Roasted Butternut Squash

Here’s how to make roasted butternut squash squash! This recipe bakes it to tender, caramelized perfection.

Butternut squash is the poster child for fall and winter cooking, from tender orange cubes as a side dish to velvety soup. One of the easiest and tastiest ways to cook this ubiquitous orange squash is simply roasting it in a hot oven. It comes out tender and caramelized, its sweet flavor perfectly developed. Once you’ve learned the tricks, you don’t even need a recipe. Here’s a primer on how to roast butternut squash: a basic recipe every home cook should know!

How to make roasted butternut squash (basic steps)

This method for making roasted butternut squash is easy enough that you can memorize it! Once you understand the basic concept, it’s easy to make without a recipe. You’ll feel like Julia Child with your kitchen knowledge! Here’s the basic outline, or jump right to the recipe:

1. Preheat the oven (425 degrees). Use a very hot oven for maximum browning and caramelization.
2. Chop the squash into 1/2-inch cubes. Wrangling this infamous squash can be tricky: see the section below for full instructions!
3. Toss the squash with olive oil and kosher salt. Place the squash in a bowl and stir with olive oil and kosher salt. The basic rule: use about 1 tablespoon oil and ¼ teaspoon kosher salt for every 2 cups cubed squash.
4. Bake until tender, about 30 minutes. The timing depends on the size of the squash cubes, so keep an eye out towards the end of the bake time.

Tips on chopping butternut squash

The hardest part of roasted butternut squash is actually cutting the squash! Have you ever struggled with cutting this infamously challenging vegetable? Here’s the outline of what we do: plus a video to help! Tip: Using a serrated peeler makes peeling squash a breeze! It’s much easier than a normal peeler because it doesn’t slip (here are the vegetable peelers we use).

1. Slice off the neck from the base: Using a large chef’s knife, cut off the stem of the butternut squash. Cut off the neck of the butternut squash, right where the neck meets the base.
2. Peel: Use a serrated vegetable peeler to peel off the skin of the neck and the base.
3. Scoop out the seeds: Slice the base in half, and use a spoon to scoop out the seeds.
4. Chop the neck into cubes: Cut a flat edge on the side of the neck, then flip it onto that flat edge. Cut the neck into roughly 1/2″ slices. Cut the slices into strips, then turn the strips and chop them crosswise to create cubes.
5. Cut the base into cubes: Slice off the end of the base and slice it into roughly 1/2″ slices. Then chop the slices crosswise to create cubes.

Variation: whole roasted butternut squash

Don’t want to deal with peeling and chopping your butternut squash? We don’t blame you! It takes about 15 minutes (or more!) to get through this task. One way to bypass all the effort? Whole roast the butternut squash! Here are a few notes on this technique:

• When to use this method? Make a whole baked butternut squash when you’re making a mash, puree, or soup. It’s easiest to serve this squash by scooping the flesh out from the skin.
• How long does it take to roast? A medium squash sliced in half takes 45 minutes to bake at 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
• How to do it? Go to Perfect Baked Butternut Squash.

Ways to serve it!

This roasted butternut squash is so tasty and versatile! Here are a few ideas on how to serve it:

1. Side dish: Serve as a side dish for salmon, chicken, or vegetarian mains. It’s ideal for holiday meals like Thanksgiving or Christmas.
2. Grain bowl: Try it with a whole grain like in our Roasted Vegetable Bowl or Vegan Buddha Bowl.
3. Salad: Add it to a green salad like this Butternut Squash Salad.
4. Risotto: Try it in Butternut Squash Risotto.
5. Lasagna: Add to Butternut Squash Lasagna with Sage.
6. Enchiladas: Substitute it for the sweet potato in Sweet Potato Black Bean Enchiladas.

More butternut squash recipes

There are so many tasty ways to eat this mighty squash! Here are some of our favorite butternut squash recipes:

• Make classic Butternut Squash Soup or Curried Butternut Squash Soup
• Mix up a skillet of Butternut Squash Risotto or Butternut Squash Curry
• Try a whole Baked Butternut Squash
• Grab Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese or Creamy Butternut Squash Pasta
• Try sweet and creamy Mashed Butternut Squash or Butternut Squash Puree

01

Butternut Squash Lasagna with Sage

02

Creamy Butternut Squash Risotto

03

Perfect Baked Butternut Squash

04

Curried Butternut Squash Soup

This roasted butternut squash recipe is…

Vegetarian, vegan, plant-based, dairy-free, and gluten-free.

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