How to Make Butternut Squash With Cheese and Walnuts

This simple dish makes a great addition to a winter meal. Serves four to six as a side dish.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Groceries
• Baking Dishes
• Cheese Graters
• Food Processors Or Blender W/ Puree Setting
• Vegetable Steamers
• 1 1/2 lbs. butternut squash
• 2-3 tbsp. freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 tbsp. softened, unsalted butter
• 1/4 c. finely chopped walnuts

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Peel, seed and cut up squash into 3/4-inch pieces.
3. Place squash in a vegetable steamer for 15 minutes or until tender.
4. Puree squash with butter in a food processor.
5. Season with salt and pepper and transfer to a buttered shallow baking dish.
6. Smooth the top and sprinkle with finely chopped walnuts and parmesan cheese.
7. Bake in upper third of oven for 15 minutes or until cheese melts.

Tips & Warnings

• To simulate a steamer, consider using a covered colander over a pot of water.
• If you hate peeling squash, and have more time, halve the squash, remove the seeds and fibers, and roast in the 400-degree oven for 40 minutes or until really soft. Then just scoop the flesh out of the peel and into the processor.
• You can also use other varieties of winter squash, such as kabocha, sweet dumpling or acorn, or even pumpkin.