Sweet Potato Fry-lovers will Devour These Buttercup Squash Fries

Im always trying to think up new ways to eat squash at this time of year, and I thought this one was worthy of sharing with you all. I first tried these fries with butternut squash but was disappointed with the results. Butternut can be on the watery side and they just didnt have the right texture. I wanted a fry that was a little more meaty so I opted for buttercup squash which has more of a rich and dense texture and is also sweeter, reminiscent of sweet potatoes which make my all-time favorite fries.

I was pleased to find that buttercup squash fries are very similar in taste and texture to sweet potato fries. (I have a hunch delicata squash would make an equally lovely fry, though I havent tried it yet).

Once they were done, all they needed was a little dipping sauce and because sage and squash are a bit of a match made in heaven, I threw some fresh chopped sage into a homemade aioli and BAM, found a brand new way to serve up squash at the Thanksgiving (or any) table!

This recipe is relatively simple and you can make it either using the light cornmeal coating specified in the instructions below or just with plain olive oil and salt, its up to you. Both are delicious. Best of all, these fries are baked in the oven, which is good news for your arteries and doesnt involve hot frying oil. I do have one disclaimer though: cutting up a whole squash into fry-sized pieces is fairly time consuming, the timelapse in my video might make it seem quick and easy but I actually wrestled with those squashes for quite some time. So just set aside a good chunk of time for the squash-wrestling, at least 30 to 45 minutes - put on your favorite tunes, and go to it! (Ive also figured out a little trick to speed things up which Ill share with you in the recipe below).

If youre looking for other squash recipes in anticipation of Thanksgiving, here are some of my long-time favorites which Ive previously posted: Roasted Squash Cornbread, Delicata Squash and Sage Biscuits, and Squash and Maple Tarte Tatin.

I wish you all a very happy Thanksgiving with your loved ones. May there be a spirit of gratitude and giving of thanks around your table, and may it be a time to listen to each other with both head and heart during this challenging political climate which has been so divisive.

Aube is a passionate organic gardener and home cook who likes to share the stories of how food gets to our dinner plates. Her work has been shown on television and at international film festivals. Her web series has been nominated for multiple James Beard Awards for Best Video Webcast (On Location). In 2012, she was the recipient of Saveur Magazine's Best Food Blog award in the video category.