With fresh herbs, Parmesan cheese, and buttery caramelized vegetables, this Roasted Butternut Squash recipe will be your new favorite side dish!
Guys. We are days away from it officially being Fall. And 68 days until Thanksgiving. My mind is sort of reeling at the thought of that – the year has flown!
With Fall comes all the butternut squash recipes, which makes me so happy. It’s most certainly one of my favorites vegetables!
Butternut squash is also my least favorite vegetable to peel and cut! They’re oddly shaped, large, and very dense. But if you’re a butternut squash lover like I am, it’s very helpful to know the proper and safe way to cut one.
How to Peel Butternut Squash
Peeling skin off butternut squash is, well, a pain in the butt. I often soften the skin a little before peeling by simply piercing holes all over with a fork and then putting it in the microwave for a minute or so.
Then, using a good quality Y peeler, I’ll either place it on its side or stand it upright and peel in downward strokes. If you don’t own a Y peeler, you can cut the squash in half horizontally, place cut sides down on a cutting board, and then use a very sharp knife to slice off the peel, but this is trickier and more time consuming.
How to Cut Butternut Squash
In order to cut butternut squash, you’ll need a heavy, sharp chef’s knife and a cutting board or flat stable surface. I can’t emphasize the “stable” part enough. It is critical when cutting any type of winter squash that you stabilize it.
First, slice about 1/4-inch off the top including the stem, then a 1/4-inch off the bottom, evenly (this will help keep the squash steady.) Stand the peeled squash upright on a cutting board; make sure it isn’t wobbly. Make one long cut down the middle, from the top to bottom. Then lay the squash halves down and slice each piece in half down the center, so you end up with 4 pieces.
Scrape out the seeds and the stringy pulp (you can either discard or clean them up and roast them like you would pumpkin seeds!) Now your squash is peeled and sliced and ready for you to slice into smaller pieces or dice into cubes.
A 1 1/2 pound butternut squash will yield approximately 2 cups of diced squash after you’ve removed the stem, peel, and seeds.
How to Cook Butternut Squash
1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Coat a 15×10-inch roasting pan with nonstick cooking spray. Place squash pieces in pan.
2. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper; toss to coat.
3. Transfer squash to the oven and roast for 15 minutes; toss gently.
4. I also stir in Parmesan and thyme sprigs; roast 5 more minutes or until squash is tender.
*Full printable recipe with quantities, below.
Sometimes I’ll make a sheet pan of roasted butternut squash just for me, for lunch. But often times I’ll use it in Butternut Squash Soup. It will knock your socks off!
How to Store Butternut Squash
Whole butternut squash can be stored for 1-2 months in a cool, dark place.
Peeled and diced (uncooked) butternut squash should be refrigerated in a tightly sealed container for 3-4 days.
Cooked butternut squash should be refrigerated in a tightly sealed container for up to 3 days.
Other Squash recipes we love!
Butternut Squash and Potato Mash
Roasted Butternut Squash
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds butternut squash , peeled, seeded, cut into 3/4-inch cubes
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme (or 1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves, or 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme)
- 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Coat a 15x10-inch roasting pan with nonstick cooking spray. Place squash pieces in pan.
- Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper; toss to coat.
- Transfer squash to the oven and roast for 15 minutes; gently toss squash.
- Stir in the Parmesan and thyme sprigs; roast 5 more minutes or until squash is tender.
- Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- For instructions and tips on how to peel and cut a whole butternut squash, please refer to the full article.
- You can also use this recipe for my fantastic Butternut Squash Soup
- To store: whole butternut squash can be stored for 1-2 months in a cool, dark place. Peeled and diced (uncooked) butternut squash should be refrigerated in a tightly sealed container for 3-4 days. Cooked butternut squash should be refrigerated in a tightly sealed container for up to 3 days.
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