5 Winter Vegetable Recipes

Winter vegetables are hearty and healthy, and these 5 winter vegetable recipes showcase their flavor.  Try each one of these for an easy week night dinner, full of flavor and healthy winter vegetables. 

Winter Vegetable Soup

Ingredients:

• 3 parsnips
• 3 carrots
• 1 celery root
• 2 turnips
• 1 sweet potato
• 1 butternut squash
• ¼ cup olive oil
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1 celery stalk
• ½ onion
• 1 quart vegetable broth
• ½ cup cream or milk

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.  Peel and cut the vegetables into ½ inch pieces.  Toss the vegetables with olive oil and salt on a large roasting pan; roast 30 to 45 minutes.
2. Melt butter in a large Dutch oven.  Add diced celery and onion; cook until softened. 
3. Pour in broth.  Bring to a simmer, add roasted vegetables and simmer 10 more minutes.
4. Puree soup with an immersion blender.  Add cream or milk and additional salt and pepper to taste.   

Butternut Squash Casserole

Ingredients:

• 1 butternut squash
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 ½ cups milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 3 eggs
• ¾ cup butter
• 8 ounces vanilla wafers
• 1 cup brown sugar

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.  Cook squash in the microwave on high for 3 minutes.  Cut in half, scoop out the seeds and cube.
2. Boil a large pot of water.  Add squash and cook 15 minutes; drain and mash.
3. Add the squash, sugar, milk, vanilla, flour, eggs and ¼ cup butter to a casserole dish.  Cook for 45 minutes.
4. Make the topping for the casserole.  Combine crushed wafers, ½ cup butter and brown sugar; crumble over casserole and bake 10 more minutes to brown.

Roasted Acorn Squash

Ingredients:

• 2 medium sized acorn squash
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 2 onions, sliced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon coriander seeds
• ½ teaspoon grated nutmeg
• Salt and pepper

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.  Cut the squash in half and place cut side up on a baking sheet. Bake for 50 minutes; let cool for 20 minutes.
2. Melt the butter in a large skillet.  Sauté the onions for 10 minutes.  Add the garlic and spices; cook 2 minutes.
3. Remove the seeds and flesh from the squash.  Discard the seeds; chop the flesh and add to the skillet. Heat thorough and season with salt and pepper.

Spaghetti Squash

Ingredients:

• 1 spaghetti squash
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 onion
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 ½ cups chopped tomatoes
• Fresh basil and parmesan cheese, for serving

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.  Halve the spaghetti squash and place cut side down on a greased baking sheet.  Roast for 30 minutes.
2. Heat skillet over medium heat.  Sauté onion until soft.  Add garlic and tomatoes; cook until heated.
3. Scoop flesh from squash (it will be stringy like spaghetti).  Pour tomato sauce over and garnish with basil and cheese.

Pumpkin Soup

Ingredients:

• 6 cups chicken stock
• 1 ½ teaspoons salt
• 4 cups pumpkin puree
• 1 teaspoon parsley
• 1 onion, chopped
• ½ teaspoon thyme
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• ½ cup whipping cream

1. Combine first seven ingredients in a large saucepan.  Bring to a boil and simmer for 30 minutes.
2. Puree soup in 1-cup batches. Return soup to large saucepan.
3. After pureed, boil soup again.  Simmer 30 minutes, add cream and garish with fresh parsley to serve.