Vegan oven-baked squash fries with pepper and cashew dip

Vegan butternut squash fries with smoked paprika from the oven, served with a dip made from cashews and roasted pepper. Gluten-free autumn snacks without a deep fryer.

At a glance

• Serves 4
• Prep time: 20 min
• Cooking time: 30 min
• Total time: 50 min
• Calories: 287 kcal per serving
• Protein: 6 g
• Fat: 14 g
• Carbs: 31 g

Ingredients

• 80g cashews
• 1 butternut squash
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp cornflour
• 1 pepper
• 1 garlic clove
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 60ml water
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp salt

Method

You’ll need: oven · stick blender · chopping board · knife · sieve

1. Soak the cashews in hot water for 15 minutes. Preheat the oven to 220 °C (200 °C fan).
2. Peel the butternut squash, remove the seeds and cut it into 1 cm thick sticks.
3. Toss the sticks with the olive oil, cornflour, smoked paprika and most of the salt and spread them out, well spaced, on two baking trays lined with baking paper. Add the quartered pepper.
4. Bake the fries at 220 °C for 25 to 30 minutes, turning them after 15 minutes, until the edges are brown.
5. Drain the cashews and blend them with the roasted pepper, garlic, lemon juice, water and the rest of the salt into a smooth dip.
6. Serve the squash fries hot with the dip.

Good to know

Butternut squash fries turn crisp outside and soft inside in the oven. A spoonful of starch makes them crispier, and you don't need a deep fryer. They come with a dip made from cashews and roasted pepper.

Swaps

Butternut squash → sweet potato. Cashews → sunflower seeds (nut-free). Cornflour → potato starch. Smoked paprika → curry powder.

Cooking tips

Spread the sticks out with space between them, or they'll steam instead of roasting. Use two trays if one gets too full.

Storage

Crispiest when fresh; the dip keeps for 4 days in the fridge.

Allergens

Vegan, gluten-free, no milk or egg; contains cashews (tree nuts). Suitable for children and in pregnancy.

Frequently asked questions

How long do squash fries keep in the fridge?

Crispiest when fresh; the dip keeps for 4 days in the fridge.

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