Butternut Squash Baby Food Puree

This Butternut Squash Baby Food Puree recipe is rich in nutrients and generally great for babies in Stage 1 and Stage 2 of baby food. We’ll go over simple steps on how to prepare butternut squash for purees and even share some recipe ideas for babies.

I don’t know about you but I love butternut squash which is one of the reasons why I chose it as one of my daughter’s first foods to try. To my amazement, she loved the sweet butternut squash too!

Part of the butternut squash’s appeal is the ability to use it in both sweet and savory recipes. It also helps that it is packed with nutrients and a great source of Vitamin A and C.

In this recipe, we are going to go over how to prepare and make butternut squash baby food puree but also be sure to check out our other baby food posts for more ideas. Our 6 Homemade Baby Food Combinations, 3 Sweet Potato Baby Food Combinations and Kale Baby Food Puree Combinations are all great resources to check out.

When to introduce butternut squash?

As always, please consult your child’s pediatrician before trying new foods. In our experience, butternut squash was one of our favorite foods to feed our daughter when she first started eating food at around 6 months. Pureed butternut squash was easy to mix with other foods as she got older too which made it a great base for baby food.

How to prepare butternut squash

One of my favorite things about butternut squash is that I can pick it up from the store and let it sit on my counter for many days before preparing it without it going bad. This makes it perfect for baby food because, let’s face it, we’re busy and sometimes we don’t have enough time to make the puree right when we get home from the grocery store. Just speaking from experience. 

Pro tip: Butternut squash has that distinguished hard outer skin that is sometimes hard to cut so please be careful. Cutting the butternut squash in half is always my least favorite part because of this.

How to cook butternut squash

My most used method to cook butternut squash for baby food purees is to bake it but there are a few other options we’ll go over too.

Steps on how to BAKE butternut squash:

1. Prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper and preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Cut the butternut squash in half, lengthwise.
3. Remove the seeds with a spoon.
4. Place the squash on the baking sheet with the cut side down.
5. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until the squash is soft and a fork can easily be inserted.

Steps on how to STEAM butternut squash:

1. Peel the butternut squash using a vegetable peeler or carefully with a knife. Cut the butternut squash in half and remove the seeds. 
2. Roughly chop the squash into cubes and place in a pot with about an inch or two of water. 
3. Bring the water to boil and cover for about 10 minutes or until the squash is softened.

Steps on how to INSTANT POT butternut squash:

1. Start by placing the Instant Pot wire trivet inside the Instant pot with about 1 cup of water. 
2. Peel the butternut squash using a vegetable peeler or carefully with a knife. Cut the butternut squash in half and remove the seeds. 
3. Roughly chop the squash into cubes and place in the Instant Pot.
4. Cook on high pressure for 3 minutes and let the pot naturally release pressure.

Steps on how to SLOW COOK butternut squash:

1. Wash the outside of the butternut squash.
2. Place the whole squash in the slow cooker and cover. Cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for about 4-5 hours. The squash should be able to be poked with a fork easily when done.
3. Cut in half and scoop out the squash.

How to puree butternut squash for baby food

Butternut squash can get very hot when cooked so be sure to let it cool off before handling. Once the squash is cooled and ready to puree, simply scoop out the flesh with a spoon. 

Place the butternut squash flesh in either a food processor or a blender. Blend on high until smooth.

Baby food combination ideas

Plain butternut squash puree is awesome for babies and toddlers and even adults. But incase you wanted to add another flavor, here are a few other combination ideas:

• Butternut Squash + Carrots Puree
• Butternut Squash + Sweet Potato Puree
• Butternut Squash + Pear Puree
• Butternut Squash + Apple + Spinach

Equipment needed for homemade baby food

I’ve seen baby food makers online or special baby food processors but I don’t think those are necessary. Just use the tools you already have or things. Any blender or food processor should work just fine on pureeing the cooked butternut squash. I regularly used this food processor and small blender, both of which work very well for getting the purees smooth. You could also use a hand mixer to mash the butternut squash similarly to mashed potatoes.

How to store homemade baby food

There are many options when it comes to storing homemade baby food purees. I like to use glass containers in the refrigerator. Small glass containers with lids make the best option in my opinion. Homemade baby food purees can last up to 3 days in the refrigerator.

Another option for storage is freezing. You can freeze homemade baby food to use later which is super helpful when making larger batches. I use these food safe silicone trays. Additionally, small ice cube trays are great for baby sized portions.

More baby food recipes to try:

• 6 Homemade Baby Food Combinations (Stage 2)
• 3 Sweet Potato Baby Food Combinations (Stage 2)
• Kale Baby Food Puree Combinations (Stage 2)
• How To Make Baby Oatmeal
• Applesauce Baby Pancakes
• Toddler Oatmeal Breakfast Cookies

Did you like this recipe? Let me know in the comments below. Also check out my Instagram and Pinterest for more food photography inspiration and recipes!

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