Recipes Side Dishes Potato Dishes Mashed Potatoes Mashed Potatoes with Butternut Squash 5.0 (3,207) 2 Reviews Our favorite cold-weather produce joins forces for the ultimate fall side dish: butternut squash mashed potatoes. By Grace Parisi Grace Parisi Grace Parisi a former senior test kitchen editor for Food & Wine, where she wrote several successful monthly columns: Food & Wine Handbook, Tasting & Testing, Flavor of the Month, Power Pantry, and Chefs Recipes Made Easy. Parisi has also been published in McCall’s, Redbook, and The New York Times, has written five hit cookbooks, and has appeared numerous times on national television. Food & Wine's Editorial Guidelines Updated on October 23, 2023 Save Rate PRINT Share Close Photo: © Frances Janisch Active Time: 25 mins Total Time: 50 mins Yield: 12 servings Jump to recipe These creamy butternut squash mashed potatoes ask (and answer) the question: Why make both potatoes and roasted squash when you can combine the two? This inventive fall side dish is easier to prepare than you may expect — butternut squash is roasted in the oven, then pureed until smooth and folded into a batch of buttery, garlicky mashed potatoes, lending a subtle sweetness and lovely light-orange color to this genius combination of butternut squash mashed potatoes. Garnish with a sprinkle of fresh thyme and grated Parmesan cheese for added umami flavor. Frequently Asked Questions Is it better for the potatoes to be whole or cut up when boiling? Actually, the answer is somewhere in the middle. We find that it’s best to cut potatoes in half or quarters when making mashed potatoes. If you cook them whole, they’ll take longer to get fork-tender all the way through and will be more unwieldy when mashing. If you cut them too small, on the other hand, they’ll absorb too much water, which can make them fall apart while boiling and create a less creamy texture when mashed. Why do my hands feel weird after touching butternut squash? For a small percentage of people, butternut squash can trigger contact dermatitis — causing redness, itchiness, mild inflammation, or general skin irritation on parts of the body exposed to the squash. Given that this often occurs while handling squash in the kitchen, the condition has earned the colloquial name "squash hands." Symptoms typically resolve on their own and can be eased by applying a topical steroid like hydrocortisone. But prevention is simple: If you've experienced this in the past, wear gloves next time you're cutting up butternut squash, or buy it pre-sliced at the grocery store. Notes from the Food & Wine Test Kitchen For ultra-fluffy potatoes, we press the boiled potatoes through a ricer; a food mill or a fine-mesh sieve will also work well. If you choose to mash them by hand, be gentle; otherwise, the potatoes will turn gluey. The butternut squash should be pureed in a food processor until totally smooth. One rule we swear by for making the best mashed potatoes is warming the dairy — whether it’s half-and-half, heavy cream, butter, or some combination — in a small saucepan on the stovetop before mixing it into the hot mashed potatoes. This way, you’ll maintain a consistent temperature, which will help prevent gummy spuds. Remember that potatoes are an extremely starchy and bland vegetable, so they need salt — more than you might think — to really come alive. Salt them, taste them, and then decide if you need more. You can also garnish with thyme and Parmesan for even more flavor. Make ahead The dish can be made earlier in the day and kept at room temperature. Before serving, warm it over moderate heat, stirring constantly. Cook Mode (Keep screen awake) Ingredients 1 (3-pound) butternut squash, peeled, seeded and sliced 1/2-inch thick 1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil Kosher salt 3 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and quartered 4 garlic cloves 1 cup half-and-half 1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter Directions Preheat the oven to 400°F. In a large bowl, toss the squash with the oil and season with salt. Spread the squash on a nonstick baking sheet and roast, turning once, for about 25 minutes, until tender and lightly browned in spots. Transfer the squash to a food processor and puree until smooth. Meanwhile, in a large pot, cover the potatoes and garlic with cold water and bring to a boil. Simmer over moderate heat until tender, about 20 minutes. Drain the potatoes and garlic in a colander, shaking out the excess water. Add the half-and-half and butter to the pot and heat until melted. Remove from the heat. Press the potatoes and garlic through a ricer into the pot and season with salt. Stir in the butternut squash puree and cook over moderate heat until very hot. Transfer the mashed potatoes to a bowl and serve right away. Originally appeared: November 2009 Rate It Print