This warm Roasted Butternut Squash Dip is a decadent fall appetizer recipe! It's made with squash, white beans, lemon, and Gruyere cheese.

This post is sponsored by ALDI USA.

This Butternut Squash Gruyere Dip is a great way to celebrate fall and the upcoming holiday season or to enjoy during a cozy weeknight at home. It’s rich, hearty, and delicious served warm with a bowl of crispy crackers.

One of the best things about fall are all the seasonal ingredients that become available this time of year. Some of my favorites include pumpkin, apples, Brussels sprouts, wild rice, and, of course, butternut squash.

Butternut squash is great because it’s super versatile. It can be used to make everything from soup to salads to a thick and hearty stew.

Butternut squash is naturally sweet, and that sweetness lends itself nicely to so many ingredients. I love to pair it with any number of savory flavors to create dishes that are balanced and absolutely perfect for the autumn months.

The best part of this recipe is that I am able to find ALL of the ingredients for it at my local ALDI. I love when I can grab everything I need to make seasonal dishes like this one in one convenient location!

Jump to:

• How To Peel and Cut Butternut Squash
• How To Roast Squash In The Oven
• How To Make Butternut Squash Dip
• How To Get The Right Texture
• Bake The Dip In The Oven
• What To Serve With Roasted Butternut Squash Dip
• How Long Does This Dip Last?
• Can It Be Frozen?
• Roasted Butternut Squash Dip

I discovered ALDI a few years ago and from the first time I shopped there I was hooked.

As a food blogger and someone who cooks nearly every day of the week, it is essential that I remain organized and keep my life as efficient as possible. A huge reason I love ALDI is that it helps me achieve those goals.

I'm able to make my grocery lists and get nearly all my groceries by making a trip to ALDI once a week.

Another thing that I love about ALDI are the prices. I strive to eat as healthy as possible and shopping at ALDI allows me to purchase products that are clean and organic at a great price point. I feel that the value for many of these products, especially gluten free products, is unbeatable.

I encourage fellow foodies all the time to try shopping at ALDI in order to discover how fast and efficient the shopping experience can be, the high quality items at reasonable prices, and the diversity of the products.

You can learn more online by checking out the ALDI website - Here you can find a map to the store closest to you or purchase your groceries on Instacart or pick up your items with Curbside!

How To Peel and Cut Butternut Squash

The skin of butternut squash is quite tough and it's important to remove the skin before cutting into chunks for roasting.

The process of peeling and cutting a butternut squash is quite easy and can be achieved by using a cutting board and a sharp knife.

When cutting a round or irregularly shaped vegetable or fruit like butternut squash, it's best to remove both the top and the bottom with a knife, so that it may be placed flat on the cutting board. This will create a flat surface for the squash and will not roll around as you continue to cut and peel it.

1. To peel the butternut squash, simply remove the top and bottom of the squash with a sharp knife. This will give you a flat surface on both the top and bottom portion of the fruit and make it easier to peel and cut.
2. Place the flat bottom surface of the squash on a cutting board. Carefully remove the skin with a knife or a good quality vegetable peeler.
3. Cut the squash in half and scoop out the seeds from the bottom portion with a large spoon. Discard the seeds and membranes.
4. Cut each half of the squash into rounds and then cut the rounds into chunks. It's important that the chunks are relatively the same size to ensure even cooking.

One large butternut squash yields 6 heaping cups of butternut squash chunks.

Ingredients for Roasted Butternut Squash Dip

Here's what you'll need to make it.

• 1 large Butternut Squash (yields 6 heaping cups chopped)
• 3 Tbsp. Olive Oil (split)
• 1 Onion (white or yellow)
• 6 cloves Garlic (or 2 ½ tsp. garlic powder)
• 2 ½ tsp. Smoked Paprika
• ½ tsp. Nutmeg
• ¾ tsp. Kosher Salt and Pepper (split)
• 1 15 oz. can White Beans (also known as Great Northern Beans or cannellini beans)
• 2 Tbsp. Lemon Juice
• 1 Lemon (zest only)
• 1 cup Water
• 1 cup Gruyere cheese (shredded)

The ingredients that give this dip such a great savory flavor include the onion and garlic, which are roasted in the oven along with the squash.

The onion and garlic caramelize and become sweet in the oven and give the dip an overall smoky flavor. The smoked paprika adds to that smokiness.

Gruyere cheese is melted on top for richness and the whole thing is brightened up with some lemon zest.

How To Roast Squash In The Oven

Roasting vegetables of any kind helps to soften and sweeten them. It's one of the easiest ways to cook vegetables and provides maximum flavor with minimal effort.

This recipe calls for 6 heaping cups of butternut squash, 1 large onion, and 6 cloves of garlic. It's best to use 2 baking sheets, a large one for the squash and a small one for the garlic and onions to avoid overcrowding them.

Overcrowding the baking sheets with squash will cause them to steam instead of roast.

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Peel and chop 1 large butternut squash (yields 6 large cups) (see instructions above).
3. Peel 6 large cloves of garlic.
4. Peel 1 large onion. Cut the onion into large chunks, removing any thin outer skin.
5. Place the cubed butternut squash on a large baking sheet. Drizzle 2 Tbsp. of olive oil over the squash.
6. Place the garlic and onions on a separate baking sheet. Drizzle with 1 Tbsp. olive oil and toss to coat.
7. Sprinkle 2 ½ tsp. smoked paprika, ½ tsp. nutmeg, and ½ tsp. each of salt and pepper over the squash.
8. Toss the butternut squash in the olive oil and spices until completely coated.
9. Place the baking sheets in the oven and roast for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, remove the garlic from the baking sheet and set aside. Return the pan to the oven and roast for another 20 minutes.
10. Remove and allow the veggies to cool slightly.

If you don't feel like bothering with whole cloves of garlic, simply sprinkle 2 ½ tsp. of garlic powder over the squash along with the other spices and don't worry about removing the cloves after 10 minutes.

How To Make Butternut Squash Dip

A food processor works great to turn the butternut squash into a 'dip'. It's super easy to throw all of the ingredients in there and pulse until you reach the desired consistency.

If you have a small food processor, it's best to complete this step in batches. Simply add half of the ingredients and pulse until combined and then repeat the process until all of the ingredients are blended.

You can do this all at once if you have a large food processor.

1. Drain and rinse 1 15 oz. can of white beans or cannellini beans.
2. Place the roasted butternut squash, onions, and garlic in the food processor along with 1 15.5 oz. can of drained and rinsed white beans, 2 Tbsp. lemon juice, and ¼ teaspoon each kosher salt and pepper.
3. Place the cover on the food processor and pulse until all of the ingredients are combined. Pour 1 cup of water into the food processor as you pulse until the mixture becomes thick and creamy.

Complete this step in two stages if you have a small food processor.

How To Get The Right Texture

This Roasted Butternut Squash Dip is very thick and kind of dense. It yields a large quantity, making it great to serve to a crowd or to guests during the holiday season.

If it seems too thick or chunky, simply add a bit more water to thin it out in the food processor until it reaches your desired consistency.

The dip will be slightly chunky after pulsed. I find that the roasted chunks of garlic and onions give the dip great flavor and texture.

Bake The Dip In The Oven

Once the dip has been pulsed in the food processor and reached your desired consistency it's time to place it in a ceramic or oven-safe serving dish or pie plate and bake until warmed through.

Baking the dip in the oven allows all of the flavors in there to come through and melts the cheese on top of it.

1. Transfer all of the butternut squash dip from the food processor to a serving dish that's safe for oven cooking (a pie plate or ceramic baking dish works great).
2. Grate 1 cup of Gruyere cheese or flavorful cheese such as sharp cheddar, Emmantaler, or Fontina cheese.
3. Sprinkle the grated cheese evenly over the top of the dip.
4. Place the dish in the oven and bake for 5-6 minutes, or until the cheese has completely melted.
5. Remove the dish from the oven.

What To Serve With Roasted Butternut Squash Dip

Once the warmed dip is removed from the oven, grate the zest of 1 lemon over the top using a Microplane or small zester. The lemon zest helps to brighten up the flavors and balances out the dish.

Feel free to sprinkle some extra smoked paprika over the top for a bit of extra smokiness.

I love to serve dips like this one with some crostini, toasted baguette, crusty bread, or crackers of any kind.

You can also serve it with pita bread, naan bread, or any type of flatbread.

To lighten it up, feel free to serve this dip with some sliced raw veggies, such as bell peppers, carrots, celery, or cauliflower.

Sliced apples are also a great pairing.

This recipe is gluten free and one of the biggest reasons I love ALDI is the selection of gluten free products. My favorite are the LiveGfree Black Sesame Brown Rice Crisps. There is always a bag (or two) in my cupboard.

This Roasted Butternut Squash Dip basically tastes like fall on a plate. It's full of warm flavors, smells delicious as it bakes, and is great for parties and holidays.

This dip is hearty and filling and perfect for entertaining. Each guest can add as much or as little as they like to their plate and then load the plate up with crackers.

How Long Does This Dip Last?

Any leftover dip may be stored in an airtight container for 3-4 days in the fridge. Be sure to allow the dip to cool completely before transferring to the fridge for storage.

• The dip may be warmed again after it has been in the fridge. Simply warm it in the oven or the microwave in an oven safe pan. You may need to add a bit of water to the dip in order to prevent it from drying out.
• Extra cheese may be added when the dip is reheated as well.
• Feel free to cut this recipe in half if you don't need this large of an amount.

Can It Be Frozen?

The dip would likely dry out if frozen, so it's best to enjoy it warm, or within a few days.

Looking for more appetizer dips? Don't miss these recipes!

• Smoky Baba Ghanoush
• Kalamata Olive Tapenade
• Roasted Mushroom Tapenade
• Roasted Poblano Avocado Dip
• Fresh Spinach Artichoke Dip
• Italian Cannellini Bean Dip

Love butternut squash? Check out these recipes!

• Butternut Squash Quinoa Salad
• Creamy Butternut Squash Soup
• Fall Harvest Salad
• Butternut Squash Sausage Soup
• Roasted Squash Arugula Salad
• Butternut Squash Fries

Looking For More Butternut Squash Recipes? Don't Miss These!

Butternut Squash Chili

Homemade Butternut Squash Ravioli

Instant Pot Butternut Squash Soup

Roasted Butternut Squash Risotto