Instead · 1
sweet potato
one for one by weight
- What it gets you
- Sweet orange flesh that roasts, purees and curries the same way.
- What it costs you
- Water content. Sweet potato is denser and drier, so a soup needs more liquid.
Substitutions · 7 dishes here use it
Out of squash
Sweet, starchy and full of water, which is why roasting beats boiling every time. High heat drives the water off and concentrates the sugar; a boiled squash is a sad thing.
Everything below is judged against that job. A swap that covers it is a swap; one that only looks similar is not.
What to reach for
Instead · 2
pumpkin, fresh or canned
one for one
- What it gets you
- The same family doing the same job, and canned pumpkin is a legitimate shortcut for a puree.
- What it costs you
- The roasted edges, and canned pumpkin is wetter and blander than a roasted squash.
Instead · 3
carrot
one for one by weight
- What it gets you
- Sweetness and color in a soup or a tray.
- What it costs you
- The creamy flesh. Carrot stays fibrous and it will not puree as smoothly.
Where the swap will be tasted · 3
These need it and are short enough that nothing hides: 4 required ingredients or fewer, which makes squash a quarter of what is in the pan. Make the swap a decision rather than a repair.
Check what else is in the pan
The company squash keeps in this library, counted off required ingredients. A swap that argues with the top two is the wrong swap, whatever a chart says.