This Butternut Squash Spread on Baguette Slices is the perfect appetizer recipe for fall or winter.
How to Pick the Best Butternut Squash:
When cooking and baking with butternut squash, it’s important to find a good, ripe one! How do you do that? If it’s underripe, the squash won’t have developed a good flavor. If it’s overripe, it may be dry, mushy or flavorless.
Choose a squash that is heavy for its size and has a good stem. Look for good color, without cuts, cracks and soft spots. The skin should be dull. Shiny skin indicates it was picked too early.
How do you make Butternut Squash Spread?
This spread is made of roasted butternut squash, garlic, butter, cream cheese and Parmesan cheese. Fresh herbs are added, as well as a little sugar to give it some sweetness. Chopped and toasted pecans are mixed in too.
You could choose to make the butternut squash spread to serve with crackers, but it’s so much better displayed on the baguette slices.
How do you make the baguette slices?
The baguette is sliced thinly for this appetizer. It’s good that way because it makes the appetizer bites not too heavy. The baguette slices are brushed with olive oil and sprinkled with salt and pepper. Parmesan cheese is sprinkled on top. And then the baguette slices are baked for just a few minutes, until toasty.
Now the cheesy baguette slices are ready for the butternut squash spread. These appetizers are served at room temperature. They can be garnished with an additional pinch of Parmesan cheese and a few more chopped fresh herbs.
Display your Butternut Squash Spread on Baguette Slices on a pretty board for a fall party. I love to sprinkle fresh thyme and fresh rosemary around the board to make it pretty.
If you’re looking for more fall appetizer recipes, you might also enjoy my Cranberry Feta Pinwheels or this Roasted Butternut Squash Hummus. This Fall Epic Charcuterie Board, Pumpkin Cheese Ball and Smoked Gouda Pumpkin Dip are good appetizers for a fall party too!
Butternut Squash Spread on Baguette Slices
Ingredients
BUTTERNUT SQUASH SPREAD:
- 1 medium butternut squash
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 tablespoons butter, melted
- 4 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
- 1 1/2 cups freshly grated Parmesan cheese, divided
- 1 tablespoon granulated white sugar
- 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
- 2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans, toasted
BAGUETTE SLICES:
- 1 whole baguette, sliced into 48 thin slices
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- salt and pepper
GARNISH:
- thyme and rosemary sprigs, for garnish
Instructions
PREPARE BUTTERNUT SQUASH SPREAD:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Cut the squash in half lengthwise; remove and discard seeds. Place the squash, cut side down, in a 13x9-inch baking dish. Add hot water to the dish to a depth of 1-inch. Bake, uncovered, for 1 hour or until the squash is tender. Remove the squash pulp and transfer to a bowl, discarding shells. Mash the pulp.
- Sauté the garlic in butter in a small skillet over medium-high heat until golden. Add the garlic to the squash pulp in the bowl. Add the cream cheese, 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, sugar, thyme and rosemary to the bowl; mash until blended. Stir in the pecans.
PREPARE THE BAGUETTE SLICES:
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Place the baguette slices on 2 large ungreased baking sheets; brush or drizzle olive oil over the baguette slices. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake 4 minutes. Sprinkle the baguette slices with the remaining 1 cup of Parmesan cheese. Bake 2 more minutes or until the cheese melts.
ASSEMBLE THE APPETIZERS:
- Spoon 1 tablespoon of the squash mixture onto each cheese crouton. Place on a serving tray, and garnish, if desired with an additional pinch of Parmesan and fresh herbs.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
