Elegant Thanksgiving Squash Side Dish

Butternut squash, apple, and onion are simmered together, then pureed with spiced red wine, mixed with cranberry juice-reconstituted raisins, and topped with creamy fresh goat cheese. Try using a combination of regular and golden raisins, or Craisins®. This dish is sure to make an elegant accoutrement!

• Preparation Time: 15 mins
• Cooking Time: 25 mins
• Total Time: 40 mins
• Calories: 205 Calories

Ingredients

• ½ cup water
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 ¼ cups raisins
• salt and ground black pepper to taste
• 1 cup red wine
• 1 sweet onion, chopped
• 1 butternut squash - peeled, seeded, and cubed
• 1 cup water, or more as needed
• ½ cup cranberry juice
• 2 Gala apples, cored and cubed, or more to taste
• 1 tablespoon mulling spices
• 8 ounces chevre (soft goat cheese), crumbled

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Melt butter in a large pot over medium-high heat. Cook and stir onion in hot butter until translucent and soft, 5 to 10 minutes. Stir butternut squash, apples, and 1 cup water into onion mixture. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to low and simmer until apples are tender, 10 to 15 minutes.

Step 2

Pour squash mixture into a blender no more than half full. Cover and hold lid down; pulse a few times before leaving on to blend. Puree in batches until smooth. Transfer puree to a bowl and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Step 3

Stir wine, cranberry juice, and 1/2 cup water together in a saucepan. Bring wine mixture to a boil; add mulling spices, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 2 minutes. Add raisins and simmer until plumped, 5 to 10 minutes. Drain and discard wine mixture.

Step 4

Stir raisins into squash puree and top with goat cheese.