Roasting a butternut squash in the oven is one of my favorite things to do on an autumn day. The sweet, nutty aroma fills the house, and the cooked squash makes a perfect base for soups and purees.
My family flipped over this recipe for butternut squash bread pudding from the Cooking Light archives, which I think would make a fabulous Thanksgiving side dish. It’s also a great recipe for the boys to help with. Younger children can tear the bread, and older children can help mix the custard with the roasted butternut squash.
Recipe Notes
I’ve modified the recipe from the original, which calls for the squash to be peeled and cubed before roasting. I always—almost always—roast squash halves with the skin on because it’s less hands on work. Once the squash skin blisters, then it slips right off, and the flesh is soft and easy to work with; no cutting required. To add some extra flavor, I picked some fresh sage and thyme from our garden, and added the fresh herbs to the custard. If you want to make individual bread puddings, divide the mixture between six (10-ounce) ramekins and reduce the cooking time.
Make sure to visit The Kids Cook Monday for tips and more recipes to cook with the whole family, and check out more of our Kids Cook Monday recipes below.
- 1-pound (454 g) butternut squash, washed and ends trimmed
- 3 large eggs
- 2 large egg whites
- 2 cups (480 ml) low-fat milk
- 1 cup (4 ounces) grated fresh Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, divided
- 4 leaves fresh sage, minced
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves removed
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 8 ounces (227 g) torn day-old French bread (about 9 cups)
- Preheat the oven to 400°F/200°C.
- Cut the squash vertically in half, and remove the seeds. Place the halves face down on the prepared baking sheet, and roast in the preheated oven until the skin is blistered and the flesh tender, about 40 minutes. Remove and allow to cool a little. Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F/175°C.
- In the large bowl, whisk together the milk, eggs, egg whites, milk, 1/2 cup cheese, sage, thyme, sea salt, black pepper, and nutmeg. Allow to rest and let the flavors marry. Warm the oil in the skillet over medium-high heat. Sauté the chopped onion until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté for 1 more minute. Allow to cool for a couple minutes, then stir the onions and garlic in with the egg and milk mixture.
- Scrape the cooked squash out of the skin, and mash it in with the eggs and milk mixture, making sure the squash is thoroughly blended in. Stir in the torn bread, coating the bread thoroughly, then allow to rest for 10 minutes.
- Spread the squash and bread mixture in the prepared baking dish, and sprinkle on the remaining 1/2 cup of Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. Bake in the preheated oven until the pudding is set and lightly browned, about 45 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to rest about 5 minutes, then serve.
baking sheet, lined with foil and lightly coated with cooking spray
large mixing bowl
small skillet
2-quart baking dish, lightly coated with cooking spray (or 6 10-ounce ramekins)
Recipe Notes
If you want to make individual bread puddings, divide the mixture between six (10-ounce) ramekins and reduce the cooking time.
More Recipes from The Kids Cook Monday
For the complete list of The Kids Cook Monday recipes, visit my Cooking with Kids page.
More Butternut Squash Recipes From Other Blogs
- The Perfect Pantry – Caribbean Chicken Curry with Butternut Squash and Red Bell Pepper
- Food Wanderings – Butternut Squash Gnocchi in Sage, Garlic & Butternut Puree
- Three Many Cooks – Skillet Butternut Squash and Kale with Maple-Roasted Pumpkin Seeds
- Kalyn’s Kitchen – Roasted Butternut Squash with Rosemary, Pecans, and Gorgonzola Cheese
[Disclosure: I am a member of the Cooking Light Bloggers’ Connection.]
Miguel says
November 15, 2013 at 8:14 pmThis is a great picture and tasty, one of the best ways to serve squash I’ve ever had!
Anne says
November 26, 2013 at 6:11 pmExcited to make this for Thanksgiving! Planning to make the day before and then bake day of, do you think this is a good plan for this dish? I’ve done before with strata, which is bread with veggies and egg. Thanks!
Andrea says
November 27, 2013 at 10:29 amHi Anne. Yes, you should be able to make it the day before then bake on Thanksgiving Day.
Kalyn says
November 29, 2013 at 7:32 amThis looks delicious. I’m a huge butternut squash fan. Thanks for the mention too, always appreciated.
Drew says
October 2, 2015 at 4:11 pmI’m going to the store right now to give this a try!