How to Roast Butternut Squash: The Ultimate Guide

Learning How To Roast Butternut Squash is a foundational skill for any home cook, and it’s surprisingly easy. This versatile winter squash becomes wonderfully sweet and tender when roasted, making it perfect as a simple side dish or a key ingredient in countless fall-inspired recipes. If you love the taste of pumpkin, you’ll find butternut squash to be a delightful and often more convenient substitute. Just like roasting acorn squash or spaghetti squash, mastering butternut squash in the oven opens up a world of culinary possibilities.

As autumn approaches, butternut squash takes center stage in my kitchen. Its subtly sweet and nutty flavor is synonymous with fall and winter comfort food, and it effortlessly integrates into breakfast, lunch, and dinner. With the squash season upon us, it’s the perfect time to revisit the basics. Amidst a collection of creative butternut squash recipes, sometimes the most valuable guidance is a clear, straightforward approach to preparing this amazing vegetable. So, let’s dive into the essential technique: how to roast butternut squash to perfection.

Roasting brings out the natural sweetness of butternut squash and creates a beautifully caramelized exterior. Sharing a similar taste profile and creamy texture with pumpkin, butternut squash offers an advantage in the kitchen due to its generally smaller size and easier handling. This makes it simpler to roast evenly and puree smoothly. In fact, I often swap them in recipes depending on what I have on hand or feel like picking up from the market.

Why Roasted Butternut Squash is a Must-Try

Nutrient Powerhouse: Butternut squash is packed with essential nutrients, including vitamin A for vision and immune health, potassium for heart function, dietary fiber for digestion, and magnesium for muscle and nerve function.
Unbelievably Versatile: From steaming and sautéing to roasting and boiling, butternut squash adapts to a wide range of cooking methods. It can be mashed, pureed, stuffed, or even twice-baked, offering endless culinary creativity.
Flavorful in Both Sweet and Savory Dishes: Whether you’re craving a comforting sweet pie or a hearty savory stew, butternut squash lends itself beautifully to both flavor profiles. Its subtle sweetness enhances desserts, while its earthy notes complement savory meals.
Readily Available: Butternut squash is easy to find in most grocery stores throughout the fall and winter months. For those with a green thumb, it can even be grown in your garden, bringing fresh, homegrown goodness to your table.

Want to learn more about this fantastic squash? My comprehensive guide, All About Butternut Squash: How to Pick, Peel, and Prepare for Cooking, is a great resource for everything you need to know, from selecting the best squash to prepping it with ease.

Gather Your Tools and Ingredients for Roasting Butternut Squash

The beauty of roasting butternut squash lies in its simplicity. You can roast it in halves, slices, or cubes, depending on your recipe needs and preferences. Regardless of the cut, the essential tools and ingredients remain the same.

To roast butternut squash effectively, you’ll need:

Oven: The heart of the roasting process.
Baking Sheet or Dish: Choose a baking sheet for even roasting of cubes or slices, or a baking dish for roasting halves, which helps contain moisture and flavor.
Large, Sharp Knife: A sturdy knife is crucial for safely cutting through the dense squash.
Vegetable Peeler (Optional): A high-quality vegetable peeler or paring knife is helpful if you plan to cube your squash, making skin removal easier.

For ingredients, keep it simple and flavorful:

Butternut Squash: Choose a firm, heavy squash for best results.
Olive Oil or Butter: Olive oil imparts a subtle fruity flavor and promotes browning, while butter adds richness and a decadent taste.

Elevate the flavor with these optional additions:

Salt and Black Pepper: Essential for seasoning and enhancing the natural sweetness.
Fresh Herbs: Thyme or rosemary complement the squash’s earthy notes beautifully.
Brown Sugar: Adds a touch of caramel-like sweetness, especially delicious with roasted halves.
Maple Syrup: A natural sweetener that enhances the fall flavors.
Cinnamon or Nutmeg: Warm spices that create a cozy, comforting aroma and taste.
Cayenne Powder: For a hint of spice to balance the sweetness.

Selecting the Perfect Butternut Squash

Just like choosing acorn or spaghetti squash, selecting a good butternut squash starts with feeling its weight. Opt for a butternut squash that feels heavy for its size. This indicates density and good flesh quality, not necessarily size. Don’t hesitate to compare a few at the market to find the heftiest ones.

Look for a squash with a uniform beige color, which signifies ripeness. Minor surface scratches or blemishes are normal and won’t affect the taste, but avoid squash with deep cuts, soft spots, or bruises, as these can indicate spoilage.

Once you’ve selected your butternut squash, store it in a cool, dry place. It will keep for up to two weeks, allowing you to have this fall favorite on hand whenever you’re ready to cook.

Method 1: How to Roast Butternut Squash Halves

Roasting butternut squash in halves is incredibly easy and results in tender, scoopable flesh, perfect for pureeing or serving as a side.

Preheat Your Oven: Set your oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). This moderate temperature ensures even cooking without burning the exterior.
Prepare the Squash: Using a large, sharp knife, carefully cut the butternut squash in half lengthwise. A sturdy knife and a stable cutting surface are key for safety.
Remove the Seeds: Scoop out the seeds and stringy pulp from each half using a spoon. You can discard these or save the seeds for roasting later for a crunchy snack.
Season and Prep for Roasting: Place the butternut squash halves, cut-side up, in a baking dish. Brush the entire cut surface of each half generously with olive oil or melted butter.
Add Flavor: Season with salt and pepper. For a touch of sweetness, sprinkle with brown sugar if desired.
Roast to Perfection: Roast in the preheated oven for approximately 45 minutes. The squash is done when it’s easily pierced with a fork and the flesh is tender.
Cool and Serve: Remove from the oven and let the butternut squash cool slightly. Scoop the roasted flesh from the skin and enjoy it as is or incorporate it into your favorite recipes.

Method 2: How to Roast Butternut Squash Cubes

Roasting butternut squash cubes is ideal when you need bite-sized pieces for salads, grain bowls, or as a side dish with crispy edges.

Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
Prepare the Squash for Cubing: Begin by cutting off both ends of the butternut squash with a large, sturdy knife. This creates a stable base for peeling.
Peel the Skin: Use a vegetable peeler to remove the tough outer skin. Hold the squash firmly and peel away from yourself for safety.
Halve and Deseed: Cut the peeled squash in half lengthwise. Scoop out the seeds and stringy bits from each half and discard (or save the seeds for roasting).
Cube the Squash: Flip each half so it’s cut-side down and slice it into planks. Then, cut the planks into cubes, about 1/2 inch to 1 inch in size, depending on your recipe. Transfer the cubes to a large mixing bowl.
Toss with Oil and Seasonings: Drizzle olive oil over the butternut squash cubes and toss to coat evenly. Season generously with salt, pepper, and fresh herbs like thyme or rosemary, if desired.
Roast Until Tender: Spread the cubed butternut squash in a single layer on a lined baking sheet. Roast in the preheated oven for approximately 25 minutes, or until tender and slightly caramelized, flipping halfway through for even browning.

If you try this roasted butternut squash recipe, please leave a comment below and let me know how it turned out! I’d also love to hear about your favorite ways to enjoy butternut squash – do you prefer it simply roasted, with sweet spices, in a creamy soup, or with a savory sauce?

Explore More Delicious Butternut Squash Recipes

DON’T FORGET TO PIN THIS GUIDE ON HOW TO ROAST BUTTERNUT SQUASH and use your perfectly roasted squash in all your favorite butternut squash recipes!

RECIPE CARD

How to Roast Butternut Squash

4.87 from 917 votes

AuthorAuthor: Jessica Randhawa

Learning How to Roast Butternut Squash is quick and easy. Delicious served as a side or tossed in and among all your favorite fall recipes, Butternut Squash is a fall must-have and an easy substitute for pumpkin.

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Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 45 minutes mins

Total Time 50 minutes mins

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American

Servings 4 servings

Calories 94 kcal

Ingredients

1 Butternut squash
2 teaspoon olive oil or melted butter
salt + pepper – to taste
Brown sugar – if desired

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Instructions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Using a large sturdy knife, cut your butternut squash in half lengthwise.
Scoop out the seeds and stringy bits with a spoon and discard or save for later (if you’re planning on roasting them).
Transfer the butternut squash, cut-side-up into a baking dish and brush with olive oil or melted butter, coating the entire surface of the squash.
Season with salt and pepper and brown sugar (if desired).
Roast in the oven for approximately 45 minutes, or until soft, and fork-tender.
Remove from oven and allow to cool. Scoop flesh from the kin and enjoy plain or in your favorite recipes.

Jessica’s Notes

New to butternut squash? Check out my post, All About Butternut Squash: How to Pick, Peel, and Prepare for Cooking This recipe is for one whole butternut squash cut in half lengthwise with the skin left on and seeds scooped out. Learn how to roast cubed butternut squash in the full post. (originally posted October 15, 2017, and updated on September 3, 2018)

Nutritional Information

(Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and specific brands of ingredients used.)

Keyword how to peel butternut squash, how to roast butternut squash

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