Roasted Butternut Squash Dip With Smoky Cashew Cream
Butternut squash dip combines tender roasted squash with warming spices and a creamy dip made with raw cashews. Serve this side dish at your next party, game day, or Thanksgiving dinner. This seasonal dip is dairy free and gluten free.
Ingredients
Roasted Butternut Squash
- 1 ½ pounds butternut squash peeled, seeds removed, and cut into 1-inch cubes
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- kosher salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
Smoky Cashew Cream
- 1 cup raw cashews
- ½ cup + 2 tablespoons water
- 1 teaspoon diamond crystal kosher salt reduce to ½ teaspoon if using anything else
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
Instructions
- Prep. Preheat oven to 425°F/220°C. Use a vegetable peeler to peel the whole squash then cut it into 1-inch cubes.
- Season and roast squash. Toss the cubed squash with olive oil and spices then arrange into a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet or baking tray. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until fork tender, stirring halfway through.
- Soak the cashews. Soak the cashews in a small bowl of boiling water for 10 minutes. Set aside.
- Make the creamy base. Drain and rinse the cashews then add them to the base of a high-powered blender with fresh water, kosher salt, smoked paprika, ground cumin, garlic powder, black pepper, and red wine vinegar. Blend on high until completely smooth. Season to taste with more salt or vinegar as needed.
- Make the fried sage leaves. Heat a bit of olive oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Once hot, add the sage leaves and cook until crispy then remove from the pan and transfer to a paper towel to remove the excess oil. They're done when they stop sizzling.
- Assemble. Pour the smoky cashew cream onto the bottom of a serving bowl then add the roasted squash on top. Add a drizzle of olive oil and top with fried sage leaves. Serve with pita chips, crackers, toasted bread, etc.
Notes
See the blog post for step-by-step photos, helpful tips, storage, and recipe FAQs.