I went into this recipe expecting to make a soup/stew but the more I ate it, the more I realized it worked better as a mash.  Plus saying squash mash out loud is fun.  

The idea for this recipe happened as I was walking along in Whole Foods and saw a pretty squash that I had never tried on sale.  Seriously.  That’s how a lot of my ideas happen.  See pretty food come up with some way to eat it.

Actually, the first thing I did with the hubbard squash was roast it up and eat it, because that’s what I usually do with things.  Once I tasted it and got a feel for its texture, I thought it would make a nice silky smooth soup.  It reminded me a lot of kabocha squash and I’ve had kabocha in soup before so I thought this would be perfect. 

Once I started pureeing the hubbard squash, though, I realized it is a very dense squash and no matter how much coconut milk I added to try and thin it out, it kept its thick texture.  Not one to give up, I worked with it and it turned into a silky smooth mash.  So I was half right.

I also went bold with the seasoning because sometimes squash gets the same flavor over and over again and it gets boring.  So my mash got Mexican flavors and I think it turned out pretty awesome.  This would be a fun side dish at any holiday table and it’s pretty quick to whip up.  Or mash up.  However you want to do it 😉

Hubbard Squash Mash 

• 1 medium-sized hubbard squash (you can also use kabocha if you can’t find hubbard)
• 1 1/4 cup full-fat coconut milk, plus more as needed
• 1 1/2 tsp cocoa powder
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp Mexican oregano (regular will also work)
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1/2 tsp salt, more as needed
• 1-2 tbsp chopped cilantro, for serving

1. Preheat the oven to 425 and line a baking sheet with aluminum foil or a Silpat.  Carefully cut the squash in half and scoop out the seeds.
2. Place each half on the baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil.  Sprinkle with a little salt and pepper and then roast in the oven for about 30 to 40 minutes.  The squash is done when it’s a little brown and the flesh is easily pierced.
3. Remove the squash from the oven and let it cool a bit.  Once it’s cool enough to handle, scoop out the flesh and place it into a blender or food processor.  Add the coconut milk and seasonings and blend everything together until it’s smooth.  You may need to add more coconut milk depending on the consistency you want.  Just add it a little at a time so it doesn’t get too soupy.
4. Taste the mash and adjust the seasonings as needed.  If you want, you can add it to a pot to heat it up a little.  Just make sure to keep stirring and only use medium-high heat.
5. Serve it up with a little fresh cilantro and enjoy!