Easy Roasted Butternut Squash

The easiest and most delicious roasted butternut squash that anyone can make. Perfectly crispy and tender cubes of squash drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled with salt and pepper. Simple but so delicious! Ready in 30 minutes and perfect for a healthy side dish or addition to any salad. Vegan + Gluten-Free!

I am obsessed with roasted butternut squash since it is easy to make, stores great, and is so flavorful. Especially when it is in season. My kids also love it roasted and will sometimes eat it right off of the pan, it is that good!

I used to be slightly intimidated by butternut squash since I really didn’t know how to peel and cut it. Now that I have learned how to handle it and cook it, I make it probably a couple of times a week just to have on hand.

Is butternut squash good for you?

Butternut squash is a winter squash that is very versatile and has a slightly sweet, nutty flavor. It is packed full of nutrition especially when it is ripe and in season. Here are a few other facts about why this amazing vegetable is so good for you.

• The bright orange color of the squash indicates that it is high in vitamin A and fiber
• There are only 22 grams of carbs and 7 grams of fiber in 1 cup of cooked butternut squash.
• Loaded with vitamins A, B, and C and minerals like magnesium and potassium.
• Helps fight against diseases like cancer
• Lowers fatigue, strengthens bones and is great for weight loss.

Read more about the health benefits of butternut squash here.

Isn’t that great! What a wonderful veggie to include in your diet and your kids will love it for its sweet buttery flavor.

Now let’s get into the fun part, how to handle this beautiful vegetable.

How to cut butternut squash

1. Slice off the stem. Lay the squash on its side and hold it with your non-dominant hand. Place a sharp knife in the other hand and slice the stem off about 1 inch from the top.
2. Slice off the bottom. Flip the squash around and use the same method to slice off the bottom.

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3. Lay the squash on its side and slice it in half right where the neck meets the base of the squash.

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How to peel a butternut squash

There are two preferred ways I like to peel a squash. One is using a vegetable peeler and the other is using a sharp knife. Here is my best method for how to peel the skin off of butternut squash. Now, you will need to use a sharp vegetable peeler or knife since the skin of the squash is thick. Expert Tip: If the skin is tough to peel then you can place the whole squash in the microwave for 2 minutes (no longer or it could explode) to help soften the skin and make it easier to peel.

1. For the neck of the squash I like to use a vegetable peeler and simply peel the skin off until I no longer see any visible skin or white layer of flesh.
2. For the base of the squash, I use a sharp knife and just slice the skin right off going all around the base of the squash.
3. You can also peel the entire squash using the vegetable peeler if you don’t want to use a knife.

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How to cut butternut squash into cubes

1. To cut the neck, stand the base upright and slice it into planks.
2. Then stack the planks on top of one another and slice them into wide sticks.
3. Then cut the sticks into large cubes.
4. For the base, use a spoon to scoop out the seeds.
5. Scrape the edges to remove any remaining strings of squash.
6. Lay the squash with the cut side down onto a cutting board and slice into half-moons, then cubes.

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Finally, the best part of all, cooking the squash!

How to roast butternut squash

1. Lay butternut squash cubes onto a parchment paper-lined baking sheet.
2. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and toss to coat.
3. Bake at 425 degrees F for 25 minutes.

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How to use roasted butternut squash

You can use roasted butternut squash in so many ways like on salads, on top of pizza, as a side dish to any meal, in omelets, mashed, in lasagna, or enjoy it alone as a healthy snack.

What to serve with this roasted butternut squash

• Try it mixed with some roasted beets, a perfect compliment to this recipe.
• Enjoy this squash as a healthy side dish with some Crispy Breaded Chicken Breast or Healthy Turkey Meatballs.
• Add it as a topping on salad, like in. this Roasted Beets and Butternut Squash Salad.

Expert Tips

• To 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.
• Make sure to use a sharp vegetable peeler or sharp knife for peeling and cutting the squash.
• If the skin is too tough to peel, then you can place the whole squash into the microwave and cook for 2 minutes (no longer or it may explode). This will help to make the skin easier to peel.
• Do your best to cut the squash in even size cubes when roasting, so everything cooks evenly.
• Cook the squash at 425 degrees on a lined baking sheet for best results.
• Other ways to use butternut squash – Cubed and roasted, like in this recipe, you can also roast it in the skin as done in this Roasted Butternut Squash Soup recipe or you can slice it and roast it as done in this Butternut Squash Lasagna.

I hope you try this recipe. If you do, then please leave a comment and rating below.

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