Easy roasted butternut squash recipe. Cubes of butternut squash, tossed with olive oil, cinnamon, and ginger with sweet caramelized edges and soft centers. Full of flavor and the perfect side dish or main dish meal.
Roasted butternut squash is easy to make and is the perfect side dish to make any time of the year. Although I love using warm spices like cinnamon and ginger, you can use other seasonings with success.
If you're new to the idea of roasted butternut squash, then prepare to be wowed! Oven roasting squash is a wonderful way to bring out its sweet, nutty flavors. The high heat from the oven beautifully caramelizes the edges while softening the insides.
Roasted butternut squash makes a lovely side dish to serve with chicken, fish, or beef or could make a delicious meal in itself, especially when topped with toasted pine nuts and a sprinkling of Feta cheese.
Roasted Butternut Squash
Although I love to cook, sometimes I can be a bit lazy when it comes to cooking side dishes. Roasting vegetables has become my favorite way to cook them, not only because it's an easy cooking method, but because oven roasted vegetables are absolutely delicious.
A few vegetables I roast in the oven often are; broccoli, zucchini, carrots, asparagus, brussels sprouts and I always add a few peeled cloves of garlic to the pan. Roasted garlic cloves are incredibly delicious.
One of my favorite vegetables to roast is butternut squash. It's amazing how just 20 minutes in a hot oven can give naturally sweet butternut squash so much flavor. With its gently charred edges and a soft center - roasted butternut squash is heavenly.
How To Roast Butternut Squash
The steps to roast butternut squash are easy! Either start with a whole butternut squash or purchase a convenient package of pre-cut squash from the produce section of your supermarket.
For this small batch recipe, I use 1 cup (180 grams) of chopped butternut squash.
For ways to use up the remainder of the butternut squash, see below.
Ingredients needed:
- olive oil
- ground cinnamon
- ground turmeric
- ground ginger
- salt
- black pepper
See recipe box below for ingredient amounts and complete instructions.
Step 1
Cut the squash into evenly sized cubes. I try to aim for the cubes to be around 1-inch in size.
Step 2
Place the butternut squash on a baking sheet and toss with olive oil and spices.
Step 3
Bake in a 425 degrees F (220 degrees C ) preheated oven for 20 minutes.
Tips For Roasting Butternut Squash
- Feel free to use your favorite seasonings instead of the ones used in this recipe. Try using just salt and pepper, or dried thyme or rosemary.
- Use your hands to coat the squash evenly. You'll want the butternut squash to be well coated with the oil and the spices and using your hands is the best way to achieve this.
- Don't crowd the squash on the baking sheet. Make sure you leave a little space between each piece. This will help the edges of the squash turn golden brown and wonderfully caramelized.
How To Peel And Cut Butternut Squash
The most important thing when working with large, hard vegetables is that you need to have the right equipment on hand.
First off, be sure to use a large, sharp knife. A dull, small knife will be hard to work with and can be dangerous too.
Also make sure you have a dry, stable surface to work on such as a sturdy, dry cutting board.
- Lay the butternut squash on a large cutting board. Cut off the top stem and the bottom end of the squash and discard.
- Hold the squash in one hand and using a sharp vegetable peeler in the other hand, peel the skin off the squash.
- Cut the squash in half at its neck. The neck is the place where the thinner end begins to widen.
- Slice the fatter half lengthwise. Scoop out the seeds and stringy pulp with a spoon. You now have 3 sections of peeled squash.
- Place the flat sides of the squash against the cutting board and carefully cut into your desired size.
Can Butternut Squash Be Frozen?
Yes! You can freeze butternut squash.
After the squash has been peeled and cut into chunks. Spread the pieces in a single layer on a parchment or wax paper-lined baking sheet and place in the freezer. When the squash is completely frozen, transfer to a freezer-safe bag.
Frozen butternut squash will keep well in the freezer for 6-8 months.
What To Serve With Butternut Squash
Although I could make a meal out of roasted butternut squash, you might like to consider enjoying it with any of these easy single serving recipes.
Click on the links for the recipes
What To Do With The Rest Of The Butternut Squash
This roasted butternut squash recipe is a small batch recipe. It will yield enough for one or possibly two people.
You might like to roast a double (or triple!) batch of squash and use it in recipes during the week. Consider adding it to a crustless quiche, a salad, or in pasta.
Here are two other butternut squash recipes you might enjoy:
If you would like additional information on the dishes I use in our “recipes for one”, please visit our FAQ page.
For examples of the dishes we use, please visit our Store page.
Ingredients
- 1 cup peeled and cubed butternut squash
- 1/2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/8 teaspoon turmeric
- 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/8 teaspoon crushed black pepper
Instructions
- Heat oven to 425° F (220° C).
- Place the butternut squash cubes on a baking sheet and toss with olive oil and spices.
- Bake for 20 minutes.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.