Description
This is the best roasted cinnamon maple butternut squash recipe you need to try. Super easy to make, it bakes up in less than 30 minutes and it is the easiest healthy side dish that goes with any meal. Eat it as a snack or even on top of salad. Vegan and gluten-free plus it’s a veggie dish your kids will love.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 butternut squash about 2lbs
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons real maple syrup
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Peel and cut the squash – to do this, slice the ends off of the squash about 1 inch from the stem. Cut the squash in half where the base meets the neck. Use a vegetable peeler or sharp knife to peel the skin off of the squash. Scoop the seeds out of the base of the squash and slice it into cubes.
- Place the cubed squash into a medium size bowl.
- Mix up the glaze – Add the olive oil, maple syrup, cinnamon, salt and pepper to a small mixing bowl and whisk well to combine.
- Pour the glaze over the squash and toss.
- Transfer the squash to the lined baking sheet and toss again to make sure all of the squash is coated. Make sure it is in an even layer on the baking sheet.
- Bake the squash in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, turning the squash over halfway through the cooking time.
- Once the squash is soft and the edges are lightly crispy and brown, remove it from the oven, let it cool for a few minutes and enjoy.
Notes
- Pick a ripe butternut squash. Make sure it is in season (early fall-winter), you want to select a squash that is a deeper orange/beige color and not one that is too pale. Also, make sure that the skin is not too shiny since that will indicate that the squash was picked before it was ripe. A heavier squash will also have more flavor. You can also check to make sure that the stem is nice and dry and firm and you want a squash with no indentations or dark spots.
- How to store butternut squash – before you cook the squash, you can store it a cool, dark place (like a pantry or basement) with little to no sunlight for up to 2 months before you need to cook it. For cooked butternut squash, like in this recipe, you can store it in an airtight container for up to 5 days in the fridge.
- Clean the squash before you cut and cook it by wiping it with a clean, damp towel or soaking it for a few minutes in salty warm water then dry it with a clean towel.
- Cut the squash is even size cubes so it all cooks at the same time.
- Use real maple syrup or honey as a sweetener.
- Bake it for at least 25 minutes, turning it over halfway through the cooking time to get all of the edges nice and crispy.
- You can enjoy this squash as a side dish, healthy snack, or even on top of a hearty salad.
- Prep Time: 10
- Cook Time: 20
- Category: Healthy Side Dishes
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: American
