What starts out as a firm, pale squash becomes tender, caramelized, naturally sweet, and packed with rich roasted flavor.
Whether you're making soups, casseroles, pasta, salads, or serving it as a simple side dish, learning how to safely cut and perfectly roast butternut squash is a kitchen skill you'll use all season long.
Roasting brings out the squash's natural sugars while creating lightly browned edges that make every bite irresistible. Best of all, once roasted, it can be used in countless recipes throughout the week, making meal prep simple and delicious.
We have also bought several kinds of squash, prepared it this way, and frozen it in freezer bags, mashed or cubed, and it stays perfect all winter.
If you love squash, try my copycat recipe for Panera Bread Butternut Squash Soup, Butternut Squash Casseriole or my Butternut Squash Salad.
Why You Will Love These Ideas for Butternut Squash Recipes and Cooking
- Perfectly caramelized every time
- Easy to prepare ahead
- Naturally gluten-free
- Budget-friendly
- Excellent for meal prep
- Freezes beautifully
- Great for sweet or savory recipes
- Healthy, nutritious, and packed with fiber and Vitamin A
Best Seasonings for Butternut Squash
- Savory
- Garlic powder
- Onion powder
- Rosemary
- Thyme
- Sag
- Italian seasoning
- Smoked paprika
- Black pepper
- Parmesan cheese
- Everything Bagel seasoning
- Sweet
- Cinnamon
- Nutmeg
- Pumpkin pie spice
- Brown sugar
- Maple syrup
- Honey
- Vanilla extract
- Butter
- Candied pecans
Choosing The Best Butternut Squash:
- Firm with no soft spots
- Matte tan or beige skin
- Heavy for its size
- Long neck with a small seed cavity (more usable flesh)
- No cuts, mold, or bruises
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Other Easy Butternut Squash Meal Idea
- Creamy butternut squash soup
- Roasted vegetable
- Boiled then mashed
- Ravioli filling
- Mac and cheese mix-in
- Risotto
- Grain bowls
- Harvest salads
- Breakfast hash
- Stuffed peppers
- Stuffed shells
- Lasagna
- Flatbread pizza
- Quesadillas
- Tacos
- Burrito bowls
- Chicken sheet pan dinners
- Turkey casseroles
- Stuffing for Thanksgiving
- Pureed baby food
- Roasted vegetable wraps
- Warm quinoa salad
- Butternut squash chili Curry
- Shepherd's pie topping
- Cottage pie filling
- Maple Bacon: Maple syrup, bacon, pecans
- Italian Herb: Garlic, rosemary, Parmesan
- Brown Butter Sage: Brown butter, crispy sage leaves
- Honey Cinnamon: Butter, cinnamon, honey
- Southwest: Chili powder, cumin, lime, cilantro
- Mediterranean: Feta cheese, oregano, olives
Cutting and Roasting Butternut Squash Tips
Yield: 2
Here is how to cut, roast, and cook butternut squash easily with just a few tips to make this super simple in your kitchen.
Ingredients:
- 1 medium-sized squash: Butternut, Acorn, Spaghetti, Calabaza, Large Zucchini, Yellow or Sugar Pie Pumpkin
- Sharp Sawtooth style knife
- Parchment-lined cookie sheet
- Potholders
- Options to add to these cooked squash after roasting:
- Cinnamon Sugar mixture, Butter, salt, pepper to taste
Instructions:
- Method:
- Microwave your desired kind of squash for 6 to 8 minutes, depending on the size.
- Remove using potholders, it's very hot!
- Cool slightly.
- Using a sharp knife, cut in half.
- Remove seeds with a tablespoon.
- Place the cut squash with seeds removed using a tablespoon and discard. ( If using a small sugar pie, save the pumpkin seeds for roasting),
- Place the halved squash on a cookie sheet lined with parchment.
- Roast for 40 to 45 minutes until soft when pierced with a fork.
- If wanting the squash-flavored sprinkle, this is with cinnamon, sugar, and melted butter after cooking.
- After the squash is cooked, just scoop it into a bowl and prepare it however you like, or eat it plain, with salt and pepper or the other suggestion above.
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Disclosure: This recipe was originally shared in 2015. It was edited and re-published in 2020
