36 Free And Fantastic AIP Butternut Squash Recipes
Butternut squash is easily available in most parts of the world, and its mild and sweet flavor has made it one of my personal favorites. It’s perfect for anyone on AIP because it contains plenty of nutrients, like Vitamin A and C, potassium and magnesium.
In theory, also the hard skin of the squash is edible. But the flavor is bitter and we all know how difficult it is to peel, right? If you’d prefer cooking your butternut squash without cutting it, we have great tips for you here.
Sometimes butternut squash is referred to as the winter squash. This name can be misleading since butternut squash is harvested in early fall.
They’re called winter squash because they can be stored for months in a cool and dark place (which is great, if you happen to have a cellar at your house!)
In Latin America, squash is commonly made into candy. While we are not sharing a butternut squash candy recipe here, we’ve included several dessert recipes that have turned this yummy veggie into even yummier treats!
It’s hard to pick a favorite but I bet you are going to fall in love with all the cakes – and definitely the persimmon dessert cups!
For breakfast, I would recommend trying one of the hash recipes. Or perhaps you’re more interested in a nice breakfast soup?
Besides breakfast, we’ve included several delicious butternut squash soup recipes that are easy to make for lunch or dinner. I always make a little extra because, in my opinion, the leftover soup tastes even better the next day!
Butternut squash can also be turned into tasty “rice” or noodles. Try the “mac and cheese” that contains no dairy, or go straight for the lasagna!
Here are just a few of the 36 Free And Fantastic AIP Butternut Squash Recipes we’ve included:
- Butternut Breakfast Soup
- Butternut Squash, Kale & Ground Beef Breakfast Bowl
- Easy Butternut Squash Soup
- Roasted Butternut Squash
- Persimmon Dessert Cups Stuffed with Butternut Squash
- Butternut Squash Cake with Honey Whipped Coconut Topping
- Butternut Squash Risotto
- Butternut Squash “Pasta” Sauce
If you click or tap any of the links above, it will instantly take you to the recipe below. Or download the entire list by clicking on the green button below.
AIP Butternut Squash for Breakfast
Butternut Breakfast Soup
– Autoimmune Wellness
Photo Credit: Autoimmune Wellness
Ingredients: solid cooking fat, onion, garlic, fresh rosemary, water, whole chicken, butternut squash, sea salt, baby spinach, lemon juice.
If you are following the autoimmune protocol it can be easy to tire of eating the sane things for breakfast every day, so that’s where homemade soups can be a good solution. They are easy to make, can be stored for through the week, and are a one-pot meal for any time of day. In this delicious recipe you are cooking the chicken with the vegetables, packing the soup with natural flavors.
Turkey Apple Breakfast Hash
– Fed and Fulfilled
Photo Credit: Fed and Fulfilled
Ingredients: ground turkey, coconut oil, dried thyme, cinnamon, sea salt, onion, zucchini, carrots, butternut squash, apple, spinach, cinnamon, powdered ginger, garlic powder, turmeric, dried thyme.
If you have no time to cook every morning, it can be a good idea to cook up a big AIP-friendly hash and use it for several days. This can also help keep you on track, as you don’t have to come up with new ideas all the time. This dish has protein, fruit and vegetables and makes a filling but healthy meal to start your day. This dish also works with ground chicken or pork.
Butternut Breakfast Bites
– Adventures in Partaking
Photo Credit: Adventures in Partaking
Ingredients: ground lamb, butternut, mint leaves, fresh parsley, cinnamon powder, garlic powder, sea salt.
These little breakfast bites are a great source of protein and vegetables to keep you going through the morning. They can be made with either ground beef, pork or even turkey, depending on what you have. If you are using turkey you could add sage instead of mint as the fresh herb, but the rest of the seasoning will work with whatever meat you choose.
Butternut Squash, Kale & Ground Beef Breakfast Bowl
– The Healthy Foodie
Photo Credit: Sonia from The Healthy Foodie
Ingredients: onion, button mushrooms, ground grass fed beef, salt, pepper (omit), kale leaves, butternut squash, full fat coconut milk, garam masala (omit), curry (omit), ground ginger, ground cinnamon, organic toasted coconut shavings.
Breakfast bowls can be such a useful thing for AIP breakfasts as you can pre-cook some of the ingredients and then mix them through when you need them. This is an adaptable dish and can be a good way to use up leftovers. They can also help to get the family to up their intake of veggies and healthy proteins in the morning. This bowl is a bit spicy, but feel free to adjust it to suit your palate.
Apple and Butternut Squash Hash
– PaleOMG
Ingredients: butternut squash, apple, US Wellness Meats Natural Breakfast Sausage, bacon, yellow onion, garlic, dried basil, salt, pepper (omit).
Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, so eating something nutritious is a good way to get your system off to a good start in the morning. This hash uses breakfast sausage, but it works well with ground meats. The apple adds a fresh flavor to the hash and you can also use different squashes too. Keep it paleo and get yourself off to a flying start!
Butternut Squash & Apple Breakfast Hash
– AIP Nutrition
Ingredients: butternut squash, apple, avocado oil, salt.
This hash recipe is suitable for vegan and vegetarian diets, but also fits with the AIP way of eating too. This is a lighter option than eating meaty breakfasts and can be good for people whose systems don’t like too much protein in the morning. This can also be served as a tasty side with cooked meats for lunch, and the caramel taste from the apple makes this a great side with pork.
AIP Breakfast Porridge
– AIP Lifestyle
Ingredients: butternut squash, full fat organic coconut milk, salt, cinnamon, ground ginger, apple, toasted coconut.
We all know that porridge has been used as a breakfast staple forever, but try this alternative! It is quick and easy to make and, with the cinnamon and cloves, provides a warming breakfast which is ideal on colder days. This is a paleo and keto-compliant recipe that takes only minutes to prepare so you can give the whole family a better start in the morning.
Butternut Squash Breakfast Sausage
– Real Food with Dana
Ingredients: coconut oil, ground turkey, butternut squash, apple, bacon, onion powder, garlic powder, thyme, salt.
Although this is described as a sausage dish, it turns out more like a meatloaf, and is so easy to cook and serve! Just a couple of slices served on their own or even with some salad greens, and you have a delicious and filling breakfast to enjoy. If you are new to AIP, you might find it a bit weird eating meat and veg for breakfast, so meatloaf can be a good way to transition.
AIP / Paleo Breakfast Hash Casserole with Butternut Squash & Cilantro
– A Squirrel in the Kitchen
Ingredients: extra-virgin olive oil, onion, zucchini, butternut squash, sea salt, fresh cilantro.
Although this is described as a breakfast dish, it could also be used for lunch or as a side for dinner along with roast meat. Here though it tastes great with bacon for a filling Paleo breakfast, getting your system off to a great start in the morning. If you don’t like cilantro, this can be garnished with flat-leaf parsley instead.
AIP Roasted Butternut Squash & Soups
Easy Butternut Squash Soup
– Paleo Flourish
Ingredients: onion, chicken broth, butternut squash, coconut oil, salt.
Butternut squash, when cooked and blended, gives a wonderful smooth yet hearty texture to this soup, making it a great paleo winter lunch or a snack to heat you up when you get home. You don’t need to cut the veggies small as the blender will cope with them! Just be careful when you are cutting up the squash as the skin can be quite tough.
Shallot & Rosemary Roasted Butternut Squash
– Meatified
Photo Credit: Rach from Meatified
Ingredients: butternut squash, shallots, coconut oil, dried rosemary, salt.
This is an AIP recipe for a delicious side dish that can be great to serve with roast meats. In this recipe you use shallot and rosemary to contrast the sweetness of the butternut squash and the rosemary adds a wonderful earthy flavor to the dish. Like most squash recipes this one would be ideal for meals in the Fall when squash is in season, but you can also chop squash and freeze it raw.
Turkey and Butternut Soup Infused with Ginger And Turmeric
– The Nourished Caveman
Photo Credit: Vivica from The Nourished Caveman
Ingredients: turkey carcass, turkey necks, apple cider vinegar, celery, carrot, whole peppercorns (omit), Celtic sea salt, fresh ginger root, fresh turmeric, butternut squash.
Once winter hits us there is nothing more satisfying than a big bowl of homemade soup! This one has the added benefits from the turmeric and ginger, which boost the immune system and can help you fight off all those annoying illnesses the kids bring home! Turkey soup is warming and satisfying and can help sustain you even on the coldest days.
Roasted Butternut Squash
– The Paleo Mom
Photo Credit: Sarah from The Paleo Mom
Ingredients: butternut squash, extra virgin coconut oil, fresh thyme.
Here is another simple AIP recipe that would suit on just about any eating plan, and gives you the perfect side to serve with your meat. Butternut squash can be difficult to peel, but you might find it easier if you cut the top and bottom off then stand it up and cut down through the peel. Once roasted, you will find the squash takes on a sweet and caramelized flavor.
Butternut, Ginger, and Pear Soup
– Empowered Sustenance
Photo Credit: Empowered Sustenance
Ingredients: onion, coconut oil, fresh ginger, garlic, butternut squash, pear, broth of choice, full fat canned coconut milk, coconut aminos, ground pepper (omit), salt.
With the sweetness of the pear and squash contrasting with the hit of ginger, this soup is a burst of flavor in your mouth! Homemade soups can be the best way to get goodness into the entire family, so why not add this one to your recipe collection. You can use any broth you have, but I find that chicken broth works really well with this combination of flavors.
Tray Roasted Butternut, Romanesco and Sausage with Sage Oil
– Healing Family Eats
Photo Credit: Healing Family Eats
Ingredients: olive oil, sage leaves, coconut oil, butternut squash, romanesco, shallots, garlic, pork sausages, kale (lacinato) leaves, capers.
Don’t you just love the look of romanesco? It really adds something special to a meal! It is actually a form of broccoli but so much more exciting to look at! This is an oven-baked dish that is so full of flavors and textures you won’t even notice that it’s low carb, and you can make it go further by adding extra veggies if you have a lot of mouths to feed.
Oven Roasted Butternut Squash
– The Healthy Foodie
Photo Credit: Sonia from The Healthy Foodie
Ingredients: butternut squash, extra-virgin olive oil, salt, pepper (omit), water.
This is a basic recipe that shows you how to roast butternut squash to perfection, which can be very handy if you are not so confident in the kitchen! The flesh of the squash can then be removed from the skin and blended to add to thick and hearty soups, or mashed and served instead of mashed potato for a low carb alternative.
Roasted Butternut Squash with Duck Fat, Garlic and Rosemary
– Cook Eat Paleo
Photo Credit: Lisa from Cook Eat Paleo
Ingredients: butternut squash, duck fat or fat of choice, garlic, fresh rosemary leaves, coarse sea salt, ground pepper (omit).
I have often struggled in the past to come up with paleo sides that are appealing to the eye as well as the taste buds, so when butternut squash is available I turn to recipes like these. You don’t have to use duck fat but I recommend you try using it once – you will find it makes such a difference to the flavor, and although it can be more expensive, it can be used on special occasions like Thanksgiving.
Easy Low Carb Chicken Soup
– I Breathe I’m Hungry
Photo Credit: Mellissa from I Breathe I’m Hungry
Ingredients: bone broth or chicken stock, garlic powder, dried oregano, celery, butternut squash, jicama, chicken, fresh parsley, apple cider vinegar, sea salt, pepper (omit).
Now we all know the benefits of chicken soup when you are not well, but there is nothing to stop you enjoying it when you are fit as a flea! When you are eating the AIP way, homemade soup is one of the best things you can make, as it is filling and full of goodness and can be served at any meal. It is easy to take with you for work, and with this recipe you can add in any veggies you have that need using up.
Winter Squash Soup
– AIP Sisterhood
Ingredients: olive oil, onion, garlic, pumpkin, butternut squash, bone broth, sea salt, full fat coconut milk, ground sage, ground ginger.
While you are on the path through AIP, you can feel like you are missing out on creamy things, so a lovely thick soup can be the answer. Although there is no dairy involved, this thick and smooth winter squash soup tastes as if it has cream in it. Serve this on a chilly day for instant warming, or even take it in a Thermos for lunch at work and you will have your colleagues drooling!
Butternut Squash AIP Desserts
Persimmon Dessert Cups Stuffed with Butternut Squash
– Paleo Flourish
Ingredients: fuyu persimmons, butternut squash puree, ground pecans (omit), cinnamon, nutmeg (omit), cloves.
These pretty little persimmon cups are quite quick and easy to make, but are so impressive that they would be great to serve at a dinner party. The persimmon fruit is sweet, hence the reason why you don’t need any additional sweetener, and when stuffed with the squash puree and spices, you have a light and delicious paleo dessert which would be perfect after a big meal.
Vanilla Cake
– It’s All About AIP
Photo Credit: It’s All About AIP
Ingredients: cassava flour, coconut flour, baking soda, sea salt, gelatin, butternut squash, coconut milk, coconut manna, apple sauce, palm shortening, honey, alcohol free vanilla extract, apple cider vinegar, maple tree water, coconut cream, coconut palm sugar, raspberries.
When you have to follow an eating plan, especially for health reasons, finding a celebration cake can be almost impossible, so why not make your own! This beautiful cake is spongy, has a wonderful vanilla flavor and can be decorated with berries to make it look as good as it tastes. This is a dairy, gluten and nut free cake that would go down so well for a birthday.
Roasted Rosemary Butternut Cake
– Guest Post by Kate Jay of Healing Family Eats
Photo Credit: Sarah from The Paleo Mom
Ingredients: lard, butternut squash, fresh rosemary, salt, maple syrup, honey, coconut flour, baking soda, gelatin eggs.
With the texture of carrot cake, this moist and slightly denser AIP-friendly cake has a good mouth feel and an interesting herby flavor from the rosemary. Don’t be tempted to cut this cake too quickly or it will fall apart – like a lot of coconut flour baked goods, the texture and flavor improve if you can leave them overnight. This makes a lovely dessert served with coconut cream.
Butternut Squash Cake with Honey Whipped Coconut Topping
– The Sweet Pea Blogger
Ingredients: butternut squash, coconut oil, sea salt, maple syrup, honey, coconut flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, gelatin eggs, full fat coconut milk.
This AIP cake is so rich and moist in texture and flavor because of the squash, and it makes a wonderful dessert with its whipped topping, but it also makes a lovely alternative to traditional fruit cakes for Christmas time. If you want to make this recipe even easier, you can use canned squash or pumpkin puree, but make sure it is not too runny.
Butternut Squash Dessert Smoothie
– It’s A Veg World After All
Ingredients: butternut squash, banana, coconut milk full fat, vanilla extract, cinnamon, cold water.
Here is another example of how squash can give you a creamy dessert, but still keeping things dairy free and compliant with AIP. This smoothie is a good source of energy, so if you don’t want it as a dessert, you can use it to boost your system for breakfast or after a workout. You can decorate the top with cinnamon for a warming taste. This smoothie is suitable for vegan and vegetarian diets.
AIP Pumpkin Bars
– AIP Lifestyle
Ingredients: coconut manna, coconut oil, coconut flour, winter butternut squash, salt, cinnamon, ginger, maple syrup.
These fudgy pumpkin bars can be made with a winter squash like butternut instead of pumpkin, and they make wonderful treats for Halloween parties. They are rich and sweet, with the added spice of ginger and cinnamon. To make these easier to prepare, you can use canned pumpkin or squash instead of fresh. chiling these in the fridge overnight gives the fudgy texture, so don’t skip this step.
Other AIP Butternut Squash Recipes
Warm Chicken “Grain” Salad with Butternut Squash & Greens
– Rachael Bryant / Nourish: The Paleo Healing Cookbook
Photo Credit: Rach from Meatified
Ingredients: butternut squash, coconut oil, salt, ground chicken, garlic powder, ground sage, dried rosemary leaves, onion, Swiss chard, spinach, lemon juice.
Traditional grain salads can be difficult to replicate on the AIP, but this recipe comes really close to the ‘real’ thing. It uses ground chicken and a load of greens, with the sweetness of caramelized squash to complement the savory meat. Once the ground chicken is cooked, you then chop it small to look like the grains and the whole dish makes a delicious winter salad.
Butternut Squash Risotto
– Autoimmune Wellness
Photo Credit: Autoimmune Wellness
Ingredients: butternut squash, solid cooking fat, yellow onion, mushrooms, garlic, sage, sea salt, apple cider vinegar, bone broth.
This tasty AIP risotto recipe tastes as if it is made the traditional way but it does not involve rice which can cause inflammatory issues. The risotto is grain free and so tasty and would make a lovely light but flavorful dish that is ready in under an hour. Butternut squash ‘rice’ can also be a good alternative to cauliflower rice if that’s not your thing, or if cauliflower causes you digestive problems.
Beef & Butternut Rice with Nut-Free Pesto
– Grazed & Enthused
Photo Credit: Grazed & Enthused
Ingredients: butternut squash, grass fed ground beef, sea salt, bone broth, basil leaves, fresh parsley leaves, extra virgin olive oil, apple cider vinegar, garlic.
Although the pesto in this recipe is not made with the traditional pine nuts, it still has the flavor and aromatics we associate with regular pesto and it can be used with many AIP meals to live up the flavors. We are using butternut rice here, which is a good alternative for cauli-haters, and although you don’t have the same texture, it is a perfectly acceptable option.
AIP Paleo Spaghetti
– It’s All About AIP
Photo Credit: It’s All About AIP
Ingredients: bacon, ground pork or beef, white mushrooms, butternut squash noodles, No-mato sauce, baby spinach, salt, fresh basil, dried oregano, dried thyme, garlic, avocado oil.
Although we don’t eat tomatoes on AIP, there is no need to stop eating Italian-style foods like spaghetti, as there are easy alternatives we can use. This spaghetti recipe has all the flavors we associate with Italian food thanks to the fresh herbs, and using butternut squash for the noodles makes a good AIP variation as it is not as watery as zucchini.
Instant Pot Cauliflower Squash Puree
– Fed and Fulfilled
Photo Credit: Fed and Fulfilled
Ingredients: cauliflower, butternut squash, carrots, coconut milk, bone broth, herbs de provence, garlic powder, sea salt.
If you are getting a bit fed up with sweet potato puree and mashed cauliflower, this recipe could give you what you are looking for. Not only does this puree look so good with its vivid color, it is also packed with the flavor of the herbs, which can be varied depending on what you are serving this with. For example, you could use rosemary and thyme for lamb dishes or sage for pork.
Butternut Squash “Pasta” Sauce
– Savory Lotus
Photo Credit: Katja from Savory Lotus
Ingredients: butternut squash, fresh rosemary sprigs, garlic, coconut oil, homemade bone broth, full fat coconut milk, lemon juice, smoked paprika (omit), salt, pepper (omit).
We don’t have tomatoes on AIP, so why do we need a tomato-like alternative? Why not go completely different and make this sunshine yellow squash sauce to use in its place! This sauce can be use on pizza bases, over vegetable noodles or even in a lasagna, and the squash gives the sauce a lovely hint of sweetness. To make this strictly AIP, omit the pepper as a seasoning.
Butternut Squash “Mac ‘n Cheese”
– Guest Post from Angela Privin at Paleo Kitchen Lab
Photo Credit: The Curious Coconut
Ingredients: butternut squash, beef or chicken bone broth, broccoli slaw, olive oil, fat of choice, pancetta, red onion, salt.
This AIP recipe is totally vegetable-based and does not involve dairy at all – perfect for anyone with gut health issues – yet it still packs a load of flavor from the pancetta and seasonings. Although the sauce does not taste of cheese, it is creamy thanks to the squash, and if you tolerate dairy you could add some cheese to make it more authentic. This also makes a great side with burgers!
AIP Fish Curry with Butternut
– Adventures in Partaking
Photo Credit: Adventures in Partaking
Ingredients: olive oil, red onion, garlic, ginger powder, dried turmeric, dried fenugreek leaves, fish stock, butter squash, sea salt, water, coconut milk, fish fillets, fish sauce.
Seafood is a great addition to the AIP diet as it is full of flavor and has anti-inflammatory properties and is suitable for curries, stews, salads or grilled dishes! This recipe is for a mild curry that has a creamy sauce made with butternut squash and it is dairy free. This dish works best with firm fish like cod or snapper, which won’t break up too much during cooking, but I bet it would be great with shrimp too!
Butternut Squash Fries
– My Heart Beets
Photo Credit: Ashley from My Heart Beets
Ingredients: butternut squash, coconut oil, fresh dill, salt.
You might have heard of other vegetable fries that we can use on the autoimmune protocol, but have you tried using butternut? These fries are crunchy and delicious and are vegan and vegetarian-friendly too. If you are not keen on the flavor of dill, you can substitute a different herb, or sprinkle them with a little garlic powder for a completely different taste.
Butternut Squash Lasagna
– AIP Sisterhood
Ingredients: ground pork, butternut squash, garlic, onion, fresh spinach, basil, salt, pepper (omit), coconut milk, chicken broth, garlic, coconut oil, arrowroot.
Using butternut as an alternative to traditional pasta sheets in this healthy AIP lasagna is a great idea, as it softens like pasta as it cooks. This recipe calls for ground pork, but I find it works just as well with beef, which can often be cheaper – handy if you have a large family or need to work off a tight budget. This is a good way to get the family eating more spinach, which is rich in iron and other nutrients.
Bacon Wrapped Candied Butternut Squash Bites
– PaleOMG
Ingredients: butternut squash, coconut sugar, cinnamon, salt, bacon.
These delicious little bites are a burst of flavor in your mouth and they are an amazing combination of textures too! They could be made as snacks for your next film night, game night or just when friends come round, or you could just eat them yourself! They are a combination of salty bacon with sweetened and caramelized squash, and it is difficult to just eat one!