Keto Butternut Squash Hash with Apples and Bacon Recipe

Recipe Overview

Embrace a uniquely flavored dish while remaining in ketosis with this tantalizing keto butternut squash hash featuring the perfect blend of savory bacon, crisp apples, and earthy squash. A good keto hash alternative if you do not have all the ingredients, or would like to expand them include rutabaga, carrots, turnips, and parsnip.

Kitchen Tools Used for this Recipe

Ingredients For This Keto Butternut Hash Recipe

Preparing and Cooking the Keto Butternut Hash

1. Wash your butternut squash, then on a secure cutting board, cut a ¼” off both ends. Peel the squash with a vegetable peeler, then slice in half and remove the seeds. Safety tip: when cutting large fruits with tough rinds, it’s important to secure the cutting board. This can be done by placing a rubber mat, or alternatively a damp, clean towel underneath your cutting surface. Some cutting boards already have features such as rubber corners to lock them into place while cutting.



Discharge the peels, or compost them.



Seeds are easily removed with a metal spoon.




2. Slice the squash into ½” thick pieces, then into cubes. For the purposes of this recipe, discard any pieces which are thinner than ⅛” as they will typically burn when cooked with the larger pieces. You will be roasting these ingredients in the oven, so size uniformity is key to producing an ideally cooked squash. With the squash prepped, it is now time for the apples.



You may cut the squash into smaller cubes if you desire.



If your cubes are uniform in size, the squash will cook more evenly.




3. Wash the apples first, then slice in sections and remove the apple core. In this recipe, we used Honey Crisp apples, but any apple suitable for baking is appropriate. Granny Smith, Fuji, Gala, and similar varieties are typically more firm, and hold up well in the roasting process. Preheat your oven to 365º, and set your apples and squash in an oven basket, evenly distributed. If you elect to use a baking tray or sheet, coat with a non-stick spray or lay a sheet of butcher paper down first.



No need to peel. Simply remove the core, then cube.



With the vegetables prepared, we move on to the bacon.




4. Next, the bacon. Pro tip: Bacon is typically cured but is still raw, and should be handled with the same safety precautions as all raw meat products. Lay the bacon on your oven tray or flat rack, with a tray underneath. A flat tray will cook the bacon in the fat, producing a fried texture. On a rack, the fat drips through during cooking, and the bacon will develop a more crispy texture. Neither method is wrong; it’s simply a matter of your preference. Wash your hands after handling the raw bacon.



Space the bacon slices on oven tray to encourage uniform cooking.




5. Transfer the bacon to the preheated oven. Cook for 30 minutes. If you’ve elected to use a sheet or tray, flip the bacon halfway through the cooking process. Then around the 15 minute mark, transfer the apples and squash to the oven, and cook for the remaining time. The bacon should be browned, but not burnt, and the squash and apples should be roasted, not burnt.



This oven tray was precoated with non-stick spray.




6. Take the bacon, squash, and apples out of the oven, and allow them to cool for 3-5 minutes. Transfer the cooled bacon to a cutting board, and with a chef’s knife, chop into ½” pieces. Then toss the ingredients in a large mixing bowl. While tossing, you may sprinkle in 1tsp salt, 1tsp pepper, and any other seasonings to your liking. Taste your hash with a tasting spoon, and season more if desired. As a keto friendly recipe, you may add some sharp cheddar or parmesan cheese in lieu of salt. If the hash is a little dry, you can add some of the bacon fat into the mixture.



For this recipe, we simply used salt, pepper, and a blend of herbs.



Use a wooden spoon or spatula to mix the ingredients.




7. Serve your Keto Butternut Hash as its own hearty dish, or accompanied with a full meal. For lunch or dinner, keto creamed spinach is a fantastic addition. For breakfast, try some almond flour pancakes. If you’d like to add more protein to your meal, cajun seared shrimp are a great keto friendly option.



This hash is best served hot and fresh.