You can roast, bake, steam, and even eat a delicata squash as it is.

It is low in calories, so it is considered a healthy ingredient. It is also rich in Vitamin C.

So, you can use both delicata squash and butternut squash in place of each other.

Next time, if you are running out of butternut squash, do consider using delicata squash.

4 – Sweet Potatoes

sweet potatoes

Sweet potatoes are also very much like the butternut squash in taste. Both of them can be roasted, baked, boiled or even microwaved.

They look very different in shape and size, but they have almost similar flavor.

Both sweet potato and butternut squash can be used for making soups or mashed with milk and butter to make a side dish.

They also taste good when used in curries and stews, just like acorn squash and hubbard squash.

The color of sweet potatoes is more orange-red as compared to that of butternut squash, and its skin is a lighter shade of orange. It has a thin skin, which can be easily peeled off.

The texture of soft sweet potatoes is not as smooth as soft butternut squash.

Sweet potato tastes sweeter than that of butternut squash or hubbard squash, so you have to add less sugar while making desserts.

It is very healthy, so it can be said that sweet potatoes are a better substitute for butternut squash.

You can try using sweet potatoes next time you want to make any recipe with butternut squash in place of it.

5 – Buttercup Squash

buttercup squash

The last alternative of butternut squash that we have for you is buttercup squash.

Both butternut squash and buttercup squash sound almost similar.

It has a sweet and creamy taste which is very much like the taste of butternut squash.

Buttercup squash has dark green skin, and from inside, it has bright orange flesh.

It can be baked or boiled easily in a matter of fifteen to twenty minutes.

Buttercup squash is very dense and creamy, so it tastes better when used in desserts rather than in soups.

It looks like the acorn squash, but its skin is dark green in color instead of light brown or tan.

It is a good source of vitamin A and potassium. It can be used as a substitute for any recipe that requires butternut squash instead of it.

So, the next time you prepare any dish and accidentally run out of butternut squash, just replace it with buttercup squash or with the other substitutes mentioned above.

Conclusion

It often happens that we want to use a particular ingredient, but we cannot as we do not have it.

So, now you do not need to worry as we are sure that you will find one of the ingredients out of the five to use in place of butternut squash.

It is also very important to cook our ingredients according to their characteristics.

So, it is always wise to use a substitute that has similar characteristics as the original one.

best substitutes for butternut squash

The 5 Best Substitutes for Butternut Squash

5 from 1 vote
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Course Substitutes
Servings 4 Servings

Ingredients
  

  • Acorn Squash
  • Hubbard Squash
  • Delicata Squash
  • Sweet Potatoes
  • Buttercup Squash

Instructions
 

  • Choose your preferred substitute from the list of options.
  • Organize all of your ingredients.
  • Follow the substitution ratio to determine how much is required in your recipe.
Did you make this recipe?Mention @EatDelights or tag #eatdelights!

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