Butternut Glut? Read This!

In July everyone is giving away zucchinis, but by October beautiful butternuts are up for grabs. Gardeners who thought they might grow a few find themselves with bumper crops, which is a great problem to have. Butternuts are among the most nutritious crops you can grow, packed with fiber, vitamins and antioxidants. In the kitchen you can use them for sweet or savory dishes, or substitute them for sweet potatoes or pumpkin in any recipe. Best of all, butternuts will keep for months when stored a cool, dry place.

Why do gardeners get buried by butternuts? In addition to their overall vigor in the garden, butternuts are naturally resistant to squash vine borers because their slender stems lack the food material needed by the borer larvae. Butternuts and other varieties of the Cucurbita moschata species often make a crop when pumpkins (C. pepo) fail due to borers. Butternuts are also more animal resistant compared to sweet potatoes, which are often damaged by deer or voles.

Harvesting and Curing Butternuts

Harvest butternuts when the stems die back and the fruits show a warm buff-beige color. Use clippers to retain a stub of stem, and move the squash to a warm, sunny spot to cure for a week or two, or cure them in a warm place indoors. After the rinds harden, gently wipe with a damp cloth to remove dirt, checking for cracks, wormholes or other problems. Some gardeners wipe their butternuts with a weak bleach solution, but this is an optional step. Set aside blemished fruits to use first. Store butternuts in a cool, dry place. Cool room temperatures are fine.

Cooking Butternut Squash

The average butternut weighs about three pounds (1.4 kg), but homegrown crops often include a range of sizes. Small, curvy fruits are tricky to peel, so they are best for cutting in half and baking with an interesting stuffing or sauce. Cut the squash in half lengthwise, scoop out the seeds with a grapefruit spoon, and bake them cut side down for 30 minutes before flipping them over, adding seasonings or filling, and baking a while longer. This way, extra moisture drains away rather than collecting in the seed cavity.

Save the giants for soups, pies, or a big batch of roasted cubes for the freezer. If all of your butternuts are heavyweights, cut them into halves or thirds and cook the pieces on different days. Or, cut the whole thing into cubes, and store some of the cut pieces in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to five days.

You can be endlessly creative with the basic butternut recipes below. First try making roasted butternut squash, which brings out the best in butternuts. Small chunks lose moisture as they bake in a hot oven, which concentrates their flavor, while a small amount of honey or maple syrup helps the pieces seal and brown. Extra roasted butternut can be frozen for later use in sauces, muffins or baked puddings.

Roasted Butternut Squash

• 1 medium butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1-inch chunks
• 1 Tablespoon olive oil
• 1 Tablespoon maple syrup or honey
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon

Toss ingredients together in a baking pan and roast in a 375°F (190°C) oven for 30 minutes, turning with a spatula halfway through. Juices given off by the squash keep the pieces from sticking.

To keep things on the savory side, serve roasted butternut with a light yogurt or tahini dressing and a sprinkle of fresh herbs like sage, rosemary or chives. You can add roasted squash to sturdy kale or spinach salads, or toss them into pasta dishes with caramelized onions. Adding brown sugar, nutmeg, and more cinnamon turns the roasted pieces into sweet treats, perfect for pairing with cottage cheese or smashing onto hot buttered toast.

Basic Butternut Soup

Butternut soup is endlessly versatile, and can be flavored with curry, chili powder or other distinctive spices, depending on the menu. Add lentils, black beans or creamy white beans to turn butternut soup into a substantial meal.

• 1 medium butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into pieces
• 2 Tablespoons butter or olive oil
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1 carrot, peeled and diced
• 3 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
• 4 cups vegetable or other good broth
• 1 tablespoon chopped herbs such as sage, rosemary or thyme
• ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
• ½ teaspoon salt

Cook the onion in the oil until soft, then add the other ingredients and simmer until done, about 30 minutes. Cool 20 minutes and use an immersion blender to blend until smooth. Top with more fresh chopped herbs before serving. Other good toppings include toasted pumpkin seeds or other nuts, or a swirl of sour cream or coconut milk.

Plants Related to this Article

Squash (Winter) Grow Guide

Bugs, Beneficial Insects and Plant Diseases

Squash Vine Borer Guide