A simple butternut squash appetizer made with roasted squash, creamy ricotta, and crispy sage on toasted baguette slices. A great fall and winter app with minimal work.
When I'm looking for an easy butternut squash recipe to serve in the fall or winter, crostini are the perfect answer. This version layers roasted butternut squash over creamy ricotta and finishes with crispy fried sage for a simple, seasonal, unfussy recipe.
The squash is roasted with maple syrup and a touch of spice until tender and lightly caramelized, then spooned onto toasted baguette slices over a generous layer of ricotta. These crostini work just as well for a casual weeknight meal as they do for a holiday gathering, and most of the components can be prepared ahead of time.
Serve them warm or at room temperature whenever winter squash is in season, for a comforting, savory bite with minimal work.
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😍 Why You'll Love This Crostini Recipe
- It's easy to assemble. Crostini is essentially just toast with toppings.
- It offers a range of textures with creamy ricotta, crunchy baguette toasts, and tender squash.
- You can serve it as an appetizer or make it a simple everyday meal with a salad or protein on the side.
For more tasty bites on bread and pastry, try my Beetroot and Feta Tartlets, Squash Tartlets, and Halloumi Toast.
🧀 Ingredients
Here's everything you need to make this butternut squash appetizer recipe.
Key Ingredients
- Butternut squash: One of the most popular and easiest to prepare winter squashes. The tender orange flesh is sweet and versatile. However, you can also use any other winter squash (aside from spaghetti squash) in this recipe. Some may take longer to cook, but just be sure to cut them up into small cubes as described. You'll need about one pound of squash total.
- Baguette: A simple sliced baguette makes the perfect-sized snack or appetizer. Your baguette doesn't need to be freshly baked. This is a good recipe for day-old (or even a few days old) bread.
- Ricotta: Use creamy, fresh, and flavorful ricotta to spread over the toasted baguette slices. My favorite is from a local Vermont company called Maplebrook Farm. It's some of the best I've ever tasted.
- Sage: Fresh sage leaves are lightly fried in olive oil until crisp, then crumbled over the crostini. They add a rich, earthy note that helps finish off the appetizer. Dried sage isn't an option here, but if fresh sage isn't handy, skip the frying and garnish the crostini with some chopped fresh parsley instead.
- Maple syrup: Helps to caramelize the squash and add a deeper, richer flavor. But if you're watching your sugar intake, feel free to omit it.
- Spices: I like to season the squash with a mix of garlic powder, dried rosemary powder, and chipotle for a hint of heat and smokiness. Smoked paprika is a good alternative, if chipotle isn't handy. Of course, you can change up these spices to whatever you prefer.
- Honey (optional): A light drizzle of honey finishes off the crostini and adds a touch of light sweetness.
Check out the recipe card below for the complete list of ingredients and quantities.
Variations
- With bacon: Add crumbled crispy bacon to the crostini along with the squash.
- Balsamic vinegar: Instead of honey, top the crostini with a balsamic syrup. Just simmer some balsamic vinegar in a small pan until it thickens to a syrup-like consistency.
- Other cheeses: Try subbing the ricotta for any creamy, spreadable cheese of your choice. A creamy goat cheese could work well here.
🔪 Instructions
- Step 1: Peel the squash, then cut it into small cubes about ¼ to ½ inch.
- Step 2: In a bowl, toss the cubed squash with maple syrup, salt, garlic powder, rosemary, and chipotle powder.
- Step 3: Spread the squash out on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
- Step 4: Roast in a 425°F oven for about 30 minutes, or until browned and tender.
- Step 5: Slice your baguette and brush the top of each slice with olive oil. Place on a baking sheet and toast in the oven while the squash cooks.
- Step 6: Remove the toast slices from the oven, cool briefly, then top each with some ricotta.
- Step 7: In a pan over medium heat, lightly fry the sage leaves for about a minute, until crisp.
- Step 8: Top the crostini with the cubed squash.
- Step 9: Drizzle over some honey, if you like, and then crumble over the sage leaves
- Step 10: You can serve immediately or at room temperature.
✨ Top Tips
- Save yourself some time and chop and roast the butternut squash up to three days in advance. Gently reheat the squash, or let it reach room temperature, before assembling.
- If your baguette goes stale and brick-hard, revive it by rinsing it under the tap, then heating it in a 350-degree F oven for about 10 minutes. It'll be easy to slice afterwards.
- The number of crostini slices you end up with will depend on how thick you slice your bread. For about 18 crostini, slice the baguette into ½ inch slices. For more like 30, aim for ¼ inch slices. There is no right answer - it's up to you!
🥡 Storage
These crostini are best served the day they're assembled or at most, within 24 hours. More than that, and they'll go soft and soggy. Keep refrigerated if prepared ahead, but let them sit briefly at room temperature before serving.
However, you can roast the squash up to three days in advance and store it in an airtight container in the fridge until ready. Toast the bread, top with ricotta, and fry the sage leaves just before serving for the freshest taste and texture.
🙋🏻♂️ FAQ
You can serve them either warm or at room temperature. I would just avoid serving them chilled, as the squash won't be as tasty. They can be briefly warmed at a low temperature in the oven if you prepared them in advance and want to warm them slightly.
Yes. You can prepare and cook the squash up to three days in advance. But I reccomend frying the sage leaves and assembling the day of serving.
A baguette is ideal because you get the perfect single serving portion when sliced.
🍲 Pairing
Try serving these crostini along with any of these recipes:
📖 Recipe
Butternut Squash Crostini Appetizer
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 18-24 pieces 1x
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
A simple butternut squash appetizer made with roasted squash, creamy ricotta, and crispy sage on toasted baguette slices.
Ingredients
- 1 baguette
- ½ cup olive oil, divided
- about 1 pound of butternut squash
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed or ground
- ½ teaspoon chipotle powder or smoked paprika
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1 ½ cups ricotta cheese
- 12 fresh sage leaves
- 2 tablespoons honey
Instructions
- Prep the squash. Preheat the oven to 425°F. Peel the squash, remove the seeds, and chop into pieces, roughly ¼ inch in size. In a large bowl, toss the squash with a couple of tablespoons of olive oil, the salt, dried rosemary, chipotle or smoked paprika, and maple syrup until evenly coated.
- Roast the squash. Spread the squash out on a baking sheet and roast for 25-30 minutes, tossing once, until tender and lightly caramelized.
- Toast the baguette. While the squash roasts, slice the baguette into ½- to ¼-inch slices. Brush them lightly with olive oil and place them on a baking sheet. During the last 8-10 minutes of roasting the squash, place the bread in the oven and toast until crisp and lightly golden. Remove both pans and let cool slightly.
- Fry the sage. In a small sauté pan, heat the remaining olive oil over medium-high heat. Fry half of the sage leaves until crisp, about 1 minute. Transfer them to a paper towel lined plate and repeat with the remaining leaves. Then crumble the sage into pieces.
- Assemble. Spread a spoonful of ricotta onto each slice of toast. Top with roasted squash, a pinch of crispy sage, and a drizzle of honey.
Notes
Save yourself some time and chop and roast the butternut squash up to three days in advance. Gently reheat the squash, or let it reach room temperature, before assembling.
If your baguette goes stale and brick-hard, revive it by rinsing it under the tap, then heating it in a 350-degree F oven for about 10 minutes. It'll be easy to slice afterwards.
The number of crostini slices you end up with will depend on how thick you slice your bread. For about 18 crostini, slice the baguette into ½ inch slices. For more like 30, aim for ¼ inch slices. There is no right answer - it's up to you!
- Prep Time: 20
- Cook Time: 30
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Roasting
- Cuisine: Italian
🎃 Related Recipes
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