Butternut Squash Is Everyone's Favorite Fall Vegetable—Here's How to Build Your Weeknight Meals Around It

Butternut squash is one of the most popular fall vegetables. It's nutty with just the right balance of savory-sweet flavor, and building weeknight dinners around this vegetable is the perfect way to enjoy the cold-weather favorite. all season long. Transform butternut squash into a cheesy risotto sauce, a creamy dairy-free soup, gooey cheesy quesadillas, or an inspired take on breakfast for dinner. Whichever route you take, we promise that your family will clear their plates and come back for seconds.

Pasta: Orecchiette with Butternut Squash and Sage

The pasta dinner pictured above doesn't just use the flesh of the squash—it also turns the seeds, along with poppy seeds, into a crunchy topping. Our Orecchiette with Butternut Squash and Sage is cooked entirely on the stovetop; the seeds and squash are pan-seared while the orecchiette pasta cooks, then everything is tossed together to serve. The winning flavor pairing of butternut squash, sage, and butter comes together into an irresistible sauce that's made extra creamy by adding a dollop of ricotta.

Soup: Butternut Squash Soup with Coconut Milk and Ginger

Roasted butternut squash is incredibly delicious puréed into a smooth creamy soup, especially when combined with rich coconut milk. Spiced with ginger and coriander along with a little tang from fresh lime juice, this Butternut Squash Soup with Coconut Milk and Ginger has an irresistible sweet and savory flavor. Generously top each bowl with toasted pepitas for texture and don't forget the beautiful swirl of coconut milk for a visual catch and extra creaminess.

Whole Grains: Baked Farro Risotto with Golden Vegetables and Goat Cheese

Emphasize the nutty deliciousness of whole grains (we used farro here) by pairing them with butternut squash and earthy yellow beets in this beautiful orange-hued dinner that tastes as good as it looks. Shredding the squash and beets into this Baked Farro Risotto with Golden Vegetables and Goat Cheese creates a silky risotto sauce. Roasting the same vegetables diced on the side adds a bite and texture to the dish without much additional effort. The vegetables cook while the farro risotto simmers in the oven, keeping both your stovetop and hands free so you can knock things off the to-do list or hang out while dinner bakes.

Breakfast for Dinner: Squash Hash with Kale and Baked Eggs

Tonight, let butternut squash be an excuse to indulge in breakfast for dinner; our Squash Hash with Kale and Baked Eggs is hearty and delicious. Baking eggs in a nest of roasted butternut squash and kale in a skillet turns this incredible edible protein into a hearty meal just right for a weeknight. A bright cilantro sauce perks up this oven-roasted dish, bringing each of the ingredients together into a cohesive entrée. Serve with toasted bread or a grains such as rice or barley.

Quesadilla: Butternut Squash Quesadilla

Often underestimated but always enjoyed, quesadillas shine at dinner time, especially when you mix in nutty, sweet butternut squash. Our Butternut Squash Quesadilla is fast to prepare and filled with cheesy butternut goodness. What's. more, these buttery stuffed flour tortillas get a little heat and zing from pickled jalapeño mixed into the goat cheese and mozzarella squash mixture. Buy or prepare a good pico de gallo or salsa to serve alongside or put together a toppings bar with additions like guacamole, sour cream, cilantro, and toasted pepitas.

If you happen to have butternut squash mash or can buy it at the grocery store, then you're on the right track. Otherwise make this easy mash recipe and serve leftovers as a side the next night or freeze them for future quesadilla making sessions.