One of my favorite Fall ingredients is butternut squash. It's incredibly versatile and lends an autumnal, pumpkin-ish flavor to everything from salad to soup to macaroni and cheese. Unlike the seasonal produce of Summer, many cold-weather vegetables can not be enjoyed raw. However, once you know the simple steps to roasting butternut squash you can put it to use in just about anything.
The roasted chunks can be tossed with arugula and white beans. Or, blitz the squash in a food processor and use the puree to make lasagna. Not only are there unlimited ways to cook with roasted squash, there are also plenty of ways to season it. Fresh sage, thyme, or rosemary add an earthiness to the squash, while honey or maple syrup caramelizes the flesh. Doesn't experimenting with different flavorings and preparations sound like fun? To get started, check out my basic recipe for roasted squash.
Original Recipe
Ingredients
1 butternut squash
extra virgin olive oil, for drizzling
salt
freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh herbs like thyme, rosemary, or sage, (optional)
honey or maple syrup, for drizzling (optional)
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- Slice the stem off of the top of the squash and remove the bottom. With a strong vegetable peeler, remove and discard the squash's skin.
- Cut the squash in half down the middle. Remove and discard the seeds.
- Slice the flesh into 1/4-inch dice and place on a baking sheet lined with foil.
- Liberally drizzle with olive oil and season with salt. If desired, sprinkle with the herbs and drizzle with the honey or syrup. Toss to combine.
- If using the squash for a salad, roast in the oven for 15-20 minutes (tossing once to rotate) until the squash is tender. If you plan on pureeing the squash, roast for 40-50 minutes until its very soft and beginning to brown.
Depending on the size of your squash, you should have 2-3 cups.
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Alessi
Drykorn
Quai D'Orsay
On Saturday, I made the butternut squash and sage lasagna recipe that was posted here a few weeks ago. It was SO good. My only advice would be to buy the butternut squash pre-peeled! I bought it whole and almost lost a limb trying to peel/cut the thing.
1Vanonymous: I know it can be really hard to peel. That's why, when writing this recipe, I said, "With a strong vegetable peeler!"
2Thanks, Party. I should have paid closer attention to that little detail about the vegetable peeler! Next time I will definitely be prepared. Great recipe though! Everyone loved it.
3Someone posted on here a while ago about microwaving the squash a little bit before trying to peel it, which apparently makes it easier. I've never done it myself, because I have a good kitchenaid peeler and it's not too difficult for me - you just need to get used to it, I think. I wouldn't recommend pre-peeled squash because it's generally drier and less tasty than a squash you peel yourself.
Another suggestion for roasted squash: roast it with diced onion and bacon, and some fresh sage leaves, toss with cooked pasta (a chunky pasta like rigatoni) and parmesan cheese. AMAZING!
4If you cut up a sweet potato into similar sized chunks and mix them together it is soooo good. I put sweet potatoes and squash in the microwave before cutting or peeling to soften them up, like suzy said. I don't peel the sweet potato, though. I like the skin on.
5For tough skins like this, I cut the vegetable into manageable chunks first and then slice off the skin with a knife.
6I want to try this. Never had Butternut squash, but my nutrition professor always talk very good about it, so I wan to try it.
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