Have you seen the GORGEOUS Butternut Squash at the grocery and thought, "Man, I wish I knew what to do with those"? Look no further, I got you covered and I'll show you how to roast butternut squash right here. It's EASY!
How to Roast Butternut Squash
Roasting is seriously the easiest way to deal with most any vegetable. Nothing could be easier and it brings out BIG flavors!
Concentrated Flavors - Roasting gives a sweetness and sometimes a delicious char!
Buttery - When you roast butternut squash, you get a lovely buttery consistency.
The COLOR - Oh man, the color of a roasted butternut squash is seriously one of the most beautiful things you'll see! It looks just like deep fall!
Since you are trying out squash recipes, here's my favorite one! Best Southern Yellow Squash Casserole Recipe
Here's What You'll Need:
- A Butternut Squash - look for one that feels solid, firm and kind of heavy for it's size. A few dark scratches on the skin is ok, but try to find one that doesn't have bruises or many dark marks.
- Olive Oil - Pick a good quality oil for this project.
- Parchment Paper - aluminum foil works too.
- An Oven - 'cause, you know, that's what we roast with!
The Key Steps
- Cut the stem end off of the squash and then cut the squash in half from the stem to the blossom end.
- Scoop out the seeds.
- Drizzle the cut side with olive oil.
- Place cut side down on parchment paper on a baking sheet.
- Roast in the oven for 45 minutes at 425 degrees
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ's)
No, you don't. The skin is edible, however, if you roast it as described below, you can simply scoop the squash out of the skin if you prefer not to eat it.
If you are dead set on peeling your squash, you can do so with a vegetable peeler or simply cut the skin off with a sharp paring or chef's knife.
Butternut Squash are a little difficult to cut! They are a hard winter squash, so use a sharp and sturdy knife!
You will first, cut the stem end off of the squash and then cut it directly in half from the stem to the blossom end of the squash.
If you keep your squash in a cool dry place, it will last for a long time. Weeks, actually.
Your squash should feel firm and shouldn't have any mushy spots on it. If you notice this or a sour smell, then its time to toss it. However, if there are just a few soft spots, cut those out and the rest should be fine.
Once you cook your squash, it will keep for about 5 days covered in the fridge.
Don't just toss your squash in the freezer. Once it is roasted, you CAN freeze the resulting squash. Just place in a freezer safe storage container, remove as much air as possible and freeze for up to 3 months.
You can use a baking sheet, casserole dish or a cast iron pan. If you have none of those, I would put down a double layer of aluminum foil and use that.
How Do I Use Roasted Butternut Squash?
Now you are asking the delicious questions!
- Use it in this Squash Soup Recipe!
- Add to salads
- Put some in your other soups! Makes a creamy addition!
- Try some with Rice!
Tips and Tricks
- Squash are VERY HARD to cut, be careful so that you don't injure yourself.
- You DO NOT need to peel the squash before roasting because you can simply scoop the meat out if you don't wish to eat the skin.
- The skin IS edible.
- Use parchment paper or aluminum foil in the bottom of your pan because the juices that leak out during roasting are difficult to remove from the pan afterward.
- You can expect the skin to bubble up with roasting. So, no worries if you notice this.
- Here's probably more than you ever wanted to know about Butternut Squash
- You'll want to check out How to Cook Sautéed Yellow Squash on the Stove Recipe for more great squash recipes!
[slick-story src="loavesanddishes/how-to-roast-butternut-squash"]
More Squash Recipes?
No problem?
Here's how to cook Yellow Squash on the Stove top
How about spaghetti squash in the microwave?
Squash Casserole anyone?
Can You Help Me Out?
Please leave a 5 STAR comment in the comment section below as this helps others to find Loaves and Dishes on the internets!
How To Roast Butternut Squash
Ingredients
- 1 large butternut squash about 3 pounds is good
- 3 tablespoon olive oil for drizzling
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425. While the oven is heating up, using a very sharp and sturdy knife, cut the top off of the squash. Then, halve the squash down the center so that it opens like a book.
- Use a scoop or spoon to remove the seeds (set aside for another use). Using 1-3 tbs of the olive oil, oil the squash all over the skin and meat and set cut side down on a rimmed baking sheet prepared with parchment paper.
- Place the squash into the middle of the oven and bake for 45 minutes or until the skin is blistered and you see that the drippings from the squash are caramelizing (burning) on the bottom of the baking sheet. If you don’t see this with the first check, check oven again every 5 minutes until done.
- Remove the squash from the oven and set on a cooling rack to begin to cool. Allow to cool until you are able to handle it without burning yourself.
Notes
- Butternut Squash are HARD to cut through! Cut the small end off first to make cutting through easier.
- If you are worried about it rolling away - you could cut a flat spot on one of the bulgy sides and that will hold it stable. It won't mess up the squash roasting, don't worry about it.
- Make sure that your knife is sharpened before you start.
- Use at least a 6" chef knife.
- When you are scooping out the meat of the squash, be careful to avoid the skin unless you prefer to eat it, just know that it is a little tough.
Nutrition
Always a good reminder at this time of the year...
Hebrews 13:16
And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased
Desicart says
Yum! This looks so delicious and tasty!
Wendi Spraker says
Thanks Deiscart! I hope you love it!