Butternut Squash Pie with Sweet Potato

This butternut squash pie combines fresh butternut squash and sweet potato in a thick, creamy filling with cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg. Honey gives it just enough sweetness, while the sweet potato adds more body than you get from butternut squash alone.

I made this pie after using the long neck of a butternut squash in another recipe and having the rounded seed end left over. I peeled and steamed the remaining squash, mashed it, and combined one cup with an equal amount of mashed sweet potato.

The finished pie has the warm spice and custard-like texture you expect from a fall pie, but it doesn’t taste exactly like pumpkin pie or traditional Southern sweet potato pie. The butternut squash keeps the flavor a little lighter, while the sweet potato gives the filling its richer texture.

What Goes in Butternut Squash Pie

As always, the full recipe card with measurements is at the bottom of the post.

The filling is made with equal parts butternut squash and sweet potato, eggs, honey and half-and-half. Cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg give it the warm spice flavor you expect from a fall pie without overwhelming the flavor of the squash. A tablespoon of flour helps the custard set.

I use a refrigerated pie crust here. There is enough prep involved with cooking fresh vegetables that I don’t think homemade crust is necessary unless you particularly want to make one.

Preparing Raw Butternut Squash and Sweet Potato

You need 1 cup mashed butternut squash and 1 cup mashed sweet potato for this pie.

For the butternut squash, peel it, scoop out the seeds and cut the flesh into roughly 1/2-inch pieces. I usually wear gloves when I cut raw butternut squash because the sap makes my hands feel tight and irritated.

Steam the squash until it is completely tender, then mash it well and measure out 1 cup.

Peel and cube the sweet potato the same way. Steam until tender, mash and measure out another cup.

GREAT FOR LEFTOVERS: You don’t have to start with an entire butternut squash specifically for the pie. If you are already cutting one up for dinner, save enough to make a cup of mashed squash. My roasted butternut squash is another easy option if you would rather cook the squash in the oven instead of steaming it.

How to Make Butternut Squash Pie

Preheat the oven to 375°F and fit one refrigerated pie crust into a 9-inch glass pie plate. Shape or flute the crust around the edge.

In a large mixing bowl, add the mashed butternut squash, mashed sweet potato, eggs, honey, half-and-half, flour, cinnamon, salt, ginger and nutmeg.

Whisk everything together very well. You want the squash and sweet potato evenly distributed through the custard with no large clumps of mashed vegetables remaining.

Pour the filling into the prepared pie crust.

Bake for 30 minutes, then check the crust. If the edges are already nicely browned, loosely protect them with foil or a pie crust shield.

I admit foil and pie crust edges are not my favorite combination. It always seems to fall off just as I’m trying to work around a hot pie plate. A reusable pie shield is much easier if you have one.

Continue baking for another 20 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Let the pie cool at room temperature for about 2 hours before slicing. Serve with whipped cream, or cover and refrigerate it until you are ready to serve.

What Does Butternut Squash Pie Taste Like?

If you like pumpkin desserts or sweet potato pie, this is in the same family, but it isn’t an exact copy of either one.

Using two fresh vegetables gives the filling more texture and flavor than a pie made entirely from canned purée. Honey adds sweetness without making the filling overly sugary, while cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg keep the flavor firmly in fall-dessert territory.

Can I Make This Pie Ahead of Time?

Yes. In fact, this pie is a good one to make the day before Thanksgiving or another holiday meal.

Bake and cool the pie completely, cover it and refrigerate. Add whipped cream only when serving.

• If you’re planning a holiday menu, my Ruth’s Chris sweet potato casserole is another sweet potato option for the table, while stovetop sweet potatoes are a more traditional brown-sugar side dish.