This savory Butternut Squash Pie combines sweet roasted squash, smoky ham, mushrooms, Parmesan, and rosemary in a flaky golden crust. The creamy egg filling brings everything together without making the pie feel heavy, creating an easy fall dinner that’s cozy enough for a weeknight but beautiful enough for brunch or holiday entertaining.

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The Savory Fall Pie I Almost Forgot About

Sometimes you have to get out of your comfort zone and try something you’ve already decided you probably won’t like, which is basically how butternut squash and I finally met.

I didn’t grow up eating it, and I actually made it all the way to adulthood without ever trying butternut squash. Part of the problem was that I couldn’t imagine what it was supposed to taste like, the texture didn’t exactly look exciting to me, and I had absolutely no idea what I was supposed to do with this giant beige vegetable once I brought it home.

Then one Thanksgiving, someone brought a butternut squash dish to a potluck. Since someone else had already done the mysterious squash preparation for me, I figured I might as well try it, and my reaction was basically, Wait, this is actually interesting.

It was slightly sweet, creamy, nutty, and much more versatile than I had imagined. More importantly, it made me curious enough to buy one myself and start experimenting with it at home.

That curiosity eventually became one of my favorite parts of cooking. Once you understand what flavors balance each other, combinations that initially sound a little strange can turn into something ridiculously good. That’s how I ended up loving things like my Kimchi Nachos, because apparently spicy fermented cabbage and cheesy nachos had been waiting for each other all along. The same thing happened with my Creamy Pumpkin Pasta, which is basically ooey-gooey fall comfort in pasta form, and Pumpkin Klepon, where pumpkin gets a completely different personality.

So when I first started thinking about this Butternut Squash Pie, there was one thing already living rent-free in my head: quiche. I love that contrast between a creamy savory filling and buttery pastry, especially when the crust has that rich butter flavor that makes the edge of the quiche almost as exciting as the middle. Give me a really good French butter crust and suddenly I’m the person eating around the outside first because apparently pie crust requires a strategy.

Butternut squash made so much sense with it. Once roasted, the squash becomes sweet and slightly caramelized around the edges, which works beautifully with salty ham, earthy mushrooms, Parmesan, rosemary, and that creamy egg custard.

Then you get the flaky, buttery crust underneath everything, and when the pie has just come out of the oven and the whole kitchen smells like butter, rosemary, roasted squash, and Parmesan, my former suspicion of butternut squash feels particularly unreasonable. Apparently adulthood is full of surprises.

What Does Butternut Squash Pie Taste Like?

Despite the natural sweetness of butternut squash, this is very much a savory butternut squash pie.

Roasting concentrates the squash’s slightly sweet, nutty flavor, while smoky ham brings the saltiness needed to balance it. Mushrooms add earthy depth, Parmesan gives the filling a sharper savory edge, and rosemary adds that woodsy fall aroma that makes the whole kitchen smell especially good while the pie is baking.

Then there’s the custard, which holds everything together without turning the pie into one solid block of egg and cheese. It’s creamy and tender, while the flaky crust gives all those softer ingredients the buttery, crisp contrast they need.

That balance is probably what I enjoy most about the recipe because nothing completely takes over. It’s not overwhelmingly cheesy, the squash isn’t overly sweet, and the ham doesn’t make the whole thing too salty. You get a little sweet, salty, earthy, creamy, and buttery in the same bite, which is much more interesting than the bland orange vegetable I had imagined before I actually tried butternut squash.

Why Roast the Butternut Squash First?

Roasting the butternut squash before adding it to the pie does two important things: it improves both the flavor and the texture.

As the squash roasts, some of its moisture evaporates and the edges begin to caramelize. Instead of tasting simply soft and mildly sweet, those little golden pieces develop a deeper, nuttier flavor that can actually hold its own next to the mushrooms, ham, Parmesan, and rosemary.

Removing some of that moisture also matters because we’re putting the squash into an egg custard. Too much moisture in the filling can work against the creamy texture we want and make the crust more vulnerable to becoming soggy.

You don’t need to roast the squash until it collapses, either. I prefer it tender but still holding its shape so you get actual pieces of golden butternut squash throughout each slice.

After spending the first part of my life suspicious of its texture, I now apparently have opinions about precisely how butternut squash should behave inside a pie. Personal growth comes in unexpected forms.

Ham Makes This Pie Even Better

The original version of this Butternut Squash Pie was meatless, and you can absolutely keep it vegetarian, but I love what smoked ham does with the sweetness of roasted squash.

Butternut squash naturally leans sweet, while ham brings saltiness and a little smoky flavor. Add earthy mushrooms and salty Parmesan and suddenly everything feels much more balanced.

I like the ham cut into relatively small pieces so you get a little in each bite rather than discovering one giant piece hiding in the middle of your slice. Giving it a quick sauté before it goes into the filling adds a little color and deeper flavor while also helping remove excess moisture.

You don’t need to make it crispy like bacon because that isn’t really the goal here. The ham should stay tender enough to blend into the creamy filling while still giving you little salty, smoky bites against the sweeter squash.

If you want to keep the pie vegetarian, simply leave it out and add a few more mushrooms or some caramelized onions. Butternut squash is surprisingly cooperative once you stop being suspicious of it.

Store-Bought Pie Crust Is Completely Fine

This is one shortcut I will happily take because by the time we’ve roasted butternut squash, sautéed mushrooms, browned ham, and assembled a custard filling, I don’t think dinner needs to become a pastry examination too.

A good refrigerated or frozen pie crust makes this savory butternut squash pie much more approachable for brunch, a fall dinner, or the holidays. Blind-baking the crust briefly before adding the filling also helps create a crisper bottom so all that creamy custard doesn’t immediately soak into the pastry.

If you love making homemade pie crust, though, this is a wonderful place to use one. A rich, buttery savory crust is especially good with the slightly sweet squash, and if you happen to have good French butter around, I certainly wouldn’t stop you.

That buttery crust was part of what made me want to turn butternut squash into this kind of pie in the first place, so whether yours comes from a carefully chilled homemade dough or a very convenient box from the refrigerator section, give the crust the respect it deserves and bake it until properly golden.

There is room in my kitchen for both culinary ambition and knowing when the grocery store has already completed a perfectly acceptable task for me.

FAQ

Is butternut squash pie sweet or savory?

This Butternut Squash Pie is completely savory, although the squash itself adds a gentle natural sweetness.

Roasting brings out that sweetness even more, but it’s balanced by salty ham, Parmesan, earthy mushrooms, garlic, rosemary, and the creamy egg custard. The finished pie lands much closer to a vegetable-packed quiche than a traditional sweet squash or pumpkin pie.

That sweet-savory balance is actually one of the reasons butternut squash works so well here. Instead of trying to hide its natural sweetness, the other ingredients give it something interesting to play against.

Is this a pie or a quiche?

Technically, this recipe has quite a lot in common with quiche because it uses a savory egg custard baked inside a pastry crust, and quiche was actually one of my inspirations when I first started thinking about the recipe.

I still call it a savory butternut squash pie because roasted squash, mushrooms, and ham make up a substantial part of the filling rather than the dish being primarily about the custard.

Whatever category you put it in, the important part is that you still get that combination I wanted from the beginning: creamy filling against a buttery, flaky crust.

Can I make it without ham?

Definitely. Leave out the ham and the pie becomes an easy vegetarian option.

Since ham contributes saltiness, smokiness, and savory depth, I like replacing some of that personality with extra mushrooms or caramelized onions rather than simply removing it and changing nothing else.

A little extra Parmesan can also help, although I wouldn’t pile in so much cheese that the butternut squash gets lost. The whole reason this former squash skeptic is making a pie about butternut squash is because I eventually learned it deserves to actually taste like butternut squash.

Can I use leftover roasted butternut squash?

Yes, and this savory butternut squash pie is a great way to use leftover roasted squash, especially after Thanksgiving or another fall dinner.

If the squash is already completely tender, there’s no need to roast it again. Just distribute the pieces gently throughout the filling so they keep some of their shape.

If your leftover squash has already been heavily seasoned or glazed with something sweet, though, keep those flavors in mind before adding it. Simple roasted butternut squash will be the easiest leftover to work into the savory flavors of this pie.

Can I make Butternut Squash Pie ahead?

Yes. You can bake the pie ahead, let it cool, and refrigerate it until you’re ready to serve. Gently reheating it before serving brings the filling and crust back to life without requiring you to assemble an entire savory pie while people are already arriving.

You can also prepare the roasted squash and sautéed filling components a day ahead, refrigerate them separately, and assemble the pie closer to baking time.

That makes this especially useful for Thanksgiving or brunch because the chopping, roasting, and sautéing can happen when your kitchen isn’t already hosting seventeen other projects.

What should I serve with it?

For dinner, I’d keep the rest of the meal simple because this pie already gives you vegetables, protein, cheese, creamy custard, and buttery pastry in every slice.

A crisp green salad with a bright, acidic dressing is probably my favorite pairing because the freshness cuts through the richer filling. Roasted or lightly dressed green vegetables would work nicely too.

For brunch, fresh fruit and a simple salad are plenty. You could also cut the pie into smaller slices if it’s part of a larger brunch spread.

It’s also a lovely addition to a fall or Thanksgiving table when you want something savory involving squash that isn’t another sweet casserole. Considering my relationship with butternut squash began at a Thanksgiving potluck, bringing it back to the table this way feels strangely appropriate.

A Little Catch-Up

It still makes me laugh a little that I didn’t try butternut squash until I was an adult, mostly because I had already decided I probably wouldn’t enjoy something I knew almost nothing about.

Then somebody brought it to a Thanksgiving potluck, I took one bite, and instead of confirming all my completely unsupported squash theories, it made me curious.

That curiosity has probably influenced my cooking more than I realized at the time. Once I started paying attention to why certain flavors worked together, I became much more willing to combine ingredients that didn’t immediately seem like obvious partners. Sometimes that turns into kimchi on nachos, sometimes pumpkin ends up in creamy pasta or klepon, and sometimes a vegetable I spent years ignoring ends up inside a buttery savory pie.

Not every experiment needs to become a new favorite, of course, but I like that cooking gives us a fairly low-risk way to be wrong about something.

And I was definitely wrong about butternut squash. These days, I love what happens when its sweet, nutty flavor meets something salty and savory, especially when mushrooms, ham, Parmesan, and rosemary are involved. Put all of that inside the kind of buttery crust that originally made me think of quiche, and this is exactly the sort of fall dinner that makes me wonder why I waited until adulthood to give that weird beige squash a chance.

So if you’ve been looking at butternut squash with the same suspicion I once had, maybe this is your sign to try it in a completely different way. Just make sure you get one of those slices with plenty of golden crust around the edge because, after all this personal growth, I still believe the buttery part deserves special attention. Thanks for catching up with me!

Originally published in 2015. Updated in 2026 with new photos, improved instructions, and additional cooking tips.

Butternut Squash, Ham & Parmesan Pie

This savory Butternut Squash Pie is filled with caramelized roasted squash, smoky ham, mushrooms, Parmesan, and rosemary in a flaky golden crust. A creamy egg custard holds everything together for an easy fall dinner, brunch, or holiday side dish.

5 from 1 vote

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Ingredients

• 1 unbaked 9-inch pie crust
• 2 cups peeled butternut squash cut into ½-inch cubes
• 1 tablespoon olive oil divided
• ½ teaspoon fine salt divided
• Freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 4 ounces cremini or button mushrooms thinly sliced
• 1 small shallot thinly sliced
• 1 garlic clove finely minced
• 4 ounces smoked ham diced or roughly chopped
• 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
• 3 large eggs
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese divided

Optional Garnish

• Fresh rosemary
• Extra Parmesan
• Freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Toss the butternut squash with about half of the olive oil, a pinch of salt, and black pepper. Spread it into a single layer and roast for 18 to 22 minutes, until just tender and lightly caramelized around the edges. Don’t roast it until completely soft because it will continue cooking in the pie.
• Meanwhile, fit the pie crust into a 9-inch pie plate. Prick the bottom lightly with a fork, line with parchment paper, and fill with pie weights or dried beans.
• Blind-bake the crust for 12 minutes. Carefully remove the parchment and weights and bake for another 3 to 5 minutes, until the bottom looks dry but isn’t deeply browned. Remove from the oven.
• Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F (175°C).
• Heat the remaining olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the mushrooms and cook for about 4 to 5 minutes, until they release their moisture and begin to brown.
• Add the shallot and ham and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes, until the shallot softens and the ham develops a little color around the edges.
• Add the garlic and rosemary and cook for about 30 seconds, just until fragrant. Remove from the heat.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, remaining salt, black pepper, and ¾ cup Parmesan until combined.
• Arrange the roasted butternut squash and ham-mushroom mixture evenly inside the partially baked crust.
• Slowly pour the egg mixture over the filling, allowing it to settle between the vegetables. Sprinkle the remaining ¼ cup Parmesan over the top.
• Bake for 35 to 45 minutes, until the edges are set and lightly golden and the center has only a slight jiggle.
• Let the pie rest for 15 to 20 minutes before slicing. Finish with fresh rosemary, additional Parmesan, and black pepper if desired.

Notes

• Roast the squash first. This is probably the single biggest improvement from the old recipe. Roasting concentrates the flavor and keeps the filling from becoming watery.
• Don’t over-roast it. You want tender cubes that still hold their shape because they’ll continue cooking inside the pie.
• Brown the mushrooms properly. Mushrooms contain a lot of water. Let that moisture cook away before putting them into the crust or they’ll release it into your custard.
• Use smoked ham if possible. That slightly smoky, salty flavor is particularly good against sweet butternut squash. Leftover holiday ham would be fantastic here too, which suddenly gives this recipe a second life after Thanksgiving or Christmas.
• Freshly grated Parmesan melts better. And we want actual Parmigiano Reggiano flavor here rather than generic “Italian cheese,” which has officially been released from its 2015 duties. 😂
• Don’t overbake the custard. Remove the pie when the center still has a slight wobble. It continues setting as it rests.
• Let it rest before slicing. Fifteen minutes makes an enormous difference between attractive slices and savory squash landslide.
• Want it vegetarian? Simply omit the ham. I’d increase the mushrooms to about 6 ounces and possibly add a handful of caramelized onions for more savory depth.
• Sweet potato works too. The original recipe offered sweet potato as an alternative and I would keep that note. Roast it exactly the same way.

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