Medically reviewed and cowritten by Jamie Johnson, Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN), and Lauren Braaten, Pediatric Occupational Therapist (OT).

This homemade Roasted Butternut Squash Baby Food Puree is also a deliciously smooth way to introduce butternut squash to your baby! It’s a great Stage 1 baby food for 6 months and up!

White bowl of smooth butternut squash puree on a blue napkin sitting on my white kitchen counter. With a white spoon and chunks of butternut squash and rosemary.
5 stars (39 ratings)
“This is hands down my daughter’s favorite vegetable. Her and I couldn’t get enough of this recipe. Highly recommend!” -Holly
Add your comment

Butternut Squash Baby Food

This butternut squash puree is a quick and simple recipe that involves roughly 5 minutes of hands-on time! 🖐

We’ll let the oven do all the hard work for the rest of the prep time. Cuz why should we work harder 💪 when we can work smarter? 🙋‍♀️

  • creamy and smooth
  • great for 4-6+ months
  • stage one baby food
  • healthy — full of essential nutrients for your baby
  • easy to make — requires only 5 minutes of hands-on time
  • babies will love the sweet and earthy taste
  • homemade
  • freezer-friendly 
  • budget-friendly

Is it your first time making homemade baby food? Then I suggest you start this journey by reading my in-depth Guide on How to Make Homemade Baby Food. And make sure to check out my best-selling cookbook for even more information and recipes!

Butternut Squash Video

A butternut squash cut in half sitting on a cutting board.

Health Benefits of Butternut Squash

  • High levels of antioxidants and vitamins A and C, which boosts the immune system and reduces inflammation
  • A good source of potassium that helps keep bones healthy
  • Contains a protein that may be a potent anticancer agent
  • Provides calcium to help strengthen bones and folate to help with brain development

Ingredients

Make sure to read the recipe card below for full ingredients and instructions!

  • Butternut Squash: This is an easy-to-find, inexpensive, and nutritious food for your baby! When selecting butternut squash, look for a firm squash that has a solid beige color skin without bruising or damage marks. The insides will range from bright yellow to burnt orange, so don’t be alarmed if yours is somewhere in that color range.
  • Thyme or Rosemary: We are kicking up the flavor profile with a fun and fresh herb — thyme or rosemary. Either of these herbs will tone down the earthiness of the squash and ramp up its freshness and citrus aspect. You can’t go wrong with either. But you can always skip adding herbs and spices to your baby food if you prefer (see more below).

Adding Healthy Fats Tip: If you are looking to add some extra healthy fat to your baby’s meals, then you can drizzle the butternut squash with extra virgin olive oil before roasting. Olive oil is a healthy fat that is full of omega 3 and omega 6 that helps baby absorb vitamin D which is important for bone growth and strengthening.

shop tools

Tools Needed

These tools will make it a lot easier for you to make this healthy Sweet Potato puree. For more of my favorite kitchen tools make sure to check out my online shop.

Let’s Get Cooking

A butternut squash cut in half and deseeded.
Cut the butternut squash in half and scoop out the seeds. Place them on the baking sheet with the flesh side down, and brush with olive oil (optional).
Roasted butternut squash laying on a baking sheet.
Place the baking sheet in the oven and bake until easily pricked with a fork.
Chunks of roasted butternut squash with the skin off on a baking sheet.
Let it cool, and then scrape off the skin until you only have the butternut squash left. Add to the blender or food processor.
Blender with roasted butternut squash with rosemary inside.
Add in a pinch of thyme or rosemary to the butternut squash.
Blender with pureed butternut squash inside ready for baby.
Turn on the blender and puree until smooth, adding liquids if needed.
Small bowl of butternut squash puree along with a blue napkin and white baby spoon.
Serve to baby or save for another meal.

Other Cooking Methods

While I love the earthly, caramel flavor of roasted butternut squash, there are several ways you can cook butternut squash for baby food. 

Steaming

Peel and roughly chop 1 butternut squash. Place the cubes into a steamer basket over 2 inches of boiling water for 10-15 minutes or until tender when pricked with a fork. Puree in a blender as directed below. 

Boiling

Place 1 peeled and roughly chopped butternut squash into a medium saucepan, add enough water to cover the butternut squash, and bring to a boil. Reduce to simmer and cook for 7-10 minutes or until tender when pricked with a fork. Puree in a blender as directed below. Note that boiling the butternut squash decreases the nutritional value of the puree since a lot of the nutrients are thrown out with the water after cooking. 

Saving Time Tip: Steaming or boiling butternut squash is a great method if you are using prepared or frozen butternut squash. I have found both peeled and cubed fresh or frozen butternut squash in my grocery store, which are both viable options if you are short on time.

Stasher bag filled with frozen pumpkin puree for baby.

How to Store Butternut Squash Baby Food

Refrigerator

You can store this puree in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. 

Freezer

This puree can be frozen for up to 4 months.

  • Spoon puree into a freezer storage container– do not overfill. 
  • Place the lid on the storage container or cover with a piece of saran wrap, and label with the date and recipe name. 
  • Place the tray into the freezer and let it freeze completely — preferably overnight. 
  • Pop-out the baby food cubes and place them in a ziplock baggie or stasher bag. Don’t forget to relabel the baggie or stager bag for future reference.

Label Tip: Don’t forget to label your purees before you place them in the fridge or freezer with the name of the puree and the date you made it. Take it from me; by the end of the week, you will completely forget what is in your freezer and how long it’s been there. 😉

cropped-butternut_squash_baby_food-9.jpeg

Great Butternut Squash Combination Purees

While this butternut squash puree is tasty, it’s also super easy to mix and match with other nutrient-dense baby food purees. So give these fun flavor combos a try!

Small bowl of butternut squash puree along with a blue napkin and white baby spoon with a hand holding the bowl.

Puree Feeding Tips

  • Follow your baby’s lead – when feeding purees from a spoon, sometimes there’s a tendency to keep offering bites past the point of your baby being full. Always follow baby’s cues for when they are done eating. Turning away from the spoon, closing her mouth, or pushing food away are all signs that baby is finished with the meal.
  • Trial adding a little seasoning or spice to purees – babies like flavor! Or consider changing the temperature of purees from time to time, to slightly warmed or slightly chilled. Varying these aspects adds to the sensory experience!
  • Place a small amount of puree on the tray during spoon feeding, so that your baby can dip their fingers or hands in the puree. Allowing baby to explore foods in this way helps them learn to self-feed and can help them be more willing to try new textures and foods in the future.
butternut squash puree in a white bowl on top of a blue napkin.

Get the recipe: The Best Butternut Squash Baby Food (Stage One)

5 stars (39 ratings)
This homemade Roasted Butternut Squash Baby Food Puree not only contains calcium, folate, vitamins A and C and fiber but it is also a deliciously smooth way to introduce butternut squash to your baby!
Yield: 25 ounces
Prep: 5 minutes
Cook: 1 hour
Total: 1 hour 5 minutes
Author: Michele Olivier
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Baby Food
Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Ingredients 

  • 1 butternut squash
  • 1 tsp fresh thyme or rosemary, roughly chopped
  • 1-2 tsp olive oil (optional)
  • 1/2-1 cup liquid (water, fresh breast milk, formula, stock or bone broth)

Instructions 

  • Preheat: Heat oven to 450 degrees F. Line baking sheet with a silicone mat, tin foil or parchment paper.
  • Prep: Cut butternut squash in half, deseed and place flesh side up, skin side down on the baking sheet. Optional – feel free to drizzle the squash with 2 teaspoons of olive oil for some added healthy fat.
    A butternut squash cut in half and deseeded.
  • Roast: Place the baking sheet into the oven and bake for 45-60 minutes or until you can easily prick the squash with a fork.
    Roasted butternut squash laying on a baking sheet.
  • Peel: Let cool until you can handle the squash with your hands. Scrape the flesh off of the skin and place in a blender or food processor.
    Chunks of roasted butternut squash with the skin off on a baking sheet.
  • Add Herbs: Add the thyme or rosemary to the blender.
    Blender with roasted butternut squash with rosemary inside.
  • Puree: Turn on the blender or food processor and puree, adding liquid in 1/4 cup increments until you have the desired consistency. I had to add in 3/4 cup of water to my puree shown below.
    Blender with pureed butternut squash inside ready for baby.
  • Eat: Serve or freeze for later.
    Small bowl of butternut squash puree along with a blue napkin and white baby spoon with a hand holding the bowl.

Notes

Age: 4-6 months and up
Yield: 25 ounces
Additional Spices: Feel free to sub the thyme or rosemary for 4 chopped basil leaves, 1 tsp chopped cilantro, 1/2 tsp minced fresh ginger, 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg, 1/2 tsp coriander, 1/2 tsp cinnamon or even 1/2 tsp of mind curry powder.
 

Equipment

Freezer Tray
Blender
Silicone Baby Bibs
Bumkins Baby Bowl
Tripp Trapp High Chair
GreenPan Cookware

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @babyfoode on Instagram and hashtag it #babyfoode!

Rate Recipe Pin Recipe

Frequently Asked Questions


Can butternut squash be baby’s first food

Butternut squash can 100% be your baby’s first food if you want it to be. It is recommended to wait to introduce the top eight allergen foods to your baby once a few other well-tolerated foods have been introduced, but otherwise, foods can be introduced in any order so choose whatever you are most excited for your baby to have.

Is butternut squash a common allergen for baby?

No, butternut squash is not a common allergen, however, as with any food, start with a small portion and be aware of any signs that might be an allergic reaction after introducing it.

When can baby eat butternut squash?

Babies can have butternut squash as one of their first foods. When a baby can start on solids is determined by their own rate of development, which generally comes between 4-6 months of age. Some of the developmental milestones babies need to reach in order to start solids include: if your baby has solid control of their head and neck, if your baby has doubled in weight, and if your baby is reaching for or opening their mouth when you eat (see my guide here). Before you start your baby on purees, you should consult with your pediatrician to make sure your child is developmentally ready.

Can you add spices or herbs to this baby puree?

Yes! You can add in a pinch of chopped rosemary to this recipe, but feel free to use the following spices instead: basil, cilantro, ginger, nutmeg, coriander, mint, cinnamon, or mild curry powder (see quantity recommendations in the recipe card). 
Tip on Spices: I always add spices or herbs to my baby food purees, but you can choose to leave them out in all of your baby food. You do you! Either way, this puree will surely taste amazing. 

Does butternut squash cause constipation for babies?

Butternut squash, though unlikely, may cause constipation in some babies, so avoid giving too much.