Roasted Butternut Squash Recipe

by Katie Sweeney 10

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.

Photos: Nicole Perry

From Katie Sweeney, YumSugar

Roasted Butternut Squash

Recipe Notes

If using maple syrup, line the baking sheet with parchment so that the sugar won't burn and stick to the pan.

Ingredients

1 butternut squash, peeled and roughly cubed
Extra virgin olive oil
Kosher salt
Freshly cracked black pepper
2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh herbs like thyme, rosemary, or sage (optional)
Honey or maple syrup, to taste (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
2. Toss the butternut squash cubes with a generous drizzling of olive oil, a large pinch of salt, pepper, herbs and maple syrup (if using) on a baking sheet. Spread out in a single even layer, and roast for 30-45 minutes, or until the squash is fork-tender and lightly browned.

Yield: 2-3 cups (depending on the size of the squash used).

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