Whipped Mashed Acorn Squash

I usually make mashed sweet potatoes but do find them to be a little overly sweet. I decided to try using acorn squash since I already love their less sweet and mild flavor. This came out so amazing and so full of flavor.

I did have to work on a few iterations though to get the creamy texture that I wanted (kind of like mashed potatoes!)

The key is to not just mash them but to whip them well with a hand mixer. There are a few more tips for a creamy texture that I have as well which I mention below but it is all so easy.

For this recipe, I like to use a hand held mixer for the whipping part but feel free to use a standard whisk if that is what you have. They are mashed first so it won't be much work if whipping it by hand.

Why You Will Love This

• A great alternative to mashed potatoes! While I do love a good mashed potato recipe, I also love the slightly sweet addition of mashed squash on my dinner plate. This is perfect to make at Thanksgiving instead of sweet potato casserole.
• The perfect Fall Side dish: This squash is cheap, readily available in grocery stores in the Fall and not overly sweet. Acorn squash is a wonderful squash to cook with.
• It makes a great base for soup or pasta: Yes, you read that right! You may not have thought his but the ingredients here are acorn squash with cream and butter and that makes the perfect base for a creamy fall soup or as a sauce to go over pasta. I use the leftovers of this to make my acorn squash soup even faster or in place of making my acorn squash pasta from scratch. So plan a few meals with this one.
• It is perfect for making ahead of time = perfect for entertaining: You can easily entertain at the holidays with this one. I've included my favorite way to reheat this at the bottom of the post.

What You Will Need

• Acorn squash: Buy the whole squash not something that is precut in the grocery stores. The store cube the squash too small which caramelizes them too much during roasting. This will prevent a creamy texture.
• Unsalted butter: You can also use salted butter and just omit the salt from the recipe.
• Kosher salt
• Heavy cream: You can make this lighter by using whole milk. I do not recommend using alternative milks (almond, coconut, etc) for this recipe.

How To Make

• Prep the squash: Carefully slice both ends of the acorn squash so they are flat. Once you do this, cut in half then into quarters and place the squash on a heavy duty sheet pan.
• Roast: Brush the squash with melted butter then salt them and roast in a preheated 375 degree oven for 30-35 minutes until very soft.
• Scoop: Allow the squash to cool then scoop out the flesh into a large bowl.
• Warm butter and cream: Warm the butter and cream in a microwave saf bowl until the butter melts.
• Whip And Whip: Now add the warmed butter and cream to the squash and mash it with a potato masher. Once that is done, whip the squash with a hand mixer with the melted butter and cream until it reaches the perfect creamy texture.

Tips For The Perfect Mash

• Cook the squash well: You want to the acorn squash to be very soft which produces a smooth texture. Acorn squash can be a little stringy when mashed if it is not baked long enough.
• Remove any burnt tips after baking: Because the acorn squash can get caramelized a bit on the tips when roasting it, make sure to cut those parts out before mashing it since it will not blend well.
• Make sure all the skin is removed: When scooping out the flesh of the squash when it comes out of the oven, make sure all the green skin is removed. While technically edible, you don't want that in your dish.
• Whip the squash well: While you could just use a potato masher if that is all you have, whipping the squash helps give a light creamy texture. If you don't have a hand mixer, you can use a stand mixer or a whisk and whisk the mash by hand.
• Add the cream a little at a time: It is easier to add the liquids to the mash than to take it away. Since acorn squash is not super absorbent, you want to add the cream slowly to them and stop when the consistency is to your liking.

Reheating And Storage

I like to make this dish ahead of time when I am entertaining and to warm it back up, I use a bain marie (a pot of boiling water that you rest a bowl on top.) I I gently reheat the mashed squash this way on medium low heat until heated all the through.

Storing this is simple. Just place it a container with a lid or cover it with plastic wrap in a container and store it in the fridge for up to 3 days.

I prefer to not freeze the squash because I find freezing it changes the texture.