Creamy & Quick Butternut Squash Smoothie

This cozy butternut squash smoothie is creamy and decadent tasting with hints of cinnamon and cardamom perfectly balanced out by strawberries and ginger for a delicious seasonal drink.

The last time I shared a drink on here was almost a year ago with this gut healing smoothie.

Kinda funny considering I eat smoothies for breakfast almost daily but I’m finally back with another recipe and it’s for a wonderful seasonal smoothie I think you’ll love.

If your first reaction is to think putting butternut squash in a smoothie is weird, hopefully this recipe will prove you wrong.

Using frozen squash like butternut is actually a great way to bulk up smoothies and give them a great creamy texture. Not to mention the added health benefits including fiber they provide!

There’s no lack of pumpkin smoothies out there (including my own pumpkin banana smoothie) but most go full on fall spice and taste like you’re eating pumpkin pie in liquid form.

This butternut squash smoothie is a little different. While it does use some fall spices, it also includes frozen strawberries and fresh ginger to balance out those decadent flavors with some refreshing and bright ingredients.

Personally, I like smoothies to be bright and refreshing not so overly indulgent that they feel like you’re drinking a milkshake, ya know?

And considering today is only September 22, the first day of fall, I’m not quite ready for that much fall-ness quite yet.

BUTTERNUT SQUASH SMOOTHIE INGREDIENTS

• frozen butternut squash (previously cooked or roasted)
• frozen strawberries
• frozen riced cauliflower
• almond milk (or other preferred milk)
• almond butter (swap with pumpkin seed butter, macadamia nut butter or cashew butter if desired)
• flax and chia seeds
• medjool dates
• vanilla extract
• fresh ginger
• cinnamon
• cardamom
• scoop of collagen peptides or protein powder of choice (optional)

HOW DO YOU FREEZE BUTTERNUT SQUASH FOR SMOOTHIES?

There’s a couple of ways you can freeze the butternut squash for this smoothie.

The easiest is to buy cooked frozen butternut squash from the freezer section. If your store carries this, it’s perfect for quick smoothie use.

I try to keep a bag of frozen squash on hand for smoothies, soups or chili. It’s a wonderful convenience!

However, you can also just cook and freeze your own.

Peel and seed a butternut squash then cut into cubes. Spread the squash out onto a parchment lined baking sheet and toss with a little bit of a neutral oil (like avocado oil). Bake for 30 minutes at 350°F tossing the squash halfway through.

Alternatively, you can roast the butternut squash in the air fryer.

Let the squash cool completely then transfer to the freezer until frozen solid. I store the cubed frozen butternut squash in silicone bags and grab it as needed for recipes. I personally love Stasher bags for this purpose. They’re incredibly durable and reduce the use of plastic.

INGREDIENT SUBSTITUTIONS

SQUASH – It won’t be a butternut squash smoothie any longer but honeypatch squash, the newer hybrid variety that concentrates all the flavor and nutrients of butternut into a smaller lookalike, would be an excellent swap if you can find it during the winter.

MILK – The milk for this squash smoothie can be any preferred variety. Dairy milk or any non-dairy milk will work so just choose what works for you.

PROTEIN – While optional, I always like balancing out carb-heavy smoothies with some protein for the satiety. Unflavored collagen peptides work great in this as well as any protein powder either unflavored or vanilla. If using a vanilla flavored protein, adjust the dates to avoid over sweetening the drink.

For plant-based protein powders, my go-to is Nuzest. For animal based protein, I really like Paleo Valley’s bone broth protein powder.

DATES – I usually use 1 medjool date in this recipe. If you like things sweeter, use 2 or 3. Alternatively, maple syrup or honey can be substituted instead. Dates are our number one recommended sweetener for how to make the best smoothie.

FROZEN CAULIFLOWER – If you’re curious about this ingredient, trust me, you can’t taste any hint of cauliflower whatsoever so don’t freak out. I use riced cauliflower in oatmeal (like this apple cinnamon oatmeal currently on repeat right now) and smoothies all the time. It’s a great way to bulk up a recipe and sneak in some nutrition without tasting vegetables. Most people add spinach to smoothies but I’m telling you, cauliflower is where it’s at. Bonus – it doesn’t change the color of whatever you’re making (great for tricking little palates!).

GINGER – Fresh is best but if you don’t have it on hand, ground ginger spice can be substituted. See the recipe card below for amounts.

HOW TO MAKE THE BEST BUTTERNUT SQUASH SMOOTHIE RECIPE

For this recipe, just combine all the ingredients in a high-powered blender and blend until smooth. Pour into a glass or bowl, top as desired (shown here with some pumpkin granola) and enjoy!

1. Adjust the liquid as needed – I suggest starting with a little less liquid than called for and adding in the remainder as needed. If you like a thick, creamy smoothie this is the best approach. If you don’t have a high-powered blender like a Vitamix or Blentec, you’ll likely need more liquid than called for. If you do have a high-quality blender, don’t be afraid to use the tamper. This is the best way to blend the smoothie without needing excessive liquid.
   
2. Use frozen ingredients – don’t be tempted to use non-frozen ingredients and then just add in ice. It’s not the same and the smoothie ends up tasting diluted and watered down. Frozen butternut squash, strawberries and cauliflower are important for this recipe.
   
3. Adjust sweetness and spice to taste – I suggest starting with the amounts in the recipe as written then tasting it after blending and adjusting if necessary from there. Everyone’s palate is different and it’s easy to add more sweetness or flavor through spices.

ALTERNATIVES TO BUTTERNUT SQUASH

While I’m calling this a healthy butternut squash smoothie, any similar squash can be used.

A few fall favorites that would be delicious in this drink are buttercup squash, honeynut squash, white acorn squash, koginut squash or delicata.

And no matter which variety of squash you use, save those seeds because roasted squash seeds are one of the best fall snacks!

MORE WAYS TO USE BUTTERNUT SQUASH THIS SEASON:

Garlicky Butternut Squash Noodles with Spinach and Ricotta
Butternut Squash Pita Nachos
Vanilla Butternut Squash Biscuits
Creamy Sage Butternut White Bean Gnocchi