Squash, winter, butternut, frozen, unprepared
Whole food · Vegetables and Vegetable Products
Photo: Wikipedia
Butternut squash, flash-frozen at its peak, offers a sweet, nutty flavor with a smooth, creamy texture once cooked. It's a low-calorie, nutrient-dense vegetable, providing a good source of vitamin A and fiber for minimal calories.
💚 Why it's loved
People adore its naturally sweet, velvety flesh that caramelizes beautifully when roasted or blends into silky soups. It's a versatile, comforting staple in both savory and sweet dishes across many cuisines.
⚠️ Watch-outs & how to enjoy it better
Its high carbohydrate and natural sugar content can cause blood-sugar spikes if eaten alone in large portions. To counteract this, pair it with a source of protein (like beans or chicken) or healthy fat (like olive oil or nuts) and practice portion control.
Key benefits
- Excellent source of vitamin A (beta-carotene) for eye health.
- Good source of dietary fiber for digestive health.
- Naturally low in fat and calories.
- Contains antioxidants like lutein and zeaxanthin.
- Provides potassium for heart function.
🍽️ Popular dishes
🌍 Where it's eaten
💡 Did you know?
The butternut squash is a type of winter squash that was first cultivated in the Americas, but the modern, popular butternut variety was developed in the 1940s by Charles Leggett in Massachusetts.
Full nutrition (scales with serving)
| Water | 82.5 g |
| Energy | 57.0 kcal |
| Energy | 237 kj |
| Protein | 1.8 g |
| Total lipid (fat) | 0.10 g |
| Ash | 1.2 g |
| Carbohydrate, by difference | 14.4 g |
| Fiber, total dietary | 1.3 g |
| Total Sugars | 2.8 g |
| Calcium, Ca | 29.0 mg |
| Iron, Fe | 0.88 mg |
| Magnesium, Mg | 14.0 mg |
| Phosphorus, P | 22.0 mg |
| Potassium, K | 212 mg |
| Sodium, Na | 2.0 mg |
| Zinc, Zn | 0.17 mg |
| Copper, Cu | 0.05 mg |
| Manganese, Mn | 0.25 mg |
| Selenium, Se | 0.70 ug |
| Vitamin C, total ascorbic acid | 6.2 mg |
| Thiamin | 0.09 mg |
| Riboflavin | 0.06 mg |
| Niacin | 0.74 mg |
| Pantothenic acid | 0.22 mg |
| Vitamin B-6 | 0.11 mg |
| Folate, total | 24.0 ug |
| Folic acid | 0.00 ug |
| Folate, food | 24.0 ug |
| Folate, DFE | 24.0 ug |
| Vitamin B-12 | 0.00 ug |
| Vitamin A, RAE | 240 ug |
| Retinol | 0.00 ug |
| Carotene, beta | 1904 ug |
| Carotene, alpha | 376 ug |
| Cryptoxanthin, beta | 1564 ug |
| Vitamin A, IU | 4790 iu |
| Lycopene | 0.00 ug |
| Lutein + zeaxanthin | 0.00 ug |
| Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) | 1.9 mg |
| Vitamin D (D2 + D3), International Units | 0.00 iu |
| Vitamin D (D2 + D3) | 0.00 ug |
| Vitamin K (phylloquinone) | 1.4 ug |
| Alcohol, ethyl | 0.00 g |
| Caffeine | 0.00 mg |
| Theobromine | 0.00 mg |
Fat & fatty acid profile (per 100g)
| Fatty acids, total saturated | 0.02 g |
| SFA 4:0 | 0.00 g |
| SFA 6:0 | 0.00 g |
| SFA 8:0 | 0.00 g |
| SFA 10:0 | 0.00 g |
| SFA 12:0 | 0.00 g |
| SFA 14:0 | 0.00 g |
| SFA 16:0 | 0.02 g |
| SFA 18:0 | 0.00 g |
| Fatty acids, total monounsaturated | 0.01 g |
| MUFA 16:1 | 0.00 g |
| MUFA 18:1 | 0.01 g |
| MUFA 20:1 | 0.00 g |
| MUFA 22:1 | 0.00 g |
| Fatty acids, total polyunsaturated | 0.04 g |
| PUFA 18:2 | 0.02 g |
| PUFA 18:3 | 0.03 g |
| PUFA 18:4 | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 20:4 | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 20:5 n-3 (EPA) | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 22:5 n-3 (DPA) | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 22:6 n-3 (DHA) | 0.00 g |
| Fatty acids, total trans | 0.00 g |
| Cholesterol | 0.00 mg |
Amino acid profile (per 100g)
| Tryptophan | 0.03 g |
| Threonine | 0.05 g |
| Isoleucine | 0.07 g |
| Leucine | 0.10 g |
| Lysine | 0.07 g |
| Methionine | 0.02 g |
| Cystine | 0.01 g |
| Phenylalanine | 0.07 g |
| Tyrosine | 0.06 g |
| Valine | 0.08 g |
| Arginine | 0.10 g |
| Histidine | 0.03 g |
| Alanine | 0.07 g |
| Aspartic acid | 0.19 g |
| Glutamic acid | 0.31 g |
| Glycine | 0.07 g |
| Proline | 0.06 g |
| Serine | 0.07 g |
FAQ
Is frozen butternut squash as nutritious as fresh?
Yes, often more so. Flash-freezing at peak ripeness locks in nutrients, which can degrade over time in fresh squash during storage and transport.
Do I need to thaw frozen butternut squash before cooking?
For roasting or sautéing, it's best to thaw and pat dry to avoid steaming. For soups or purees, you can often add it directly from frozen.
What does butternut squash taste like?
It has a sweet, nutty flavor reminiscent of a cross between a pumpkin and a sweet potato, with a smooth, dense texture when cooked.