Roasted butternut squash is a delicious and healthy side dish recipe to make for lunch and dinner and serve with beef, chicken and fish. This tutorial will show you how to roast butternut squash in a very easy and simple way.
I love butternut squash as you can see by the amount of butternut squash I have on my site. One of my favorites are: Roasted Butternut Squash Mash, 20-minutes Butternut Squash Soup, No Bean Butternut Squash Chili and Roasted Butternut Squash Cauliflower Salad.
So, today I’m sharing with you this roasted butternut squash recipe, which is my favourite way to eat butternut squash. It’s loaded with flavour and the best part, you can always change things around by adding seasonings to the squash before roasting, and add spices like cumin, garlic powder, coriander or even cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg too. This roasted butternut squash recipe is also great with chicken breast as a side, baked salmon or even pork chops. Enjoy!
How to peel butternut squash
To peel your butternut squash you’ll need a sharp vegetable peeler or knife. I prefer to use a vegetable peeler because it’s easier to hold the squash and peel at the same time. It’s also much safer than a knife. On top of that it removes the perfect amount of butternut squash skin without wasting the squash.
How to cut butternut squash
- Using a very sharp knife, trim the top and bottom off the butternut squash.
- Next using a sharp vegetable peeler, remove the skin. You also can cut with a knife if you don’t have a peeler. But I think it’s easier to peel a butternut squash when you use a vegetable peeler. My favourite is this one from Amazon.
- Then, cut the bulbous bottom of the squash from the longer neck portion. It’ll help you to cut the squash in cubes.
- Now you’re ready to remove the seeds from the squash. You can use a spoon, a melon baller or a stainless steel Ice cream scoop. I find an ice cream scoop the best and easier to use than a spoon. Give it a try.
- Lay the squash half on its flat side, and cut into slices. The half ring portions will be harder to cut very evenly. But I cut on an angle for even pieces. For the flatter bottom and top piece, I prefer to cut in half and then cut those two pieces into cubes. The cubes will be roughly the same size.
- The easiest part to cut is the upper part of the squash because it’s flat and you just need to lay it on the flat bottom, and cut straight down. Cut a grid into each slice to get perfect cubes.
Now that you know how to cut butternut squash, you can use the method in this Rice with Roasted Butternut Squash and Dried Cranberries and Ground Beef Butternut Squash Kale Soup!
How to roast butternut squash
- First, preheat your oven to 425ºF and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. It’s important that you use a parchment paper because you’ll prevent your butternut squash from sticking to baking sheet and even burn. Set aside.
- Place butternut squash on a cutting board and using a vegetable peeler, peel your butternut squash. You also can use a sharp chef’s knife but a vegetable peeler is safer and faster.
- Once it’s peeled, cut your butternut squash in half and remove the seed.
- Dice your butternut squash into bite-sized pieces (about 1-inch cubes) and roughly at the same size so that they bake evenly. Also place the diced butternut squash in a single layer to the baking sheet to avoid they become mash.
- Place butternut squash on the prepared baking sheet and drizzle on 2 tablespoons of olive oil and season with salt, pepper and paprika. You can also add only all the seasonings that you prefer. Toss with your hands and then place in oven.
- Roast for 15-20 minutes or until the squash is tender. Time will depend on the size of the butternut squash cubes. Garnish with fresh parsley for more flavor and serve with any kind of protein you prefer such as pork tenderloin. YUM!
Variations
- If you don’t have parsley, you can use a sprinkle of rosemary and thyme.
- Do you like your butternut squash a little sweet? If so, you can add a little bit of maple syrup or brown sugar with melted butter. It’s delicious too.
- This recipe is also good with acorn squash.
Recipes to serve with:
- Baked Chicken Breast
- Baked Salmon in the Oven
- Garlic Butter Salmon in Foil Recipe
- Garlic Butter Baked Chicken Breast
- Garlic Butter Baked Pork Chops
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Roasted Butternut Squash
Ingredients
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425ºF. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
- Place butternut squash on a cutting board and using a vegetable peeler, peel your butternut squash.
- Once it’s peeled, cut your butternut squash in half and remove the seed. (more info about cutting a butternut squash, above on the post.)
- Dice your butternut squash into bite-sized pieces roughly the same size so that they bake evenly.
- Place butternut squash on the prepared baking sheet and drizzle on olive oil and season with salt, pepper and paprika.
- Toss with your hands and then place in oven.
- Roast for 15-20 minutes. Time will depend on the size of the butternut squash cubes.
- Garnish with fresh parsley.
Tips
- If you have trouble cutting the butternut squash, you can microwave it for a few minutes to help soften it.
- For the best results, don’t overcrowd the sheet pan. The more space you have between each cube, the better they roast.
- Try to cut the butternut squash as uniformly as possible so they cook evenly.
- To store: Store roasted butternut squash in an airtight container in the fridge for 4 to 5 days.
- To reheat: You can reheat the leftover squash in the microwave or oven.
- To freeze: Freeze cooked butternut squash in a freezer-safe bag or container for up to 3 months.
Video
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.
Ganiyat says
Hi Olivia,
I am trying to add more low carb to my diet. Will I get the same texture and taste if I roast the butternut squash with an air fryer.
Olivia says
Probably yes!