Creamy Butternut Squash Bake Recipe for Passover

Move over potato kugel

This year, I am making a Creamy Butternut Squash Bake for Passover.  Last year, I made potato kugel to bring to a Passover seder and this year I wanted to find an alternative healthy side dish: butternut squash seemed like the ideal vegetable to turn to. 

The traditional potato kugel for Passover is delicious but can feel heavy, especially in the context of a special Passover meal that has more than one rich component. This creamy butternut squash bake is pareve and offers a blend of flavors and textures that will fit any meat, dairy or pareve Passover meal. It’s a flavorful departure from the usual, and a wholesome addition for your seder.

You know, sometimes in the midst of all the food indulgence, there's something magical about recipes that are simple. I've been diving into recipes with just a handful of ingredients lately, and let me tell you, it feels like a relief. Often a simple recipe made with tasty ingredients - think of a perfectly ripe tomato, sliced and served with a drizzle of olive oil and a crack of black pepper, for instance - is just as delicious as something that takes hours and is exhausting to make. So, this year for Passover, why not prepare some very simple recipes - to save time and for your health. Simplify the food part of your life and you can have more energy and focus for enjoying connecting with the people around you this Passover. Trust me, you won't regret it.

The star ingredient in this dish is, of course, butternut squash. It is roasted until tender, mashed into a puree, and then mixed with just the right amount of coconut sugar, coconut oil, and a hint of vanilla extract, a touch of cinnamon to add a warming spice that matches the sweetness of the squash. This bake is bound together with eggs and arrowroot starch, resulting in a texture that is light and airy while also creamy. It is served cool, so is particularly easy to make ahead and doesn’t need anything done to it before serving. 

Serve this dish family-style straight from the casserole dish at the seder or for breakfast during Passover. Whether enjoyed as a side or a standalone dish, this Creamy Butternut Squash Bake promises to be a highlight of your Passover table.

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Creamy Butternut Squash Bake For Passover

Category: Pareve

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 2 hours

Total time: 2 hours 10 minutes

Yield: 10-12

About:

A rich and creamy Pareve butternut squash bake for Passover that is lower in sugar and oil, but full of flavor. The texture is incredibly smooth and delicately spiced with cinnamon. We suggest serving it family-style - straight from the casserole dish, so everyone can dig in during the festivities. 

Ingredients: (in order of use in the recipe)  

• 1 medium butternut squash

• 0-2 tablespoons coconut sugar (based on your sweet tooth and tolerance for sugar - I make this recipe without added sugar and it tastes sweet because of the natural sugar in the butternut squash)

• ¼ cup coconut oil

• 3 large eggs

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 1 teaspoon cinnamon

• ½ cup arrowroot starch (or tapioca/potato starch)

• ¼ teaspoon salt

• Tools:

Rimmed baking sheet

Measuring cups and spoons

Mixing bowl

Casserole dish

Potato masher or a fork

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F and line a rimmed baking sheet with a piece of parchment paper. 

2. Slice the butternut squash in half lengthwise and place it cut-side-down on the prepared baking sheet. Place in the oven to roast until completely cooked and very tender, around 40-50 minutes. Remove from the oven and let it cool completely.

3. Once the butternut squash is completely cooled, peel and mash the flesh. (One whole butternut squash will probably yield around 3 cups of mash - if yours is significantly more or less than that, you might choose to tweak the amounts of the other ingredients.)

4. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and grease a 10-inch casserole dish with a bit of coconut oil.

5. In a large bowl, combine the butternut squash puree, coconut sugar, coconut oil,  eggs, and vanilla. Whisk until the mixture is completely smooth and creamy.

6. Fold in the cinnamon, arrowroot starch, and salt. 

7. Transfer the batter into the prepared casserole dish and place in the oven to bake until very puffed up and set on top, around 40-50 minutes.

8. Allow to cool completely before serving - it will be best if left to cool overnight. Enjoy!

   

As you prepare for Passover, I'm curious about what's cooking in your kitchen this year! If you make any Jewish Food Hero recipes, I'd love your feedback. Snap a pic and shoot me a message—I can't wait to hear how it turns out for you. 

Am Yisrael Chai

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