Cushaw Squash Pie Recipe with Homemade Puree
This spin on traditional pumpkin pie uses roasted Cushaw squash in place of typical pie pumpkin for a velvety smooth sweet treat. Easy to make, this pie recipe is ready to be baked in less than 20 minutes.
What is Cushaw Squash?
Cushaw squash is crookneck winter squash variety Cucurbita argyrosperma. This is a Native American squash variety with a rich history of being used in a variety of dishes all throughout history. Native Americans are credited with spreading this unique variety across America from the south all the way up to northern gardens such as Monticello where it is still grown today.
Today, most people know the Cushaw squash or Cushaw pumpkin more as fall porch decorations than food, but these large crookneck squash with festive green and white stripes have a nice mild flavor and smooth texture that make for delicious pies, soups, bread and more!
Why to Choose Cushaw Squash over Traditional Pumpkin for Pies:
Cushaw squash puree is the perfect swap for traditional pie pumpkin puree as it is less watery and has a much smoother texture.
While pumpkins are in high demand each fall, Cushaw squash can be purchased for very reasonable prices at local farmers markets and farm stands. Cushaw squash are also very large, providing a lot of flesh to make enough pumpkin puree for all of your favorite fall treats such as pumpkin pie bars, pumpkin pop-tarts and apple butter pumpkin pie. Cushaw squash is overall a very economical choice for using in all of your favorite pumpkin recipes.
How to Roast Cushaw Squash to Make Puree:
- Begin by cutting your Cushaw squash in half with a large, sharp chef’s knife. Cut each half in half again, making 4 pieces.Â
- Line two baking trays with aluminum foil and lay all 4 pieces down skin side up on the baking tray.Â
- Roast the Cushaw squash at 425 degrees for one hour or until the skin is fork tender.Â
- After the squash is cooked through and nicely caramelized until golden brown, allow the squash to cool until it can be handled safely.Â
How to Make Cushaw Puree:
1. Carefully remove the skin of the squash. It should peel away from the flesh easily.
2. Use an ice cream scoop to scoop out the roasted Cushaw squash flesh into a large bowl. Make sure to include all the brown caramelized bits of squash as this is the sweetest part of the roasted squash.
3. For a thicker puree consistency, drain excess water out of the large chunks of squash over a fine mesh strainer to remove the excess liquid. Let it sit in the strainer over a bowl for about 30 minutes.
4. To puree the cooked squash, use a food processor or an immersion blender to blend the cooked squash until a silky puree texture is achieved.
How to Store Cushaw Squash Puree:
After the squash is blended to a smooth consistency, measure out the puree in two cup increments in freezer safe ziplock bags or freezer safe containers. I like to use two cup Souper cubes to measure and store my puree at the same time.
Then, label the freezer bags with the name of the product, amount and date. Store in the freezer up to 6 months.
Pie Filling Ingredients:
- Â 2 cups roasted squash puree (or pumpkin puree from the grocery store)
- 2 large eggs well beaten
- 3/4 cup brown sugar
- 3/4 cup white sugar
- 1 heaping tablespoon cornstarch
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 12 oz evaporated milk
- 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
- Deep dish unbaked pie shell (sourdough pie crust or butter pie crust both work great)
How to Make the Pie:
1. Preheat the oven temperature to 350 degrees.
2. In a large mixing bowl combine Cushaw squash puree, eggs and evaporated milk. Whisk until well combined.
3. To the mixture, add white and brown sugar, salt, pumpkin pie spice and cornstarch. Mix until everything is well incorporated.
4. Roll out prepared unbaked pie dough in a 12-inch circle and place in a deep dish pie pan that has been greased to prevent sticking.
5. Pour mixture into the pie shell. Optional: place pie dish on a baking tray to prevent any messy spills while transferring the pie to the oven.
6. Bake the pie at 350 degrees for 1 hour or until the middle is just set. If the crust begins to brown too quickly, use tin foil or a pie shield to prevent burning.
7. Allow the pie to cool to room temperature before slicing for best results.
How to Serve Cushaw Squash Pie:
Serve Cushaw squash pie like you would any pumpkin pie with copious amounts of whipped cream! For an extra special treat, consider making homemade maple whipped cream like I use on my Apple Butter Pumpkin Pie. It is absolutely divine and just screams fall!
Printable Recipe:
Roasted Cushaw Squash Pie
Ingredients
- Pumpkin Pie Filling:
- 2 cups roasted cushaw squash puree or pumpkin puree
- 2 eggs well beaten
- 3/4 cup brown sugar
- 3/4 cup white sugar
- 1 heaping tablespoon cornstarch
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 12 oz evaporated milk
- 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
- Pie Crust:
- 1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 5 tablespoons cold lard or butter
- 5-6 tablespoons ice cold water add one at a time
Instructions
- Mix together the Cushaw puree, eggs, evaporated milk, brown sugar, white sugar, salt, cornstarch and pumpkin pie spice.
- Next, pour pie filling into unbaked pie shell.
- Then bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour or until the middle is set.
Video
Notes
Watch How to Roast Cushaw Squash and Make Pie Crust:
More From Scratch Dessert Recipes:
Pumpkin Pie Bars with Shortbread Crust
