Butternut Squash Pie
Butternut squash pie is much better than pumpkin pie. If you find pumpkin pie to be too commonplace and too bland, try squash pie. Inspired by Argentine food, I developed my own recipe for a custard squash pie. Although this pie is different enough to be interesting, it is familiar enough to serve for Thanksgiving, Christmas, or any special dinner. Roasting the butternut squash and selecting a pumpkin pie spice substitute make this homemade pie unforgettable.
How to Make Butternut Squash Pie from Scratch
Although a butternut squash pie may not be the first thing that comes to your mind when someone says “pie,” it should be. One day I read an article on Seriouseats.com suggesting that squash pie would be better than pumpkin pie, so I decided to give it a try: besides, what self-respecting chef does not know how to make a pumpkin pie for Thanksgiving?
However, I still wasn’t sure how I wanted to spice it. Since it is related to pumpkin, it would make sense to use pumpkin pie spice to flavor the pie. However, I find most pumpkin pies to be overspiced, the cinnamon, nutmeg, and other spices overpowering the pumpkin. Many people do not consider pumpkin to be the most flavorful vegetable, especially if it is boiled, so most pumpkin pies are doomed to be little more than spice pies.
I then remembered that in addition to a Southern chef, I am also an Argentine chef. I thought back to how I had used butternut squash in Argentine recipes previously (Argentines LOVE butternut squash), but the only thing that immediately came to mind was mashed butternut squash. Then, I remembered making oven roasted lemon mustard chicken: just like my whole oven roasted chicken recipe, I put vegetables in the bottom of the roasting pan. Since Argentines love butternut squash, I thought it would be appropriate to use butternut squash. Although I knew it would be good, I didn’t expect that it would be incredible: roasting the butternut squash really brought out the flavor as compared to boiled or microwaved squash, and the bit of lemon that dripped off of the chicken and down into the pan added a nice touch to the squash. Upon remembering the unexpected deliciousness of the butternut squash with lemon, I knew how I wanted to flavor my pie.
Although roasting butternut squash is more difficult than simply microwaving it, roasting the butternut squash is what really makes this pie incredible; otherwise, I think that the lemon will overpower the squash, turning the pie into a lemon-butternut squash pie rather than a butternut squash pie with lemon. A 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon adds a bit of spice, reminding your palate of pumpkin pie. However, by substituting pumpkin pie spice with just cinnamon, the spice does not overwhelm the squash and the lemon.
If you want to give this pie a try but you want to make it more like a traditional pumpkin pie, I still think that roasting the squash is better than boiling or microwaving. Until you have had roasted butternut squash, you do not understand how much the flavor changes with a bit of charring. It becomes sweeter and more intense, more like a sweet potato than a pumpkin. However you decide to spice your pie, using roasted butternut squash instead of boiled or microwaved squash changes everything, promoting the butternut squash from a supporting role to the main lead of the show.
When I made this pie, I knew that it would be good, but I didn’t know that it would be incredible. As a chef, it’s really cool to be able to use two cultures, two cuisines, Southern and Argentine, as inspiration to create new dishes. If you are looking for something different for Thanksgiving but still traditional, look no further: this pie will not disappoint.
Butternut Squash Pie Recipe:
Ingredients
- 2 cups sliced butternut squash (275g)
- 1/3 cut white sugar (70g)
- 1/3 cup brown sugar (80g)
- 1/2 cup evaporated milk (120g)
- zest of 1 small lemon (1/2 teaspoon)
- juice of one small lemon -- 2 Tablespoons (30g)
- 1 teaspoon lemon extract
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 Tablespoon butter
- 3 eggs
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1 unbaked, 9-inch pie crust
Instructions
- Cut and slice squash, leaving only the flesh
- Place squash slices on a roasting pan. Use 1 tablespoon of butter to coat both top and bottom of each pie. Reserve excess butter: you will add the rest to the pie filling
- Roasted butternut squash at 400 F for 10 minutes
- Remove squash from oven, flip, and roasted for 10 more minutes
- Remove squash from oven again, flip a second time, and roast for 5 more minutes (25 minutes total cooking time)
- Place squash into a microwave-safe bowl and mash with a fork.
- Add the leftover butter, and microwave on HIGH for 30 seconds
- Mix ingredients in bowl to make filling (DO NOT FORGET CINNAMON)
- Beat for 2-3 minutes
- Pour into an unbaked, 9-inch pie shell, and bake at 350 F for 45 minutes
Butternut Squash Pie Video Tutorial:
Be sure to watch my recipe video:
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