If you are looking for a Thanksgiving appetizer that tastes like the season, this is it! Roasted butternut squash is whipped together with feta cheese and a little honey. It’s topped with a quick and easy pear and cranberry chutney and finished with chopped pecans and a drizzle of honey.
You can make both the whipped feta and the chutney ahead, so this delicious appetizer comes together in minutes when needed.
Ingredients and substitutions
A few notes about the key ingredients …
Roasted butternut squash – I love to pick up butternut squash when I see a good deal and roast it off. The roasted butternut squash freezes beautifully and is great to have on hand for recipes like this one, my butternut squash soup or this butternut vodka sauce gnocchi. You can roast the butternut squash ahead for this recipe and pop it into the refrigerator where it will keep for 3-4 days before using.
Cranberries – Start with fresh or frozen cranberries. Dried cranberries won’t work with this chutney as you need the moisture from the cranberries to bring the chutney together.
Pear – You can use any type of pear, but it should be ripe and still firm. I love Bosc pears as they are usually riper in the store than other types of pears, so you don’t have to wait days for them to soften a bit.
Feta cheese – Start with a feta cheese block sold and stored in brine. You’ll need someone around 250g or 8.8oz.
How to make butternut squash whipped feta
This is a visual summary of the steps to make this recipe. Always refer to the complete instructions in the recipe card below when making the recipe.
- To make the pear and cranberry chutney, add all the ingredients to a medium saucepan.
- Cook over medium heat, stirring regularly, until the cranberries break down and the pear is softened. (Can be made ahead and refrigerated for 3-4 days. Serve at room temperature, so take it out of the fridge ahead.)
- To make the butternut squash whipped feta, add all the ingredients to a food processor or stand mixer with the paddle attachment (not a blender, as it doesn’t work well). Whip together until mostly smooth. The whipped feta can also be made ahead and refrigerated for a couple of days. Bring to room temperature to serve.
Recipe tips!
- You can roast the butternut squash well ahead and refrigerate or freeze. The chutney can also be made ahead and refrigerated for up to 3 days. You can also whip up the squash and feta ahead and refrigerate, though I like to do it at least the same day.
- The chutney and whipped feta will have the nicest flavour at room temperature, so take them out of the fridge a bit ahead.
- I thought I could whip the feta in my blender, but it was too thick to blend properly. Use either a food processor or a stand mixer with the paddle attachment.
- To serve, spread the whipped feta onto a plate in a circle, leaving an inch or so empty around the edge of the plate. Swirl the whipped feta into a pretty pattern. Spoon the pear and cranberry chutney in the centre of the circle. Scatter with chopped pecans and drizzle with a little more honey. Garnish with some thyme leaves.
- Serve this whipped feta with pieces of flatbread, pita, naan or plain or lightly toasted baguette slices.
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Get the Recipe: Butternut Squash Whipped Feta
Ingredients
For the roasted butternut squash:
- 1 medium butternut squash
For the pear and cranberry chutney:
- 1 pear, unpeeled, quartered, cored and diced
- 1/2 cup fresh or frozen cranberries
- 1/4 cup red or yellow onion, diced
- 2 teaspoons white granulated sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger powder
- a bit of salt and freshly ground pepper
For the butternut squash whipped feta:
- 2 cups roasted butternut squash
- 8.8 oz (250 g) feta cheese, removed from brine and crumbled
- 3 Tablespoons honey
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- pinch cinnamon
- a bit of salt and freshly ground pepper
To serve:
- 3-4 Tablespoons pecans or walnuts, chopped
- honey, for drizzling
- fresh thyme leaves
- flatbread, pita, naan or baguette slices
Instructions
- To roast the butternut squash (can be made ahead): Preheat the oven to 375F (non-convection/not fan-assisted). Cut the butternut squash in half lengthwise. Remove and discard the seeds and pulp. Place the butternut squash cut-side down on a baking sheet and roast in the preheated oven for about 1 hour, or until golden and softened. Remove from the oven and flip over the squash. Allow to cool a bit, then scoop out the roasted butternut squash flesh. Measure out the amount needed for this recipe and let stand at room temperature to cool if using right away. Refrigerate or freeze the remainder for another purpose.
- For the pear and cranberry chutney (can be made ahead): Add all the chutney ingredients to a medium saucepan. Heat over medium heat, stirring regularly, and cook for about 10 minutes, or until the cranberries break down and the pears are softened. Set aside if using right away or refrigerate for up to 3 days.
- For the butternut squash whipped feta (can be made ahead): Add all the butternut squash whipped feta ingredients to a food processor or a stand mixer with the paddle attachment. Process or mix until the mixture is mostly smooth and spreadable. Taste and add additional salt and pepper, if necessary. Set aside if using right away or cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
- To assemble the plate: If you have refrigerated the butternut squash and/or chutney, remove it from the refrigerator ahead so it comes to room temperature before serving. Spread the whipped feta onto a large plate in a circle, leaving the outer inch or so empty. Swirl the whipped feta into a pretty pattern. Spoon the pear and cranberry chutney into a mound in the centre of the circle. Sprinkle with chopped nuts and drizzle with a bit more honey. Garnish with fresh thyme leaves.
- Serve with flatbread, pita or naan pieces or baguette slices (plain or toasted) arranged around the outside edge of the plate.
Notes
More appetizer recipes to love!
Hi! I’m Jennifer, a home cook schooled by trial and error and almost 40 years of getting dinner on the table! I love to share my favourite recipes, both old and new, together with lots of tips and tricks to hopefully help make your home cooking enjoyable, stress free, rewarding and of course, delicious!
