An easy recipe for an airy, delicate butternut squash souffle that does not require separating the eggs. The perfect fall and winter side dish!
Airy, delicate and just barely sweet, this tasty souffle is a wonderful fall or winter side dish. It’s also quite easy to make (don’t let the water bath deter you), so I make it often for my family.
It is sweetened with just a little honey and flavored with vanilla and cinnamon. It’s not overly sweet, though, so you can certainly serve it as a side dish. It’s not really suitable as a dessert.
The ingredients you’ll need
You’ll only seven ingredients to make this tasty butternut squash souffle. The exact measurements are included in the recipe card below. Here’s an overview of what you’ll need:
Cubed raw butternut squash: I make life easier by buying it pre-cubed, either at Whole Foods or in the supermarket. You can obviously buy a whole squash and cube it yourself.
Soft unsalted butter: I love creamy Europea butter! But any unsalted butter will be great in this recipe.
Honey: I haven’t tried using a sugar-free alternative in this recipe, so I don’t know if it would work, but I suspect it would.
Vanilla extract: Try to use the real thing – pure vanilla extract – and not the artificially flavored stuff.
Ground cinnamon: Make sure it’s fresh! A stale spice can easily ruin a dish, and I’m speaking from experience…
Kosher salt: If using fine salt, you should reduce the amount you use, or the dish could end up too salty.
Eggs: I use large eggs in most of my recipes, this one included.
How to make butternut squash souffle
Scroll down to the recipe card for the detailed instructions. Here are the basic steps:
1. Your first step is to steam the butternut squash cubes in the microwave. You can also use a basket steamer on the stovetop, but I find the microwave is easiest and fastest.
2. The next step is to place the steamed squash cubes with the remaining ingredients in your food processor and process them into a smooth frothy mixture. I haven’t tried using anything other than the food processor in this recipe.
3. The last step is to pour the mixture into buttered ramekins and bake the souffles in a water bath until they are cooked through.
Not a real souffle… but delicious nonetheless
Since I’m too lazy to separate the eggs, whip the egg whites and fold them into the mixture, this souffle doesn’t puff up a lot in the oven.
On the flip side, it also doesn’t deflate when you take it out of the oven. And despite my laziness, it has this delightful light and airy texture.
What goes with butternut squash souffle?
Anything, really. It’s such a versatile side dish. However, for convenience, I often serve it with a main course that I can bake in the same 350°F oven, such as:
What about leftovers?
Leftovers keep well in the fridge, in an airtight container, for 3-4 days. Gently reheat them in the microwave on 50% power prior to serving. The souffle does lose some of its airiness, but its flavor is excellent even on the fourth day.
More butternut squash recipes that you might enjoy
This roasted butternut squash, seasoned with chili, garlic and olive oil, is one of the most successful recipes on this blog and with good reason. It’s a wonderfully flavorful dish.
And mashed butternut squash is delicious and very easy to make, especially if you use pre-cut squash.
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Butternut Squash Souffle
INGREDIENTS
- 1 tablespoon soft unsalted butter for ramekins
- 3 heaping cups cubed raw butternut squash (16 oz)
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Dash Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- 4 large eggs, lightly beaten
INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Boil 4 cups of water and pour them into a 9 X 13 inch baking dish. Grease six ¾-cup ramekins with butter.
- Steam the squash: place the cubed raw squash in a large microwave-safe bowl. Add 1/2 cup water. Cover and microwave for 15 minuets, until tender. Drain.
- Place the cooked squash along with the remaining ingredients in your food processor. Process until well combined and frothy.
- Pour the mixture into the ramekins and place the ramekins in the prepared baking dish. Bake until center appears set and a toothpick inserted in it comes out clean, 30-40 minutes. Allow to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before serving.
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Vered DeLeeuw, LL.M., CNC, has been following a low-carb real-food diet and blogging about it since 2011. She's a Certified Nutrition Coach (NASM-CNC), has taken courses at the Harvard School of Public Health, and has earned a Nutrition and Healthy Living Certificate from Cornell University. Her work has appeared in several major media outlets, including Healthline, HuffPost, Today, Women's Health, Shape, Reader's Digest, and Better Homes and Gardens.