Enjoy seasonal cooking with roasted butternut squash this fall or winter! This recipe will show you how to roast butternut squash in both cubes and halves, best uses for each method, and ideas for how to season and serve your squash.
As soon as I see winter squash at the farmers market or feel that crispy fall air, I cannot WAIT to roast a butternut squash (I also feel this way about roasting delicata squash!). If you haven't had butternut squash before, it's very similar to pumpkin in texture and taste and can even be used in place of pumpkin in many recipes.
Whether you're looking to blend up a creamy butternut squash soup or some mashed butternut squash, roast cubes for tossing into salads and grain bowls, or even just make a simple side dish to get you started with squash, let's walk through the two easiest roasting methods to get there -- cubes and halves. Let's get into it!
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Ingredients
- Butternut squash - For soup, you'll likely want a 2-3 pound squash for most recipes (check the specific recipe you're making). For roasting butternut squash cubes, the squash size is less important. Rather, you'll want to play closer attention to how many cubes are on your sheet pan so they aren't too close together. More on that shortly!
Please see recipe card for quantities.
Variations & How to Season
Roasted butternut squash has so many fun uses and delicious ways to add flavor. Here are some of my favorites!
- Maple & sage - Similarly to how pumpkin and sage pair well together in this pumpkin pasta with sage, butternut squash and sage are also delicious when paired. Toss the squash cubes in 1-2 tablespoons pure maple syrup and sprinkle with 1-2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh sage before roasting.
- Cumin & cayenne - For an earthy, warm, and spicy squash, add in 1 teaspoon of cumin and ¼ teaspoon of cayenne when you season the squash.
- Harissa - Mix a ½ tablespoon of harissa paste with 1-2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil and either brush onto squash or toss cubes in it.
- Brown sugar - Sprinkle brown sugar on the butternut squash before roasting. It'll get caramelized and delicious!
See FAQs below for suggested uses! And if you like roasted butternut squash, you should definitely try a pan of roasted sweet potato cubes next.
Method #1: How to Roast Butternut Squash Halves
- Step 1: Preheat your oven to 400 degrees and line a sheet pan with parchment paper (if desired). Cut ends off of squash, then cut in half lengthwise and scoop out seeds.
- Step 2: Lay the squash halves next to each other squash side up on the sheet pan, and drizzle or brush with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and any other seasonings you're using.
- Step 3: Roast for 45-50 minutes at 400 degrees, until squash can be easily pierced through with a fork and is slightly browning on the edges.
- Step 4: If you're making mash or soup immediately, let the squash cool for 5-10 minutes before scooping out the flesh for further use (optional).
Note: The oven time required for roasting butternut squash in halves takes slightly longer than cubes (at 45-50 minutes), but we make up for it by not having to peel or cut up the squash. Roasting the squash in halves is great for use in butternut squash soup or mash (like healthy mashed potatoes, but squash).
Method #2: How to Roast Butternut Squash Cubes
- Step 1: Preheat your oven to 400 degrees and line a sheet pan with parchment paper (if desired). Peel squash using a vegetable peeler and slice off the ends. Cut squash in half lengthwise and scoop out seeds, then cut squash into cubes.
- Step 2: Transfer butternut squash cubes to a bowl and add olive oil, salt, and pepper. Toss to coat, then transfer to prepared sheet pan, ensuring space between cubes.
- Step 3: Roast squash for 30-35 minutes at 400 degrees, stirring gently halfway through to brown squash on all sides. Remove from the oven and test a cube by piercing with a fork. It should be easy to pierce and sides should all be browned.
- Step 4: Serve roasted cubes in grain bowls, salads, as a side dish, or even as a quick toss-in for a weeknight curry or soup (other than a blended soup).
Note: Cubes cook more quickly because they are cut into small pieces, but they do require a little more time up front (peeling and chopping). Roasted butternut squash cubes are great for salads, grain bowls, or a simple side dish for holidays like Thanksgiving (especially when paired with a sweet side dish like this cranberry relish or these savory-sweet roasted Brussels sprouts with maple syrup).
Success Tips
Over many years of roasting butternut squash, I've learned a few tips that really help with achieving the best results.
- A sharp knife makes your life WAY easier. I remember roasting my first butternut squash in college, when I had a very cheap and dull kitchen knife that honestly made me dread cutting squash. When I finally invested in a high quality chef's knife, my squash preparation became much easier, so if you dread squash cutting due to your knife, I highly recommend this Zwilling slim chef's knife! I've had it for years and love it to this day.
- Space on the sheet pan. This goes for roasting other veggies too, but the key to getting nicely browned edges when roasting your butternut squash is to leave some space between cubes on the sheet pan. With less space, more steam is created and you end up with squash that's more steamed and less roasted. It still tastes delicious, but those caramelized bits really take it to the next level.
FAQs
You can easily use roasted squash in soups (either a blended butternut squash soup like my Thai butternut squash soup, or as cubes added into a soup, such as lentil soup or minestrone). Similarly, scoop out roasted squash and make a butternut mash by mashing with potato masher or fork. Also, you could reheat the squash in your oven or air fryer and add it to grain bowls or salads. I even used it in these butternut squash and salmon tacos!
Sure can! For freezing the cubes, let them cool completely and then pop the whole sheet pan in the freezer for a an hour (helps prevent them sticking together). After that, transfer them to an airtight container or bag and keep in the freezer for up to three months. Thaw in the fridge before use!
More Roasted Veggies
If you liked this recipe, you'll also love some of our other roasted (or air fryer) veggies!
Did you try this roasted squash recipe? Don't forget to leave a star rating 🌟 and comment below, and tag me on Instagram and Pinterest so I can see what you made!
📖 Recipe
Roasted Butternut Squash
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: 1 squash 1x
Description
Roasted butternut squash is a delicious and nourishing fall staple for soups, butternut mash, side dishes, grain bowls, and salads! Learn how to roast it in halves and cubes.
Ingredients
- 1 whole butternut squash (any size, unless it's for a soup recipe - see notes!)
- 1-2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ - ½ teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- Preheat & prep. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees, and optionally line with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. If you're roasting the squash in halves, cut the ends of the squash off, then cut the squash in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds. For cubes, peel the squash first, then repeat the process and cut the de-seeded squash into cubes.
- Season squash. For halves, arrange them squash side up on the sheet pan and brush or drizzle on the olive oil before sprinkling with salt and pepper. For cubes, place in a bowl and toss with olive oil and seasonings to coat, then transfer to a baking sheet in an even layer with space between the pieces.
- Roast. Roast the squash halves at 400 degrees for 45-50 minutes, or until squash is slightly browned on edges and can be pierced through easily with a fork. For squash cubes, roast them for 25 minutes, optionally flipping or gently stirring at 20 minutes to get browning on all sides. Squash cubes are done when they are cooked through and starting to brown.
- Serve! Use your squash as intended, whether as a side dish, salad ingredient, mashed, or blended into a soup.
Notes
- Freezer instructions. Allow squash to cool completely. To freeze squash cubes, place the sheet pan of cubes in the freezer for an hour, then remove from the freezer and transfer from sheet pan to airtight bag or container. This preliminary freeze helps prevent the squash pieces from sticking together. For freezing halves, allow the squash to cool and either freeze the entire squash halves in an airtight container, or scoop out flesh and transfer to the container for freezing. Freeze up to 3 months, and thaw in the fridge overnight.
- Storage instructions. Store leftover squash in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Category: Side dish
- Method: Roast
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: ~1 heaping cup
- Calories: 109
- Sugar: 3.9 g
- Sodium: 7 mg
- Fat: 3.7 g
- Carbohydrates: 20.5 g
- Protein: 1.8 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
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