Butternut squash is a versatile and delicious winter vegetable (actually, it’s considered a fruit) that can be incorporated into various dishes, offering a delightful sweetness with a hint of apple-like flavor when roasted. However, when following a ketogenic (keto) or low-carb diet, it’s essential to understand the carbohydrate content of foods to maintain ketosis or stay within your daily carb limit. This article delves into the world of butternut squash, exploring its nutritional profile, benefits, and how it can fit into a keto or low-carb lifestyle, along with some delicious and healthy recipes.
Understanding Butternut Squash
Butternut squash is a type of winter squash with a sweet, nutty flavor. It is an excellent source of Vitamin A and provides a substantial amount of Vitamin C, an antioxidant that helps protect the body against free radicals. The nutrients in butternut squash, including potassium and magnesium, contribute to other health benefits.
Is Butternut Squash Keto-Friendly?
The question everyone on Keto wants to know is, can butternut squash be keto? Well, butternut squash is not particularly keto-friendly due to its carbohydrate content. While it is nutritious and offers various health benefits, its carb density makes it challenging to fit into a strict keto meal plan.
One cup of raw butternut squash contains about 16.4 grams of carbs, with 2.8 grams of fiber. A low-carb diet typically restricts carbohydrate intake to below 20 to 130 grams per day, with stricter versions like the keto diet limiting it even further to around 20-50 grams of net carbs daily. Because butternut squash can quickly use up a significant portion of the daily carb limit on a keto diet, it is important to consider portion sizes.
Butternut Squash vs. Other Vegetables
Butternut squash is lower in carbs than sweet potato, with about 16.4 grams of net carbs per cup compared to sweet potato’s approximately 24 grams of net carbs per cup. Zucchini is the lowest in carbs, with only about 2.5 grams of net carbs per cup.
Read also: Cozy Butternut Squash Soup
Incorporating Butternut Squash into a Low-Carb Diet
You can eat butternut squash on a low-carb diet, but it should be consumed in moderation due to its relatively high carbohydrate content. Given that one cup of butternut squash contains about 16.4 grams of carbohydrates, incorporating it into your diet plan requires careful portion control to stay within your daily carb limit. If you’re following a low-carb diet, aim to keep carbs under 20 to 130 g of the daily limit.
For those following a strict low-carb or keto diet, where daily carb intake is significantly restricted, it’s essential to balance the inclusion of butternut squash with other lower-carb foods to avoid exceeding your carb allowance. A strict low-carb diet requires maintaining a daily carb limit of less than 50 g, which means you can eat only butternut squash that day and no other carbs.
Keto-Friendly Butternut Squash Recipes and Ideas
Despite its carb content, butternut squash can be incorporated into keto-friendly recipes with some modifications and careful planning. Here are a few ideas:
Maple Roasted Butternut Squash (Keto Version)
This keto version of maple roasted butternut squash is sugar-free but not lacking in flavor. Cubes of butternut squash are tossed with a little olive oil, a drizzle of sugar-free maple syrup, and a dusting of warm and inviting cinnamon.
Ingredients:
- Butternut squash, cubed
- Olive oil
- Sugar-free maple syrup
- Cinnamon
- Rosemary
- Salt
- Pepper
- Optional: Chopped toasted pecans
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C).
- Add the butternut squash to a large mixing bowl.
- Pour the olive oil, cinnamon, rosemary, salt, pepper, and half the maple syrup over the top.
- Toss to combine, making sure each piece is well coated.
- Pour onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a Silpat, spreading out into an even layer.
- Bake for 25 minutes, then remove from the oven.
- Add the remaining maple syrup and toss, increase the temperature to 425°F (220°C), and bake for 10 more minutes or until cooked through and slightly caramelized.
- Top with the (optional) chopped toasted pecans and serve.
Vegan Keto Butternut Squash Soup
This cozy, low-carb, and dairy-free butternut squash soup is a perfect keto-friendly way to warm up on a chilly winter day.
Read also: Low-Carb Stuffed Squash
Ingredients:
- 1 13.5-ounce can full-fat coconut milk (400-ml)
- 3 cups vegetable broth (720ml)
- 3/4 cup cubed butternut squash (170g)
- 1 2/3 cups roughly chopped cauliflower (170g)
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 1/2 tablespoon herbes de Provence or preferred seasoning blend
- Optional garnishes: extra virgin olive oil, ground nutmeg, slivered almonds
Instructions:
- Put all of the ingredients in a large saucepan over medium heat.
- Cook, stirring to mix the ingredients, for about 5 minutes, until the coconut milk has melted.
- Cover and continue to cook until the squash and cauliflower are tender and can easily be pierced with a knife, about 20 minutes.
- Carefully pour the soup into a blender and blend until smooth, about 2 minutes. Alternatively, use an immersion blender and blend the soup directly in the pot.
- To serve, divide the soup among six bowls and garnish as desired.
To calculate net carbs - subtract the grams of fiber, from the total grams of carbohydrates in the recipe.
Low Carb Butternut Squash Soup
This creamy low carb butternut squash soup is such a comforting and quick meal! It's a family favourite for autumn and winter and ready in just 25 minutes.
Ingredients:
- Butternut Squash
- Carrots
- Sea salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Cinnamon
- Nutmeg
- Ground chipotle pepper
- Butter
- Onions
- Garlic
- Vegetable broth
- Heavy cream
- Feta cheese crumbs
- Roasted pumpkin seeds
Instructions:
- Preheat the oven to 200C (390F).
- Melt 2 tablespoon of butter in a microwave and set aside.
- In a mixing bowl, combine the cubed butternut squash, carrots, sea salt, freshly ground black pepper, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ground chipotle pepper to taste.
- Add the melted butter and toss well so all vegetables are completely coated in seasoning and butter.
- Place everything on a baking tray lined with parchment paper and bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown and fork-tender.
- Meanwhile, heat the rest of the butter in a medium-sized stockpot over a medium heat.
- Add the onions and garlic and cook until slightly golden.
- When done, add the vegetable broth and stir well.
- Add the roasted squash and carrots, bring to a simmer, and let it cook for 10 minutes.
- Then stir in the heavy cream, bring to a simmer, cook for 5 minutes, and remove from the heat.
- Taste and add extra salt if needed.
- Using an immersion blender, puree the soup until creamy and smooth.
- Pour into soup bowls and garnish with feta cheese crumbs, freshly grounded black pepper, roasted pumpkin seeds.
Tips for Reducing Carbs in Butternut Squash Recipes:
- Combine with lower-carb vegetables: Add cauliflower to soups to make them creamy and thick without increasing the carb count significantly.
- Use smaller portions: Enjoy butternut squash as a side dish in small quantities to control carb intake.
- Choose keto-friendly sweeteners: Opt for sugar-free maple syrup or Swerve Brown Sugar replacement in roasted butternut squash recipes.
Low-Carb Butternut Squash Substitutes
If you’re looking for lower-carb alternatives to butternut squash, consider these options:
- Spaghetti Squash: Spaghetti squash is low in carbs, containing about 6.46 grams of net carbs per cup. It’s versatile and great for replacing pasta in various dishes.
- Zucchini: Zucchini is very low in carbs, with only about 2.5 grams of net carbs per cup. It’s perfect for spiralizing into noodles or adding to soups and stir-fries.
- Cauliflower: Cauliflower has minimal carbs, with approximately 3 grams of net carbs per cup. It can be riced, mashed, or roasted for various dishes.
- Turnips: Turnips have moderate carbs, around 6 grams of net carbs per cup.
Other Winter Squashes
Winter squash recipes make the perfect side dish, but which squash is low carb? No matter which squash you prefer it’s safe to say all squashes can be included in a low carb diet.
- Pumpkin: For all the pumpkin pie lovers out there you’ll be happy to know pumpkin is 100% keto friendly. The net carbs per 1/2 cup is only 7 grams. Plus this means pumpkin is a great high fiber addition to your gluten free keto diet.
- Spaghetti Squash: Spaghetti Squash is known in the low carb/ keto world for being a gluten free pasta alternative. The net carbs per 100 grams of this versatile veggie are 5.5 grams. This is one of the lowest carb squashes based on its carb count. Once baked spaghetti squash becomes just that, spaghetti!
- Acorn Squash: There are 8.5 grams of net carbs in 100 grams of acorn squash. This vibrant vegetable makes a great side dish when roasted just like this butternut squash recipe.
Additional Tips for Keto and Low-Carb Diets
- Carb Cycling: The low carb diet has a few names such as cyclical keto, targeted keto, and carb up keto. Targeted keto is eating a few extra grams of carbs before a strenuous workout or activity. Targeted keto allows you to use carbs for fast burning glucose, but still carefully measures the amount of total carbs you’re adding to the body.
- Pair with Proteins: Roasted butternut squash makes a great keto friendly side dish that pairs with tons of other keto foods.
- Airfryer Pork Chops- Breaded pork chops cooked in an airfryer so they’re done in minutes. All that’s left is plating up the best side dish to go along with it.
- Bacon- A super easy option to bump up the fat and satiety of your food. Chop up one or two raw strips of bacon and toss them in while the squash is roasting.
- Eggs- Believe it or not, eggs actually pair really well with a cinnamon and brown sugar squash.
- Cheese and Walnuts- Similar to a charcuterie board we’re getting fancy with this one (well kinda). Once the butter nut squash is roasted, simply crumble some goat cheese and walnuts on top. The goat cheese will provide a nice creamy element while the walnuts have some crunch.
Read also: Healthy Spaghetti Squash Recipes