Oven Roasted Butternut Squash is such an easy and delicious way to prepare butternut squash. The oven-roasting cooks the squash perfectly and adds just a bit of caramelization to the squash adding extra flavor.
Perfect for holidays or everyday meals.
A perfect roasted vegetable
Roasting vegetables in the oven is easy and brings out the natural flavors in the vegetable. This roasted butternut squash is no exception to oven roasting. It's easy and delicious.
The oven cooks or roasts the squash and brings out the natural sugars during the caramelization. The same principle applies to these roasted brussels sprouts and roasted asparagus.
Oven roasting also works when cooking meat, like in these oven roasted chicken thighs and this oven roasted pork loin.
Roasted butternut squash is a perfect vegetable side dish that works with just about any main dish. Serve at Thanksgiving instead of sweet potatoes or for everyday dinners.
If you have any leftover roasted butternut squash, use it in this salad instead of the sweet potatoes. It's a delicious green lettuce salad topped with toasted pecans, quinoa, red onion, and roasted squash or sweet potatoes. It's also delicious in this farro salad.
Key ingredients
- Butternut squash - Choose a whole squash that's a light tan color and with a matte sheen. The squash should be firm.
- Olive oil - Can also use a vegetable oil or canola oil
- Salt - I like to use a coarse salt
Step by step directions
- Peel your squash using a vegetable peeler
- Cut into one-inch cubes
- Drizzle olive oil over the squash
- Place squash on a baking sheet and sprinkle with salt
- Place in a preheated 425°F oven and cook until soft, about 30-25 minutes
- Serve hot
Recipe tips
- Try to cut chunks into consistent-sized pieces
- Place squash on a single layer, don't let the pieces overlap
- Flip squash halfway through cooking time
- Test doneness with a fork. If it goes through easily, the squash is done
- Cooking time will vary depending on the size of your cubes and how much squash you are cooking at one time
- Serve hot with freshly chopped parsley for garnish
Leftover butternut squash can be covered and refrigerated for 3-4 days. Reheat in a microwave-proof dish until heated through. It's also perfect in this farro salad.
Yes, you can freeze cooked butternut squash. Allow squash to fully cool. Place in a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months.
To use, allow squash to thaw. Reheat in the microwave or place in a 350°F oven for 10-15 minutes until heated through.
Frequently asked questions
How to cut butternut squash
Sometimes cutting a winter squash can be difficult. Follow my cutting techniques for an easy-to-cut method.
- Peel squash with a vegetable peeler. Just a small amount needs to be removed.
- Cut off the top and bottom of the squash
- Cut the squash in half cutting off the top cylinder from the round bottom
- Slice the cylinder in half from top to bottom then slice into one-inch strips and then into one-inch cubes
- Cut the round bottom in half through the center
- Scrape out the seeds
- Cut into one-inch strips and then into cubes. These won't be perfect cubes due to the roundness of the bottom.
Recipe variations
- Sprinkle squash with a bit of chili powder or red pepper flakes before roasting
- Add 2 tablespoons of maple syrup along with the olive oil. Toss to coat so all pieces of squash are well covered. Sprinkle with a bit of ground cinnamon along with the salt.
- Place under the broiler for the final 2-3 minutes to add extra browning to the squash
Serving suggestions
Roasted butternut squash can be served with just about any main dish. Some favorites to try include:
More delicious vegetable recipes
If you make this recipe, I’d love to hear about it! Leave a comment below and snap a picture and tag me on Instagram @beyondthechickencoop
Check out all my delicious vegetable recipes.
Oven Roasted Butternut Squash
Equipment
- Cookie Sheet
- Chef Knife
- Cutting Board
Ingredients
- 3 pound butternut squash
- 2 tablespoosn olive oil
- ½ teaspoon salt (coarse like kosher salt)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F
- Peel your squash using a vegetable peeler3 pound butternut squash
- Cut into one inch cubes
- Drizzle olive oil over squash. Toss squash so all pieces are well covered with oil.2 tablespoosn olive oil
- Place squash on a baking sheet and sprinkle with salt½ teaspoon salt
- Place in oven and cook until soft, about 30-35 minutes
- Serve hot
Notes
- Any size butternut squash can be used
- A 3 ½ pound squash yields approximately 5 cups of squash
- Try to cut chunks into consistent sized pieces. For tips on cutting butternut squash read information above recipe card on how to cut butternut squash.
- Place squash on a single layer on baking sheet, don't let the pieces overlap
- Flip with a spatula halfway through cooking time
- Test doneness with a fork. If it goes through easily, the squash is done
- Cooking time will vary depending on the size of your cubes and how much squash you are cooking at one time
- Serve hot with freshly chopped parsley for garnish
- Sprinkle squash with a bit of chili powder or red pepper flakes before roasting
- Add 2 tablespoons of maple syrup along with the olive oil. Toss to coat so all pieces of squash are well covered. Sprinkle with a bit of ground cinnamon along with the salt.
- Place under the broiler for the final 2-3 minutes to add extra browning of the squash
Nutritional Disclaimer:
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and should only be construed as an estimate rather than a guarantee. To obtain the most precise nutritional information in a provided recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the exact ingredients you are using when preparing the recipe using your preferred nutrition calculator.
David @ Spiced says
I love roasted butternut squash! It's such an easy and versatile side dish for this time of the year. In fact, I've got a squash sitting in the kitchen right now that I need to roast up - maybe today. We like to toss ours with some Italian seasonings. Great post, Kathy!
Kathy says
Thanks, David! This time of year I always seem to have one or two squash sitting on the counter. It's always a great option for dinner.