How To Roast Butternut Squash – 2 Ways

Get step by step directions and photos on exactly How To Roast Butternut Squash – 2 Ways!  I’ve also included a few recipes on how to use it!

Yah for winter squash season!  I love roasting things and am guilty of making all kinds of roasted vegetables even during the hottest of the summer months.  Roasting just gives them so much extra flavor and I love how they get nice and caramelized.

A lot of you may already know how to roast butternut squash, but just in case some of you don’t, today I have a full tutorial on How To Roast Butternut Squash – 2 Ways!

The first method is what I call whole roasted butternut squash.  You do actually cut it in half, so it’s not technically whole, but it’s pretty close!

I don’t use this method quite as much because it does take longer and I’m usually roasting it for a salad or something that requires it to be cubed.  But, this whole roasted method is perfect if you just want to make butternut squash puree or if you want to stuff the butternut squash.

This method is also super easy!  One thing I don’t love about preparing butternut squash is peeling it.  The butternut squash gets pretty slippery so you have to be careful and it leaves this sticky stuff on your hands that is nearly impossible to get off.

Here’s what you need to do for the Whole Roasted Butternut Squash:

• Carefully cut the butternut squash in half.  I like to cut the top little brown stalk off first.  You want each half of the butternut squash to be pretty much the same size so that they bake for the same amount of time.  Butternut squash skin isn’t too tough, so you should be able to get your knife in there and easily cut through it.
• Next, you will need to use a metal spoon to scoop out all the seeds.  This should be pretty easy!
• Then, drizzle each side with a small amount of olive oil and season with salt and pepper, if desired. If I’m just making a butternut squash puree I will forgo the salt and pepper, but if I’m doing a stuffed butternut squash I’ll season it up!
• Then all you have to do is place the squash cut side down (for some reason I photographed it cut side up, but it should be down!!) on a baking sheet or in a pan and pour about 1/4 cup of water in the pan, this will help keep the squash from burning or getting too brown.  Roast butternut squash until fork tender and cooked through, about 60 mins depending on the size of your butternut squash.
• If you want to make butternut squash puree, you can just scoop out all the squash, add it to a food processor and blend until smooth.

The next method of roasting butternut squash is my usual go-to method!  I call this roasted butternut squash cubes 🙂  This method is great if you want to use the butternut squash as a side dish or add to a salad.  It’s also super flavorful because there’s much more surface area for your seasonings to coat.

Here’s what you need to for Roasted Butternut Squash Cubes:

• Peel the butternut squash and cut off the top stalk and very bottom off.  Cut the butternut squash in half, lengthwise, and scoop out the seeds.
• This next part is kind of up to you exactly how you want to tackle it.  You want the end result to be in bite sized cubes.  I usually cut just above where the seeds were and then cut each part into about 1/2 inch thick slices.  Then cut those slices into thin French fry shaped strips and then cut those into bite sized cubes.
• Place cubes on a large baking sheet and toss with olive oil, salt and pepper until they’re all evenly coated and roast until fork tender and starting to caramelize, about 40 minutes.  Feel free to toss them with different seasonings than salt and pepper!
• You can also make butternut squash puree by adding the roasted cubes to a food processor and blending until creamy.

This method is a little more time consuming but it’s still my favorite way to prepare it!  I’ll link to a few of my recipes below to use roasted cubed butternut squash and then I also have a Roasted Butternut Squash Enchilada Bake recipe coming to the blog on Thursday!

Here’s a few recipe ideas on how to use each type of Roasted Butternut Squash:

Whole Roasted Butternut Squash:

• Quinoa Stuffed Butternut Squash from Well Plated
• Butternut Squash Mac N Cheese from Healthy Nibbles and Bits

Cubed Butternut Squash:

• Winter Quinoa Salad with Butternut Squash
• Roasted Butternut Squash Tostadas
• Roasted Butternut Squash Enchilada Meal Prep Bowls
• Roasted Butternut Squash and Sweet Chili Chickpea Salad
• Roasted Butternut Squash and Black Bean Tacos