Making roasted butternut squash is super easy! It is a delicious side dish for any meal and tastes great when thrown into a salad or even as a replacement for pumpkin puree in recipes. This delicious fall staple is versatile!
I’m always a little bit blown away by how easy it is to roast veggies, potatoes and squash. Not only that, but very little effort produces a totally scrumptious end result. Butternut squash, when it is sitting in the grocery store, does not necessarily scream DELICIOUS. But if you give it a chance, learn how to peel and cut it and then roast it in your oven you will not be disappointed.
I love the flavor of this intimidating hard squash because it isn’t as potent as a sweet potato and it has a mild resemblance to pumpkin puree. Its flavor is mild and delicious and tastes great when prepared simply, even with just a bit of olive oil and salt.
HOW TO MAKE ROASTED BUTTERNUT SQUASH
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a large, rimmed baking sheet or sheet pan with parchment paper. Add the squash in a single layer. Drizzle the olive oil over the top and toss to coat. Season with salt.
Bake the butternut squash cubes in the preheated oven for 30-40 minutes until the squash is golden brown. Stirring once or twice throughout baking. Sprinkle with extra sea salt, if desired, and serve immediately!
RECIPE TIPS
Olive oil, salt and pepper are simple and delicious additions to this recipe, but other great options would be cinnamon, cumin, cayenne pepper, basil, curry, oregano or rosemary.
The olive oil can be replaced with an equal amount of melted butter.
Butter, cinnamon and a few tablespoons of brown sugar add a delicious sweet touch.
If you’d rather mix the squash cubes with the oil and spices in a large bowl for a more even coating, that works great!
OTHER GREAT BUTTERNUT SQUASH RECIPES
While the easiest option is roasting these beauties, don’t forget about the totally delicious butternut squash soup. Or consider roasting and mashing it and using it in place of sweet potatoes in your next sweet potato casserole. Use equal parts mashed squash and mashed sweet potatoes as a replacement for pumpkin puree in your next pumpkin dish!
Also consider replacing mashed squash for pumpkin puree in this delicious pumpkin mac and cheese recipe! Replace elbow macaroni with any type of pasta.
HOW TO CUT BUTTERNUT SQUASH
Place the squash on its side on top of a cutting board and cut top and bottom ends off. Discard.
Use a potato or vegetable peeler to remove the skin away from the squash, all the way around.
Stand it on its end and cut the squash down the center lengthwise.
Use a spoon to scoop out the seeds toward the fat part of the squash. Discard.
Turn the peeled butternut squash halves over so the flat sides are on the cutting board.
Slice each half lengthwise into 1-inch strips, then crosswise into 1-inch strips. Lay slices flat and cut another set of lengthwise cuts to create cubes.
The squash is now ready to roast or to use in your favorite recipe!
WHILE WE’RE ON THE SUBJECT, LET’S TALK SPAGHETTI SQUASH!
Instant Pot Spaghetti Squash – Cook spaghetti squash in your Instant Pot for an evenly-cooked squash in a fraction of the time it takes to prepare it in an oven! This healthy and easy recipe is a great side dish. Or use it in place of pasta and serve with spaghetti sauce!
Stuffed Spaghetti Squash Beef and Cheese Boats – These Spaghetti Squash Beef and Cheese Boats are the healthy version of spaghetti! They are SUPER easy to prepare, you can add all the meat, cheese and spices you love to tailor this recipe. You will find it DELICIOUS!
Use it as a pasta replacement and douse it in homemade pasta sauce!
LOW CARB RECIPES THAT ARE WHOLE30 COMPLIANT
Sauteed Cabbage – Easy Sauteed Cabbage is the perfect quick and delicious side dish for any meal. Using only a few ingredients and taking 10 minutes of your time, you can’t go wrong with this super flavorful and affordable recipe!
Egg Roll in a Bowl – Unleash the delicious egg roll! Enjoy the ingredients inside an egg roll minus the carbs and calories. This Egg Roll Bowl is great as an easy dinner or salad. Done in 20 minutes and supremely delicious!
Cauliflower Mushroom Rice – Replace rice with this veggie-packed Cauliflower Mushroom Rice side dish. It’s easy to make and prepared in 15 minutes. Packed with flavor and texture plus this recipe also complies with the Whole30 program!
Zoodles and Mushrooms – Turn veggies into a fun and healthy side dish by transforming zucchini into zoodles. Great way to disguise foods you know are good for you but aren’t your favorite to eat. These Sauteed Zoodles are Whole30 compliant and they’re a great complement to any meal.
Roasted Butternut Squash
Ingredients
- 1 butternut squash peeled, seeded and cut into 1-inch cubes
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- sea salt for sprinkling
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Add the squash in a single layer. Drizzle the olive oil over the top and toss to coat. Sprinkle with the sea salt.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 30-40 minutes, stirring once or twice throughout, until golden brown. Sprinkle with extra sea salt, if desired, and serve immediately!
Notes
- Olive oil, salt and pepper are simple and delicious additions to this recipe, but other great options would be cinnamon, cumin, cayenne pepper, basil, oregano or rosemary.
- The olive oil can be replaced with an equal amount of melted butter.
Butter, cinnamon and a few tablespoons of brown sugar add a delicious sweet touch. - If you’d rather mix the squash cubes with the oil and spices in a large bowl for a more even coating, that works great!
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