Oven Roasted Butternut Squash Recipe

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Oven Roasted Butternut Squash is super easy to make. Delicious side dish for any meal. This delicious fall staple is versatile!

Roasted butternut squash in a serving bowl.

Why This Recipe Works

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.

Recipe Ingredients

Butternut Squash – Selecting a good squash means making sure there’s a firm stem in place, otherwise the vegetable is beginning to turn. Look for a light tan color because that signifies it’s ripe.

How To Make Oven 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.

Pan of squash chunks with olive oil and 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 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, 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!

What To Serve With Butternut Squash

Baked Chicken and Sweet Potatoes Recipes – 7 Delicious Ideas!
Read on for 23 delicious ideas about what to serve with butternut squash soup!
Peruse this post about What To Serve With Sweet Potatoes because most of these recommendations will apply to squash, as well!
The BEST Meatloaf you’ll ever eat.
A heaping bowl of my famous chili is the perfect pair! Or go the easy route and make this 3-can chili instead.
Chicken pot pie made in your crockpot tastes sooo good alongside a serving of roasted squash!
Baked meatballs are super easy to make and the best food to company roasted veggies and potatoes of any variety.

Looking down into a pan of roasted squash.

More Butternut Squash Recipes

If you want to add apples to the mix, follow this roasted butternut squash and apples recipe instead!
Butternut squash soup is guaranteed creamy, packed with comforting flavor and super easy to prepare.
Consider roasting and mashing them 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

See these super easy step-by-step instructions for how to cut butternut squash EASILY. Then you’ll have gobs of delicious squash flesh on your hands to cook with!

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.

Knife cutting down the center of a butternut squash.

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.

Two photos of slicing, then dicing a butternut squash.

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!

Bowl of roasted squash with pan in background.

FAQ About Butternut Squash

When is butternut squash in season?

You can purchase butternut squash year round typically at most grocers. However, the main season you’ll find it taste best is early fall through winter.

What is the difference between butternut squash and sweet potatoes?

Sweet potatoes, different from other potatoes, are labeled a root vegetable so they are similar to butternut squash in that way. Butternut squash is not in the same family as a sweet potato and are slightly healthier for you. They have less calories, sugar and have a lower glycemic index.

Is butternut squash a healthy carb?

This winter squash is a good vegetable to enjoy and should not be avoided because of carbs. One half cup of butternut squash has 11 calories and should be enjoyed in moderation.

What do you eat butternut squash with?

A butternut squash can be the main ingredient or it’s a wonderful side dish as well. It pairs well with a variety of soups, casseroles, lasagna, pasta and whole foods.

Can you swap a sweet potato for a butternut squash?

Yes, the similarities in the way you prepare these two foods make them easy to exchange into a recipe if you have one on hand and not the other. The additional ingredients used in a recipe would flavor them well.

Spaghetti Squash Recipes

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.
Stuffed 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 – Whole30 Compliant

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