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This oven roasted butternut squash recipe is an easy addition to your holiday table! These caramelized squash bites are melt-in-your-mouth tender, and everyone will ask for seconds.
If you love roasted vegetables, you may also like my Honey Roasted Carrots or my Easy Roasted Brussels Sprouts.
Why you’ll love it
You only need four ingredients (plus salt & pepper) to make an elevated side dish that involves hardly any effort. Roasting butternut squash is so easy, and I serve this simple butternut squash recipe with many of my seasonal meals. It’s a must-have at my Thanksgiving and Christmas table especially and is one of the first side dishes to disappear!
The warm, sweet and savory flavor combo of squash, cinnamon, and honey is just so good in these soft, bite-sized cubes. Your house will smell irresistible. Butternut squash is really a versatile ingredient, and I can’t get enough of it this time of the year. I use it in everything from a classic Butternut Squash Soup to my Easy Mashed Butternut Squash to this golden, cozy side dish.
Ingredients for it
- Butternut squash – it tastes kind of like pumpkin but more nutty. If you’ve never bought one before, look for one that’s a deep beige color and seems heavy for its size. It should be blemish free.
- Olive oil – this coats the squash to get that delicious caramelized exterior
- Honey – for a hint of sweetness
- Cinnamon – this warm spice plays really well with the honey
- Salt & pepper – I’m fairly generous with both to bring out the flavors
How to peel butternut squash
- I find butternut squash a pain to peel with a standard potato or vegetable peeler, so I use this method instead.
- Cut the squash in half lengthwise, remove the seeds with a spoon, and then cut the squash into a few large pieces.
- I then use a sharp knife to cut the tough skin off. Just make sure you keep the pieces of squash secure on the cutting board to avoid any accidents. Cutting it into cubes takes a little more effort, but that means more surface area for that golden caramelized exterior!
What do I do with butternut squash seeds?
- I often don’t discard the butternut squash seeds and roast them instead so they don’t go to waste. They’re tasty to snack on or add to soups and salads as a crunchy topping!
- Let them dry, coat them in a bit of olive oil and salt & pepper, and then roast them at 375F for 15-20 minutes, tossing halfway. That’s it.
How to roast butternut squash
This is an overview, and full ingredients & instructions are in the recipe card below.
- Preheat the oven to 400F. Halve the squash and remove the seeds and stringy fibers. Carefully peel it, and cut it up into roughly the same size cubes.
- Toss the squash with oil, honey, cinnamon, and salt & pepper until coated, either in a bowl or right on the baking sheet, and then arrange in a single layer.
- Roast for 20-25 minutes, tossing halfway through, or until soft and golden. Pierce with a knife to check if done. Enjoy right away.
Substitutions and variations
- Many grocery stores sell pre-cut cubes of fresh butternut squash, which really lessens the effort and prep for this recipe if you find it difficult to do yourself or are short on time.
- You don’t have to include the cinnamon if you don’t want to, but to me it’s a nice festive touch.
- If you’re unable to find butternut squash for whatever reason, simply swap it out for sweet potatoes! The technique will stay the same, and the seasonings will go with it as well.
What to serve with roasted butternut squash
- It makes a great holiday side dish to serve alongside an Easy Roast Turkey and Baked Mac and Cheese and homemade Green Bean Casserole.
- Since it’s so easy to make, you definitely don’t need to save this one for special occasions. I like to pair butternut squash with everything from this Easy Baked Chicken Breast recipe to a more seasonal dish like Easy Pork Chops and Apples.
- You can also toss them into your favorite pasta or salad. So many options!
Leftovers and storage
- Leftovers of this honey butternut squash will keep in the fridge in an airtight container for a few days.
- For best results, reheat in the oven at 350F until warmed through. A small saucepan should be fine too.
- I wouldn’t recommend freezing leftovers. The texture is bound to come out different when thawed.
Questions about this roasted butternut squash with honey recipe? Let me know in the comments below! I’d love to hear if you made it. You can also find me on Instagram.
Honey Roasted Butternut Squash
Ingredients
- 1 butternut squash peeled, seeds removed, & cut into chunks
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon optional
- Salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400F and move the rack to the middle position.
- Cut the squash in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds (I use a spoon). Peel the squash (I do this quickly using a sharp knife… I just cut the squash into a few pieces and then cut the skin off). Cut the squash into pieces that are roughly equal-sized. Mine were about 1″ pieces.
- Add the squash, oil, honey, cinnamon, and salt & pepper to a baking sheet. Toss until everything is coated. Arrange in an even layer.
- Roast squash for 20-25 minutes, tossing halfway through, or until the squash is cooked. Time will vary depending on how big the pieces are.
Notes
- Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy only and should be construed as an estimate rather than a guarantee. Ingredients can vary and Salt & Lavender makes no guarantees to the accuracy of this information.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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This is excellent. I had 2 apples I needed to use so I chopped those up and added them and that turned out yummy.
Wonderful! Thank you, Sherry!
I made the Honey Roasted butternut squash. Added a pinch of nutmeg and that was all the changing I did. It was Delish! Even the hubs had 2nd helping and that means he Really Loved it. Thanks for a great recipe!
Fantastic!! 😀 You are very welcome, Patty!
Hello, can I make this with frozen pre- cut butternut squash? And if I do, will it change anything in the steps in the recipe?
Hi! I haven’t tried it with frozen squash, but I don’t see why it wouldn’t work. You may need to adjust timing, but that’s pretty standard with this recipe anyway, as every oven varies as well as the size the pieces are cut into. Let me know how it goes!
Great recipe! Ended up taking longer to bake but came out great. Hubby, 15 month old & myself all loved it paired with a pork tenderloin. Just prepare yourself that it may take longer to bake than it states
I’m so happy that it worked out!! Yup, timing can definitely vary a bit depending on what size the pieces are.
Amazing! I had half of a red onion that I through in too and it was great!
Great!! 🙂
I am of the belief that all butternut squash should be sweet, and this was juuuuust sweet enough for me! I loved the hint of cinnamon; it made our whole apartment smell like fall for hours. Better than a candle! Definitely bringing this one back for the holidays.
That’s awesome! So pleased you liked this recipe, Olivia!
Forgot to give a rating with my comment…
Thanks 😀
Hi Natasha, so I can brag that I already baked butternut squash as one of my things. All 3 of them – LOL. I used the olive oil and cinnamon. But had never done with honey. So I tried it the other night and the whole family (including my son who is not a big fan of vegetables) agreed that this really did raise it up a bit!!! Will definitely make it this way going forward. Thanks!!!
Haha that’s awesome. I’m so glad that you enjoyed this recipe! 🙂
Are you making me these for Christmas? You better.
No.