Savory herb roasted butternut squash is a light and flavorful fall side dish recipe. Cubed butternut squash is tossed in oil, rosemary, and thyme, then roasted in the oven until tender.
Butternut squash makes for a savory and comforting side dish. Easy enough for your next weeknight meal, and impressive enough to serve for Thanksgiving or Christmas. This recipe is filled with comforting, earthy flavors from rosemary and thyme.
Roasting is an easy way to prepare squash. With just a few minutes of prep, the rest of the work is done in the oven.
Did you know that butternut squash is technically a fruit? But is usually prepared like a root vegetable. It is available year round, but is best enjoyed in the fall and winter months. It has a sweet, nutty taste, similar to a pumpkin.
Ingredients and substitutions
A medium sized butternut squash will vary in size between 2-3 pounds - anything in this range will work just fine for this recipe.
If you have a smaller squash, you may want to reduce the amounts of olive oil and seasoning slightly.
Olive oil can be substituted with melted butter.
Peeling a butternut squash
If you've never peeled a butternut squash before, they have a very tough skin. To make them easier to peel, I suggest cutting off the very top (stem) and bottom of your squash with a chef's knife, giving you a flat surface to place on your cutting board. Then, peel the skin off with a vegetable peeler.
If you’re still having trouble, this is another great option. First, pierce the skin of your squash all over with a fork. Next, place squash in the microwave and cook for about 3 minutes. (Watch your squash carefully during this time!)
Remove from the microwave and allow to cool. The skin should peel off much more easily.
When microwaving a squash, the flesh underneath produces steam, which helps separate the skin from the flesh. Doing so makes it easier to peel.
Roasting your butternut squash
I recommend tossing your squash halfway through baking to ensure even browning.
You'll know your squash is done when it is easily pierced through with a fork.
What to serve with butternut squash
I like to serve this butternut squash with turkey, roasted chicken, ham, pork chops, or beef roast.
Savory Herb Roasted Butternut Squash
Ingredients
- 1 medium butternut squash about 2 ½ pounds
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- ¼ teaspoon dried rosemary
- ¼ teaspoon dried thyme
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- Peel squash, cut in half, and scoop out pulp and seeds. Cut squash into bite size pieces (about 1" cubes). Place into a large bowl.
- Drizzle cubed squash with olive oil. Add salt, garlic powder, pepper, rosemary, and thyme, then toss to coat.
- Pour squash onto parchment lined baking sheet and spread into a single layer.
- Roast squash for 20-25 minutes in the oven, tossing once halfway through to ensure even browning. Time will depend on size of cubes - squash is done when it can easily be pierced through with a fork.
- Remove from oven and serve immediately.
Equipment Recommendations
Notes
- For more stability when peeling and cubing, cut off the top ½ inch and bottom ½ inch of your squash for a flat surface to place on your cutting board.
- If you're having trouble peeling your squash, try microwaving it first. Pierce the skin of the squash all over with a fork. Next, place squash in the microwave and cook for about 3 minutes. Remove from the microwave (careful, it will be hot!) and allow to cool. The skin should peel off much more easily.
- Olive oil can be substituted with melted butter or vegetable oil.
Denise Brackna
Good evening! I would like to make this recipe for Thanksgiving. My question to you is…can this be made 1 day ahead and reheated the next day?
Heather
Hi Denise, there are a few ways you can save time on Thanksgiving day:
- Cube your squash up to 3 days ahead of time and store (uncooked) in a sealed container in the refrigerator. Then, finish preparing on the big day.
- Or, prepare your squash as directed, sticking to the lower end of the cooking time (about 20 minutes). Then, reheat the next day in a 350 degree Farenheit oven for about 10-15 minutes, or until heated through.
Denise Brackna
Thank you Heather. This will help me out a lot. Happy Thanksgiving!