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Some things aren't fair, and they are actually stupid. This mashed butternut squash is vegan, gluten-free, and you don't even need a potato masher to pull it off! But somehow, mashed potatoes have been running unopposed at the Thanksgiving table for like, everrrr. Well m'love, the throne just got a challenger, and it's covered in tahini, warm spices, and enough sesame seeds to make your whole crew swipe left on Mr. Potatohead forevermore.
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Texture-wise, we're not churning out a Wild West bucket o' baby food here. The food processor leaves just enough texture behind that this lands somewhere between silky and chunky mashed potatoes, but with way more personality than a purée that forgot it used to be a vegetable. A drizzle of great-tasting extra-virgin olive oil, fresh parsley, and toasted sesame seeds on top, and it looks like it belongs at a table with cloth napkins, even though your decades-old oven did most of the actual work, and you fully intend to consume this in a bathtub by the handful like a God forsaken squash monster.
But set it next to a mushroom Wellington, my tofu turkey, or a seitan brisket? This is the side dish that makes your guests pause mid-conversation, go quiet for a second, and then immediately ask what's in it as they visibly experience spiritual bliss.
Jump to:
🥰 Why you'll adore this butternut squash mash
✊ Vegan AF & GF: Well, no duh, I didn't put animal stuff in this. That would be gross and barbaric. Like a lot of my vegan side recipes, this slots right onto the leaderboards of your favey gluten-free vegan recipes too.
🥔 Mashed Potatoes' New Rival: This has the same comforting mashed texture everyone loves, except this one actually has something going on flavor-wise and nutrition-wise instead of just lying there being beige.
⏱️ Mostly Hands-Off: Roast the squash, dump it in the processor, walk away. The oven does the real work while you go live your best life (what that looks like is you dressed in Border Collie pyjamas looking up "funny eyebrows" on Google image search and laughing).
✅ Tested and Approved Worldwide: Every one of my vegan Thanksgiving recipes gets run through the same initiation ritual. Feedback from over 1,000 recipe testers from around the world were collected before they get published. This one made it through with flying colors.
🤘learn to make insanely flavorful vegan sides
This guide to my most popular vegan side dishes is 100% FREE, & you'll love the actual heck out of it 🥰
🥣 Vegan butternut squash puree ingredients
The Squash
Roast it, don't boil it, or you're getting bland ass squash soup instead of a side dish. Frozen squash is a hard no. Butternut, acorn, kabocha, pumpkin, are all fair game. Cut relatively even cubes, roast for the full amount of time, and make sure the pieces are full tendy-before-blendy.
Tahini Paste
Look for a smooth, pourable tahini rather than a stiff, clumpy one that has the texture of peanut butter forgotten in the dry desert sun. Don't get confused though, I am not talking about tahini sauce (aka tarator) here. The paste is what you need.
The spices
This blend has opinions. Coriander for its musky backbone, cardamom for florals, cinnamon for warmth, cloves for a little musky edge. Burlap and Barrel's cloud forest cardamom is the one that made me realize I'd been settling for the dregs all these years.
*See the recipe card at the bottom of the page for exact quantities, nutritional info, and detailed cooking directions.
🤯Variations
Butternut Squash Hummus
My butternut squash hummus recipe is basically this with chickpeas, no maple, and slightly more authentically Middle Eastern spices in the mix.
Curried Butternut Mash
Ditch the coriander, cardamom, cinnamon, and cloves and use 2 teaspoons of curry powder instead, my Madras curry powder or Japanese curry powder blend both work great. Swap the parsley for cilantro and it's a new dish wearing the same squash.
Grab my easy-yo-use app that builds your whole week with real, chef-tested vegan dinners in 30 seconds, customized to your budget, time, and taste, with a shopping list sorted by aisle.
📖 How to make this Butternut Squash Mash
Roast, blend, done. Your actual job here is mostly staring at the oven and resisting the urge to open it every 5 minutes (DON'T). Follow the steps and tips below, or jump to the recipe card if this isn't your first rodeo.
Step One
Roastbusters:
Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
Toss the butternut squash with the olive oil and spread it in a single layer on a baking sheet. Roast for 35 to 40 minutes, turning once halfway through, until fork tender and lightly browned.
Step Two
Tahini Weenie Little Polka Dot Bikini:
Transfer the roasted squash to a food processor along with the tahini, maple syrup, garlic, coriander, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, pepper flakes, olive oil, salt, and black pepper. Purée for about 2 minutes until mostly smooth, leaving a little texture behind.
Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed. Move the mashed squash to a serving bowl.
Step Three
Mashing Pumpkins:
Drizzle with olive oil and top with the parsley and toasted sesame seeds.
💡Serving Ideas
This mash has a well in the center for 1 reason: gravy. Mushroom gravy goes deep and earthy, vegan brown gravy keeps things smooth and simple, onion gravy has a nice, rich, sweet complexity, and vegan sausage gravy makes the whole vibe more southern.
Other sides that go amazing with this are vegan green bean casserole, vegan truffled macaroni and cheese, roasted parsnips, and vegan cornbread stuffing. A tray of roasted Brussels sprouts or cranberry ezme levels things up nutritionally.
👉Top tips
- Use a Convection Setting if You Have One: Flip it on if you've got it. It moves the heat around better, so you get those caramelized, lightly charred edges faster than a regular bake setting could ever manage.
- Never Use Frozen Squash Here: It's like a water balloon compared to fresh, and that water turns your roast into a soggy mess, not a caramelized one. Peel the fresh stuff. It's worth the 5 minutes, I promise.
🤷♀️ Recipe FAQs
Yes, acorn squash, kabocha squash, or pumpkin all work well as substitutes. All should be peeled, even the kabocha, which usually doesn't need to be, but come on, this is a puree.
A high-speed blender works too, just make sure it's an actual high-speed blender and not some sucky ol' dusty antique that's been sitting in your grandfather's tool shed since 2002. You'll need to stop and scrape down the sides more often either way. A potato masher or hand mixer can also do the job if you're fine with a chunkier final texture.
🧊 In the Fridge
Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days. It thickens as it chills, so a splash of water or plant milk when reheating brings the texture back.
🔥 Reheating
Warm gently in a saucepan over low heat, stirring frequently, or microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring between each. Add a little liquid if it needs loosening up.
✌️More Butternut squash recipes to Thrill Your Senses:
Maple-Tahini Mashed Butternut Squash Recipe
Ingredients
For Roasting:
- 2 pounds butternut squash peeled, seeded, and cubed 1-inch
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
For Mashing:
- ½ cup tahini paste
- 3 tablespoons maple syrup
- 2 teaspoons garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon coriander
- 1 ¼ teaspoon cardamom
- 1 ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground cloves
- ½ teaspoon Aleppo pepper flakes or crushed red pepper flakes
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 teaspoon salt or to taste
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
To Garnish:
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons parsley chopped
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Toss the butternut squash with the olive oil and spread it in a single layer on a baking sheet. Roast for 35-40 minutes, turning once halfway through, until fork tender and lightly browned.
- Transfer the roasted squash to a food processor along with the tahini, maple syrup, garlic, coriander, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, red pepper flakes, olive oil, salt, and black pepper. Puree for about 2 minutes until mostly smooth, leaving a small amount of texture.
- Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed. Transfer the mashed squash to a serving bowl.
- Drizzle with the olive oil and garnish with the parsley and toasted sesame seeds.
Notes
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