Roasted Butternut Squash

This recipe for Roasted Butternut Squash is crispy on the outside, tender on the inside, evenly cooked, and perfectly seasoned. It is an easy, healthy way to prepare butternut squash that can be served as a side dish or in recipes calling for roasted squash.

Roasted for the Best Flavor

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!

What you Need

• Butternut Squash: I LOVE to save money and help you save money, so rarely would I ever suggest purchasing pre-chopped veggies. But 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 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.
• Oil: Use olive oil, canola oil, avocado oil, or even melted coconut oil. Just keep in mind coconut oil will give the squash a nutty flavor.
• Seasonings: Keep it simple with salt and pepper, or use one of the seasoning ideas below.
• 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 ½ tablespoon more olive oil.

How to Roast Butternut Squash

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. It is best to roast squash at a high enough temperature that will allow the exterior to crisp up. But you want to be sure that the oven is not too hot, as that would result in the outside of the squash being cooked before the inside is nice and tender. 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. 
• If you DO have whole butternut squash, cut it into 1-inch cubes. Do this by cutting off both ends of the butternut squash. Use a vegetable peeler to remove the skin 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, and use a large spoon to scoop out the seeds from the squash. Cut into slices and then cube the squash.

• Place the squash into a large mixing bowl and toss with 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. 

• Spread the squash out onto a rimmed baking sheet that has been lined with parchment paper or greased well with oil. Be sure to spread the seasoned squash out in a single layer and not overlap the cubed squash. This will allow the squash to cook and brown evenly.

• Roast. Bake for 20 minutes, flip, and continue to bake for at least another 20 minutes, or until squash is tender and browned slightly.

Serving Suggestions

• Serve as a healthy side dish to meals such as Bacon-Wrapped Pork Tenderloin or Blackened Mahi Mahi.
• Use the roasted squash in place of roasted sweet potatoes--like Sweet Potato Burritos or add it to Vegetarian Enchiladas
• Add the roasted squash to breakfast hashes, omelets, pasta, Instant Pot Risotto, or use as a taco filling. 
• Add Roasted Butternut Squash to Roasted Butternut Squash Salad or Harvest Quinoa Salad 

Storage Instructions

Roasted Squash can be stored in an air-tight container for up to 4 days in the refrigerator.

Alternatively, you can freeze the roasted squash. Once the squash is roasted, allow it to cool right on the parchment-covered sheet pan. Pop the sheet pan into the freezer and allow it 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.

Flavor Variations

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, and ½ teaspoon garlic powder.

More Recipes for Roasted Vegetables

• Roasted Broccoli
• Roasted Brussels Sprouts
• Roasted Acorn Squash
• Roasted Red Potatoes
• Roasted Asparagus
• Roasted Carrots

Try this recipe? Be sure to leave a review and let us know what flavor option you enjoyed!