Group · Vegetables
Butternut squash
Butternut squash is recognisable by its elongated pear shape and its pale orange, stringless flesh. Its seed cavity is tiny: it is the squash that gives the best yield of flesh, and the easiest to cut into even cubes.
On the nutrition side, boiled butternut provides 28.2 kcal per 100 g, with 4.56 g of carbohydrate, 2.4 g of fibre and 0.69 g of protein. It provides 173 µg of vitamin A, 2,080 µg of beta-carotene, 277 mg of potassium and 44 mg of calcium per 100 g.
Macronutrient breakdown
Nutrition table per 100 g
| Calories | 28 kcal |
| Kilojoules | 118 kJ |
| Protein | 0,7 g |
| Carbohydrate | 4,6 g |
| Fat | 0,2 g |
| Fibre | 2,4 g |
Micronutrients per 100 g
All measured nutrients, ranked by share of the daily reference intake.
- Vitamin A173 µg22 %
- Potassium277 mg14 %
- Vitamin E1,65 mg14 %
- Vitamin B60,11 mg8 %
- Copper0,07 mg7 %
- Vitamin C4,95 mg6 %
- Calcium44 mg6 %
- Vitamin B50,26 mg4 %
- Vitamin B9dietary folate equivalents30,3 µg
See the other 7 nutrients
- Manganese0,07 mg4 %
- Phosphorus22 mg3 %
- Vitamin B10,03 mg3 %
- Magnesium7,95 mg2 %
- Iron0,25 mg2 %
- Omega-3 ALA0,03 g2 %
- Omega-6 LA0,02 g0 %
Anses Ciqual 2025. Source: Anses, 2025, Ciqual food composition table
Tips
2.4 g of fibre for 28 kcal is its strong point. It beats the other squashes in this selection on that measure. The fibre and water explain its filling power, which is far greater than its energy content suggests.
Roasted, not boiled. Boiled, it is fine; roasted in cubes at 200°C (about 180°C fan) for twenty-five minutes, it caramelises and becomes a completely different vegetable. The difference in taste is out of proportion to the effort.
It replaces part of your starchy foods. Mixed half and half with potato in a mash, it lightens the dish noticeably without changing the texture.
Its skin, however, is not eaten. Unlike red kuri squash, it stays tough after cooking. A vegetable peeler is enough, though, as the skin is thin and the shape regular.
A complete soup in one dish. With red lentils and a touch of curry powder, it becomes a balanced meal: the lentils provide the protein that the vegetable alone lacks.
Sources
Average nutrition values per 100 g, given as a guide only (they may vary by brand and preparation).
