Perfectly Roasted Butternut Squash is an easy, healthy way to prepare butternut squash! Get all my hacks for cutting, seasoning, and roasting squash, so that you can ensure your butternut squash is crispy on the outside, tender on the inside, evenly cooked, and perfectly seasoned.
This easy method for preparing butternut squash is great to eat alone as a healthy side dish or top a fall salad or to replace roasted sweet potatoes in vegetable black bean burritos.
Why Roasted?
Nothing beats perfectly roasted butternut squash.
As the butternut squash roasts in the oven, it becomes tender on the inside and slightly crispy on the outside. The oven caramelizes the squash, bringing out its natural sweet undertones and ultimately intensifies the nutty, earthy flavor of butternut squash.
Roasted Butternut Squash is a delicious, healthy side dish, but it also makes a great addition to salads and rice bowls.
Frankly, the roasted squash rarely makes it off the sheet pan, because no one can stop munching on it!
Pro Tips for Roasting Butternut Squash
To Cut or Not to Cut
Let me be honest with you. I LOVE to save money and help you save money, so rarely would I ever suggest purchasing pre-chopped veggies.
The exception to this rule is butternut squash.
More often than not, I can purchase 36 ounces of chopped butternut squash for the same price I can purchase one 4 pound butternut squash, which equates out to about the same amount of cubed squash once peeled, stemmed, and seeds removed. And friends, it takes WORK to cut a butternut squash! So unless you have them growing in your garden, this is one time I suggest taking a little help from the store.
The Easiest Way to Cut Butternut Squash
In case you have whole butternut squash, this is how I would suggest you prepare your squash.
- Cut off both ends of the butternut squash.
- Use a vegetable peeler to remove the skin off of the squash.
- Cut the squash in half, separating the skinny neck of the squash from the thick round bottom of the butternut squash.
- Cut the bottom of the squash in half to reveal the seeds in the squash, use a large spoon to scoop out the seeds from the squash.
- Cut the squash into 1-inch cubes.
Baking Materials
- Baking Sheet: I can not stress enough the importance of a rimmed baking sheet. This may sound obvious, but take it from me, you don’t want a piece of butternut squash to fall off your baking sheet into your hot oven–what a mess! Those rimmed edges let you move your pan around with ease and flip the squash without worry one piece will go overboard!
- Parchment Paper: Because butternut squash’s natural sugars caramelize as it roasts, it can easily stick to the pan. The parchment paper will help keep the squash from sticking to the pan, while not requiring as much oil as most recipes call for. Feel free to use a silicone liner or foil in place of the parchment paper, but do not use wax paper (it is not safe for the oven!) Alternatively, you can just grease the baking sheet or toss your squash with 1/2 tablespoon more olive oil.
Oven Temperature
It is best to roast vegetables at a high temperature that will allow their outside to crisp up. But you want to be sure that the oven is not too hot–that would result in the outside of the squash being cooked before the inside is nice and tender.
I find roasting butternut squash at 400 degrees results in perfection.
Important tip: Be sure your oven is fully preheated before placing squash in the oven! The rapid heating of the oven will result in the squash browning too rapidly.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Season
- Season the squash with olive oil, salt, and pepper. This is where you can change up the seasonings if you would like. You can add things like cinnamon, thyme, paprika, etc.
Roast
- Line a rimmed sheet pan with parchment paper.
- Roast for 20 minutes and then flip over. Roast for at least another 20 minutes, or until squash is tender and browned slightly.
Serving Suggestions
- This squash is delicious served alone as a side dish.
- Use it anywhere that calls for cubed sweet potatoes–like Sweet Potato Burritos.
- Add it to breakfast hashes, omelets, pasta, Instant Pot Risotto, or use as a taco filling.
- Use it for one of these delicious salad recipes Roasted Butternut Squash Salad, Butternut Squash Rice Salad, or Harvest Quinoa Salad
Recipe FAQs
Roasted Squash can be stored in an air-tight container for up to 4 days in the refrigerator.
Once the squash is roasted, allow to cool right on the parchment-covered sheet pan. Pop the sheet pan into the freezer and allow to freeze until solid. This should take about an hour. Once frozen solid, remove the squash from the parchment paper and place it into a freezer-safe bag and freeze for up to 3 months.
In order to retain the crispy edges of the squash of roasted squash, I strongly recommend reheating the squash in the oven. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and cook for 10-15 minutes from the refrigerator and 25-30 minutes from the freezer.
Variations for Roasted Butternut Squash
Change up this basic roasted butternut squash recipe with the following flavor additions to the squash before roasting.
- Thyme Butternut Squash: add 1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme leaves
- Cinnamon Brown Sugar Butternut Squash: add 2 tablespoons brown sugar and 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Maple Butternut Squash: add 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- Garlic Butternut Squash: add 5-7 whole cloves of peeled garlic cloves
- Spiced Butternut Squash: add 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder.
More Recipes for Roasted Vegetables
Try this recipe? Be sure to leave a review and let us know what flavor option you enjoyed!
Roasted Butternut Squash
Ingredients
- 1 medium butternut squash about 4 pounds, or 36 ounces chopped butternut squash
- 1 and 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Peel and cut the squash into 1 inch cubes.
- Season the squash with olive oil, salt and pepper. Feel free to add in seasonings of your choice at this step.
- Roast for 20 minutes, remove pan from oven and flip the squash over. Roast for at least another 20 minutes, or until squash is tender and browned slightly.
Equipment Needed
Notes
- A huge time-saving tip is to purchase cubed butternut squash from your produce section (not the frozen cubed squash.) Often it is not only a time-saver, but the difference in cost is negligible.Â
- Be sure to use a rimmed baking sheet to prevent butternut squash falling into a hot oven and burning.
- Parchment paper really helps to prevent the squash from sticking to the pan, but you can toss with an additional 1/2 tablespoon olive oil or line your baking sheet with a silicone liner instead.Â
- Be sure your oven is fully preheated before placing squash in the oven! The rapid heating of the oven will result in the squash browning too rapidly.
- Store for up to 4 days in the refrigerator and up to 3 months in the freezer. Reheat in a 400-degree oven for 10-15 minutes from the refrigerator and 20-30 minutes from the freezer.Â
- For Different Flavor Varieties:Â
- Thyme Butternut Squash: add 1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme leaves
- Cinnamon Brown Sugar Butternut Squash:Â add 2 tablespoons brown sugar and 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Maple Butternut Squash: add 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- Garlic Butternut Squash: add 5-7 whole cloves of peeled garlic cloves
- Spiced Butternut Squash: add 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder.
Nutrition
This was fantastic! Perfectly cooked.
I am so glad you enjoyed!
The BEST way to eat butternut squash! Really brings out the depth of flavor.
I totally agree! Glad you enjoyed Lisalia!
This is one vegetable that I really love any kinda way!
Thanks for sharing!
One of my favorites too Jennifer 😉
We love butternut squash in the fall, and this is our absolute favorite recipe to use! Thanks so much for sharing it!
YAY!!! Sometimes simple is best!