Is Butternut Squash Paleo? (How to Add it to Your Meal)
Butternut squash is a versatile vegetable with a nutty taste, like that of a pumpkin.
But is butternut squash paleo?
Butternut squash is paleo, as long as you don’t mix it with other non-paleo ingredients.
Apart from being paleo, butternut squash is also rich in Vitamin C and an excellent source of Vitamin A, carbohydrates, and other essential minerals.
Here are some creative ways to use butternut squash to create paleo-friendly meals.
4 Creative Ways to Add Butternut Squash to Your Meals
Here are the ways you can use butternut in your paleo-friendly meals.
1. Soups
A butternut squash soup is warm, creamy, and simple to make. You can have the soup for lunch or dinner. The best part is that you can use either roasted or frozen butternut squash.
Creamy Butternut Soup
Here’s a quick recipe you can try.
Ingredients
- Cubed butternut squash
- Olive oil
- White onion, diced
- Minced garlic
- Chicken broth or vegetable broth
- Canned coconut milk
- Crispy bacon for garnish (Optional)
Directions
- Add the olive oil, diced onion, and minced garlic to a large saucepan or skillet. Cook these over medium heat for 5-6 minutes. Check to see that the onions are soft.
- Once the onions are ready, add the cubed butternut squash, chicken broth, and your preferred spices to the skillet and bring them to a boil. Then the mixture should simmer on low heat for at least 20-30 minutes.
- Switch off your cooker and add half a cup of coconut milk to the skillet. Stir to combine with the other ingredients.
- Pour the cooked butternut mixture into a food processor or blender, and blend until smooth.
- Finish off by garnishing with crispy bacon and some coconut milk.
Note that it’s perfectly OK to experiment with different ingredients when making your butternut squash soup.
You can choose to omit the bacon to focus on the butternut’s taste. And spices like cumin, cayenne, nutmeg, and coriander add flavor and a bit of heat to your soup.
2. Desserts
You can still enjoy your dessert by incorporating butternut squash into your recipe. One excellent way to do this is to make butternut squash brownies.
Butternut Squash Brownies
Here’s a butternut squash brownie recipe that is simple to make and paleo-friendly.
Remember to puree your squash after placing it in a steamer and waiting for its skin to be tender. Allow it cool to room temperature before using it in the recipe.
Ingredients
- Pureed butternut squash
- Olive oil
- Vanilla extract
- Almond flour
- Cocoa powder
- Granulated sugar or coconut sugar
- Salt
- 2 Eggs
- Dark chocolate
Directions
- Start by preheating the oven to 350°F. Line a square baking dish with parchment paper and set it aside.
- Put dark chocolate in a saucepan and melt it over low heat. Turn off the heat once melted.
- Begin to make the batter. In a huge bowl, add the coconut sugar, vanilla, eggs, oil, and squash puree. Whisk everything until smooth. Add in the cocoa powder, almond flour, and salt, and whisk again.
- Stir in the melted chocolate using a spatula. Note that the chocolate should be warm when mixing it in but not hot.
- Pour the brownie batter into the lined baking dish, and place it in the preheated oven.
- Bake at 350°F for 30-45 minutes.
- Remove and allow the brownies to cool in the baking dish.
3. Sides
What better side to serve with a meal than paleo french fries?
Butternut Squash Fries
Butternut squash fries have a natural sweetness and can be baked rather than fried.
Here’s a simple recipe you can try.
Ingredients
- Butternut sliced into thin strips
- Ground black pepper
- Salt
Directions
- Preheat your oven to 425°F.
- Cut your peeled butternut squash into strips, ensuring the strips are thick and not thin like potato fries.
- On a baking sheet, place the fries flat, ensuring that every piece has its space.
- Bake the butternut squash fries for 20 minutes at 425°F. Flip the fries over and place them back in the oven. Bake them for an extra 15-20 minutes.
- Once ready, season with fresh ground black pepper and salt, and serve.
4. Main Courses
Butternut squash can be used for many tasty dinners. Here are just two.
Beef and Butternut Squash Stew
Butternut squash is an excellent thickening ingredient that also adds a silky texture to any stew. This recipe uses grass-fed beef to balance out the meal and make it paleo-friendly.
Ingredients
- 1 pound beef steak, cut into chunks
- 2 pounds peeled and cut butternut squash
- Half a small red onion, sliced
- One large yellow onion, cut into thick wedges
- Chilies
- Half a cup of raw pumpkin seeds
- 2 teaspoons ground coriander
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- lime juice
- 6 cups of water
- fresh cilantro
Directions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F.
- Combine your beef, coriander, and half of the garlic in a large bowl. Add pepper and toss. Set the bowl aside and cover it.
- Toast your pumpkin seeds for 5 minutes and set them aside.
- Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat and cook your beef mixture. Ensure that you turn it until it browns. Transfer the meat to a plate.
- Remove the chilies’ stems and seeds. Cook the chilies in a pot over medium heat, making sure you stir the mixture for about 5 minutes.
- Add the beef, yellow onions, oregano, salt, pepper, and 6 cups of water to the pot.
- Allow this to boil and simmer until beef is tender.
- While the meat is simmering, preheat the oven to 425°F.
- Place your butternut squash cubes on a roast pan and drizzle some olive oil on them. Season with pepper and salt and allow the squash to roast for 30-40 minutes.
- Once the squash is roasted, add it to the beef stew mixture.
- Take the lime juice, red onion, and cilantro and mix them in a bowl. Allow this to sit for 20 minutes.
- You can serve the butternut squash stew with the pumpkin seeds, cilantro, and red onion mixture.
Butternut Squash Savory Curry
If you’re looking for a curry-based dish that is packed with flavor and has a unique texture, you should prepare this butternut squash curry. It’s full of vegetables and has a fantastic taste.
Here’s the quick recipe.
Ingredients
- 4 cups cubed butternut squash
- 2 cups raw spinach
- One can of full-fat coconut milk
- 3 cloves garlic
- Cooking oil
- Half diced onion
- 2 tablespoons red Thai curry paste
- 2teaspoons curry powder
- 1 teaspoon coriander
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/4 cup tomato sauce
- A tablespoon of coconut oil
- 1/2 cup water
- Cilantro for garnishing
Directions
- In a large saucepan, heat the oil and add the onion over medium heat. Stir for 3 minutes before adding the garlic.
- Add the curry paste and spices.
- Add the butternut and stir to coat with the spice. Let simmer until spices are fragrant but not burning.
- Add all the other ingredients, except the spinach.
- Stir and allow this to cook for 10-15 minutes over medium heat. Ensure the squash is evenly cooked but not mushy.
- Stir in the spinach and allow to wilt.
Final Thoughts
Butternut squash is an excellent vegetable that’s also paleo-friendly. It’s rich in Vitamin A, vitamin C, fiber, and other minerals.
You can find creative ways to add butternut to your meals, whether you’re making a hearty curry or whipping up some quick dessert. Hopefully, our recipes above will give you a head start on adding this fiber-rich vegetable to your everyday meals.
Resources
- https://littlespicejar.com/thai-butternut-squash-red-curry/
- https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/giada-de-laurentiis/beef-and-butternut-squash-stew-recipe-1950764
- https://paleogrubs.com/butternut-squash-recipes
- https://paleosafe.org/butternut-squash/
- https://goodcheapeats.com/butternut-squash-brownies/
- https://eatingexpired.com/is-butternut-squash-allowed-on-paleo-diet/
- https://www.cookingchanneltv.com/recipes/giada-de-laurentiis/beef-and-butternut-squash-stew-1950764
- https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/153205/butternut-squash-fries/
