Butternut Squash Substitutes

Out of butternut squash? These are the swaps that actually work, with conversion ratios for any recipe size and notes on how each one changes the result.

Need to convert butternut squash between cups, grams, or ounces first? Open the butternut squash converter.

What to use instead of butternut squash

  • Pumpkin

    Produce swap

    1 cup cubed butternut squash = 1 cup cubed pumpkin (1:1 by volume)

    Sugar Pie pumpkin is the closest match by sweetness and density. Carving pumpkin is stringier and watery; skip it for cooking. Works in soups, curries, pies, and roasts.

    See pumpkin substitutes →

  • Sweet Potato

    Produce swap

    1 cup cubed butternut squash = 1 cup cubed sweet potato (1:1 by volume)

    Sweeter and denser than butternut. Best in roasts, mash, and curries where extra sweetness helps. Soups end up thicker, so add a splash more stock.

    See sweet potato substitutes →

Frequently Asked Questions

What can I substitute for butternut squash?
There are 2 workable substitutes for butternut squash, depending on what you have on hand and which property of butternut squash matters most for your recipe. The closest swap is usually 1 cup cubed butternut squash = 1 cup cubed pumpkin (1:1 by volume). Each option below lists the conversion ratio for any recipe size, plus notes on how the swap changes the texture, flavour, rise, or browning.
Will substituting butternut squash change how my recipe turns out?
Yes, every swap trades one property for another: fat content, moisture, acidity, or protein. The notes on each substitute describe what changes in texture, flavour, rise, or browning, so you can choose the swap that matters least for your recipe. Open the butternut squash converter
How do I measure butternut squash accurately?
Weighing in grams is more reliable than scooping cups, especially when a substitute has a different density from what the recipe expects. The butternut squash converter on this site converts between whole items, cups, US cups, grams, ounces, and pounds, so you can scale a recipe up or down without losing the ratio. Open the butternut squash converter

Other ingredient and produce substitutes

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