Butternut Squash Baby Food Puree (With Make-Ahead Tips)

Making Butternut Squash baby food puree for a baby or toddler is one of our favorite baby food purees. I’ll share the basic, easy method, plus 5 simple ways to add more flavor.

Butternut Squash Baby Food

Transforming a whole or precut butternut squash puree into smooth, silky baby food is so easy. You only need two basic ingredients and the whole thing can be made ahead and stored in the fridge or freezer in smaller portions.

This is one of my favorite make-ahead baby food purees to share with the little ones!

Butternut squash puree is a great early food for babies that I like to continue serving to my toddlers since it’s packed with nutrition and it has a mild flavor that kids tend to enjoy. Plus, it’s perfect to serve on its own or to stir into other foods or recipes such as oatmeal, overnight oats, smoothies, or Butternut Squash Muffins.

You can start with a whole butternut squash or precut cubes from the produce section of your store to make this recipe.

Ingredients You Need

To make this recipe, you just need a butternut squash (or a bag of precut cubes from the store), olive oil, and water. So simple!

Step-by-Step Instructions

Here’s a look at the simple process involved in making this recipe so you know what to expect. Scroll down to the bottom of the post for the full information, including the timing and amounts.

1. Peel the squash and remove the seeds. Cut into cubes.
2. Toss the cubes with olive oil.
3. Bake in the oven until just soft when poked with a fork.
4. Blend until smooth, adding water as needed to help the mixture swirl nicely.

TIP: I like to roast my butternut squash before making a puree so that there’s beneficial fats in the mix from the olive oil—and delicious flavor.

Ways to Serve Butternut Squash Puree

You can serve it as is, or you can use it in:

Flavors to Add to Butternut Squash Puree

The basic puree has a nice flavor, but you can also add these flavors to add more interest.

• Cinnamon
• Ground ginger
• Chinese Five Spice
• Cumin
• Pumpkin Pie Spice

TIP: You could also sweeten a little with apple butter or applesauce.

Roasted Butternut Squash for Baby-Led Weaning

To serve butternut squash in the baby-led weaning style, try roasting it in thick sticks, such as the above photo where I cut it with a crinkle cutter, or larger pieces and offering one at a time to baby to self-feed.

How to Store

To store in the fridge, simply place squash into small food storage containers for 3-5 days. Stir and warm briefly before serving if desired.

To store this baby food in the freezer, I like to portion out into an ice cube tray, freeze, and then once frozen, transfer the cubes into a zip top freezer bag to freeze for up to 3 months. You can then take one or two out at a time and let thaw in the fridge or at room temp before offering to a baby or toddler.

Best Tips for Success

• Roast the squash until soft when poked with a fork so it’s easy to blend.
• Add water slowly to reach the desired smooth consistency.
• Stop and scrape down the sides of the blender as needed.
• Stir in ½ teaspoon cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon ground ginger, ⅛ teaspoon Chinese Five Spice, ½ teaspoon cumin, or ½ teaspoon Pumpkin Pie Spice if desired to add more flavor.
• Stir in apple butter or Apple Puree to make a slightly sweeter apple-butternut squash puree. (This is a nice topping for pancakes and waffles!)
• You can serve it as is, or you can use it in Butternut Squash Muffins, in Baby Oatmeal with Butternut Squash, stir it into plain yogurt, spread it on toast, stir it into Marinara Sauce, or use it in quesadillas.
• Find my favorite baby food storage containers for easy storing.

I’d love to hear what your family thinks of this recipe if you try it, so please comment below to share!

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Remove the peel of the squash with a vegetable peeler or with a knife.

• Cut the “neck”, or the skinnier part of the squash into 1/2-inch rounds and dice.

• Place on a greased foil-lined baking sheet in one even layer and bake for 18-22 minutes or until soft when poked a fork.

• Add to a blender and puree, adding 1/4-½ cup water as needed to make a smooth puree.

• Serve or store in an airtight container/s in the fridge for 3-5 days. Or portion into an ice cube tray and freeze, then transfer frozen cubes to a zip top storage bag and freeze for up to 3 months.

• Roast the squash until soft when poked with a fork.
• Add water slowly to reach the desired smooth consistency.
• Stop and scrape down the sides of the blender as needed.
• Stir in ½ teaspoon cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon ground ginger, ⅛ teaspoon Chinese Five Spice, ½ teaspoon cumin, or ½ teaspoon Pumpkin Pie Spice if desired to add more flavor.
• Stir in apple butter or applesauce to make a slightly sweeter apple-butternut squash puree. (This is a nice topping for pancakes and waffles!)
• You can serve it as is, or you can use it in Butternut Squash Muffins, in Baby Oatmeal with Butternut Squash, you can stir it into plain yogurt, spread it on toast, stir it into Marinara Sauce, or use it in quesadillas.

Serving: 0.25cup, Calories: 58kcal, Carbohydrates: 11g, Protein: 1g, Fat: 2g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 1g, Sodium: 4mg, Potassium: 330mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 2g, Vitamin A: 9966IU, Vitamin C: 20mg, Calcium: 45mg, Iron: 1mg

This post was first published October 2019.