Roasted butternut squash is incredibly versatile, delicious, nutritious, and easy. Find all of my best roasting tips + tricks (plus recipes to use your squash in) below.
Why roast a butternut squash instead of other cooking methods?
Roasted butternut squash is one of the most delicious ways to prep this special vegetable. The edges of the butternut squash slightly caramelize while the inside gets nice and soft. If you’re planning on enjoying butternut squash as a side dish (as opposed to blending it in a curried butternut squash soup), roasting it is definitely the way to go for optimal flavor and texture.
What is so good about butternut squash?
Butternut squash has a really great sweet, nutty flavor, but even better than that, it’s really nourishing, too. This orange-hued squash is rich in vitamins, antioxidants, and fiber.
Roast Butternut Squash Ingredients
To roast a butternut squash (either cubed or halved), you’ll just need the squash itself, olive oil, and sea salt.
What seasonings should I put on my butternut squash before roasting?
I typically stick to a really simply seasoned roasted butternut squash, but you could absolutely add a spice like cumin to the mix for more of a bold take or even a sprinkle each of cinnamon and nutmeg for a sweeter flavor profile.
How to roast a butternut squash whole?
While you can absolutely roast a butternut squash whole, I actually recommend slicing it in half lengthwise for a few reasons. First, I prefer to scoop the seeds out while the squash is raw (to keep from scooping some of the edible, yummy, soft flesh of a roasted butternut squash), and second, cutting your squash in half will cut down the roasting time significantly.
How to roast butternut squash halves?
To roast halved butternut squash, you’ll start by halving your butternut squash (if you haven’t already) — this is a great tutorial that will guide you through exactly how to cut butternut squash. Once halved, rub each half with olive oil, sprinkle on sea salt, and pop into a 375°F oven to roast for 60-75 minutes, until the squash can be easily pierced with a fork.
Is it better to roast butternut squash face up or down?
I personally prefer to roast my butternut squash with the cut-side-up. In my opinion, roasting it cut-side-up allows for the butternut squash to caramelize, rather than just steam and cook.
How long to roast butternut squash?
That’ll depend on whether you’re roasting cubed or halved butternut squash. Roasting halves will take significantly longer (60-75 minutes vs. 40 minutes for cubed), but the prep work for actually cutting and halving butternut squash takes significantly less time than cubing does, so really, it all evens out in the end!
Roasting Butternut Squash Cubes
Follow these steps to roast cubed butternut squash:
- Preheat the oven to 375°F.
- Cube the squash – while the oven is preheating, you’ll want to follow the directions HERE to cube your butternut squash.
- Place the cubed squash on a sheet pan – place your butternut squash cubes on a sheet pan (lined with parchment paper, if you wish).
- Coat in olive oil and sprinkle with salt – drizzle about 2 tablespoons of olive oil over the butternut squash and use your hands to toss the squash so that every cube is well-coated. Then, spread the squash pieces out so that none are overlapping, and sprinkle about a ½ teaspoon of salt over top of the squash.
- Roast – pop the squash in the oven to roast at 375°F for 40 minutes, or until the cubes can be easily pierced with a fork.
How to roast frozen butternut squash?
While this recipe is written for fresh butternut squash, the process should be pretty similar with frozen, cubed butternut squash. The only difference is that frozen butternut squash likely won’t get as caramelized as fresh.
What can I make out of roasted butternut squash?
SO MANY THINGS! Below, you’ll find a few of my favorite butternut squash recipes.
- Harvest Salad with Kale & Butternut Squash
- Curried Butternut Squash Soup
- Sonoma Chicken Stuffed Butternut Squash
- Butternut Squash Egg Cups
- Butternut Squash Lasagna
- Sausage Stuffed Butternut Squash
- Roasted Pumpkin Seed and Sage Butternut Squash
How to Serve Roasted Butternut Squash
Serve your roasted butternut squash as a side as-is or use it to make one of the delicious meals above. Halved and roasted butternut squash are great for stuffing and blending into soups, and cubed and roasted butternut squash is great for serving as a side.
How to Store Roasted Butternut Squash
Any leftover roasted squash you have can be stored in an airtight container (or Ziplock bag) in the fridge.
How long can I store roasted butternut squash?
It’s best to enjoy your stored squash within 4-5 days of when you made it.
How to Reheat Roasted Butternut Squash
Roasted butternut squash can be reheated in the microwave or in a 350°F oven — you pick!
Recipe for Roast Butternut Squash
Ingredients
For halved butternut squash:
- 1 large butternut squash about 3 pounds, halved and de-seeded
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
For cubed butternut squash:
- 1 large about 3 pound butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
Instructions
For halved butternut squash:
- Preheat the oven to 375°F.
- Brush the squash with the olive oil, then sprinkle with the sea salt. Place cut side-up on a rimmed baking sheet, then cook for 60-75 minutes, until the squash can be easily pierced with a fork.
For cubed butternut squash:
- Preheat the oven to 375°F.
- Toss the squash with the olive oil to coat and spread over one or two rimmed baking sheets, making sure the squash doesn’t overlap. Sprinkle with the salt. Roast for 40 minutes, or until easily pierced with a fork.
Nutrition
