Squash is easily one of my favorite things to eat in the fall. I love butternut squash made with butter and brown sugar it is so delicious it is almost like eating dessert. This year however I wanted to try something a little different, savory squash instead of sweet, mind blown!
Butternut squash with butter and brown sugar is the only way I have had squash up until I made this dish. I have always loved it and never wanted to change it but I can also see where a lot of people might not like it that way because of its texture. When you make squash like this it is basically the consistency of baby food so I get why some people are turned off by it.
I love to cook for people and I love to try making new dishes. So I made this savory maple butternut squash for our 2nd annual Fakesgving.
I was inspired to make this dish by two things, first my wife’s amazingly delicious Hearty Chicken and Pumpkin Soup, and Chef’s Table on Netflix.
My wife’s Hearty Chicken and Pumpkin Soup turned out so good with all of the amazing savory flavors combining so well with the sweetness of the pumpkin that I knew the squash would be just as delicious.
Chef’s Table on Netflix is such an amazing show that it really inspired me to get back in the kitchen and cook. This show is definitely not your typical boring documentary it is an extremely beautiful docuseries that follows amazing chef’s and tells their unique stories. I was genuinely moved by the second episode because I grew up on a farm. Just seeing a turn of the century farm being modernized in an old fashioned way to produce beautiful ingredients for a modern restaurant was amazing.
It has really been a while since I have created anything in the kitchen but after watching Chef’s Table there was no stopping me. Squash happened to be one of the ingredients that was featured on the second episode of the season and that is when I decided that I was going to try a savory squash dish.
Squash became a staple because it can be stored for long periods of time in a cool dry place. The tough skin on the squash gives it these qualities and made it an easy crop for farmers to store over the winter. It also makes peeling squash a little bit tough.
With a good sharp knife and some perseverance you can get the job done. First cut off the bottom of the squash so it has a flat surface to sit on standing upright, then slice the skin off from the top down.
Once the squash has been skinned cube it into bite sized pieces while melting 2 to 3 tablespoons of butter in a large skillet. This is a very simple recipe and cooks much faster than baking in the oven. I used some garlic, thyme, sea salt, and black pepper along with a little maple syrup for some sweetness.
Toss everything together in the frying pan over medium high heat and cook until squash is tender and slightly browned on each side. This dish is the perfect mixture of slightly sweet and mostly savory, even Brittany ate it and we all know how picky she can be!
| Savory Maple Butternut Squash | Print |
- 1 Butternut squash peeled, seeded, and cubed
- 2-3 TBS Butter for frying
- 1 TBS Thyme
- 1 tsp Garlic powder
- ½ tsp Sea salt
- ½ tsp Black pepper
- 2 TBS Maple syrup
- Peel, seed, and cube the squash.
- Add butter to frying pan and heat over medium high heat until butter is melted and hot do not let butter burn.
- Add cubed squash and toss in melted butter to coat.
- Add seasonings except for maple syrup.
- Fry squash until tender, let squash sit and fry to lightly brown the edges no need to constantly stir.
- Once squash is tender add the maple syrup, stir, and continue to fry for another minute or so.
- Serve warm. Enjoy!
I am the husband of the Geek and the beard behind the blog! I really enjoy writing about my family and all of my interests. I will be sharing everything from great grilling recipes to the perfect beer for the season.