This roasted butternut squash will be your new favourite way to get your vegetables. Hasselback squash roasted with crispy salty bacon, fragrant rosemary a pinch of brown sugar and crunch hazelnuts. It's perfect as a side dish or even served with just a salad. And of course, all the ingredients are from Aldi! Just because we're on a budget doesn't mean we have to eat like it!
Autumn is all about cosy foods and squash. This oven-roasted butternut squash is no exception. Simply sliced in half and left whole rather than chopped, this squash recipe will be your new go-to.
Roasted Butternut Squash
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Ingredients needed
- butternut squash
- smoked pancetta lardons
- butter
- hazelnuts
- rosemary
- demerara sugar (pretend I didn't forget to include it in the photo)
Step by step
- Always start by preheating your oven. This squash recipe roasts in a very hot oven 190º-200ºc.
- Slice the butternut squash in half lengthwise, and use a spoon to scoop out the seeds. Once the squash is in half it's much easier to hold while you peel the skin off. The skin is completely edible and you don't need to peel it, but I always do. I think it looks better when it's sliced for the Hasselback part.
- Drizzle with olive oil and sea salt. Place in the oven for about 15-20 minutes. This is to soften the squash so that you can put the slices in it more easily.
- While the squash is roasting for its first 20 minutes, you can heat a non-stick frying pan over high heat and start to cook the pancetta. Once the pancetta is browned and crispy add in the chopped rosemary and the butter. Let the butter melt and add in the demerara sugar and let that melt in. Let the butter and sugar bubble up and take off the heat.
- When the squash has roasted for 20 minutes and the flesh is tender, use a sharp knife to make slices about â…” of the way down the squash. Make sure you don't slice all the way through the squash. See the photo above, slice the squash at about 1cm intervals. Place back in the oven for another 20 minutes, or until the squash is fully roasted and tender all the way through. Spoon the bacon butter over the squash, top with the chopped hazelnuts and roast for another 5 minutes.
How to roast butternut squash halves
Start by cutting your squash in half lengthwise with a sharp knife. You can top and tail the squash as well, it just depends on your presentation. I prefer to leave the tops and tails of my squash attached for this recipe because I love how it looks.
Use a spoon to scoop out the seeds and any stringy membrane from the centre of the squash. Drizzle with olive or vegetable oil and salt and pepper. Start the roasting process. Most recipes will work better if you partially roast the squash before adding any extra flavourings. If they're added to early they may burn, especially things like garlic.
How long do you roast butternut squash for?
How long to roast a whole butternut squash depends on how big your squash is. When you roast a whole squash or leave the halves intact, it depends on how big the halves are as to how long they roast for. But a good general rule is-
- 1 hour for squash halves
- 35-45 minutes for wedges
- 25-30 minutes for cubes
This squash recipe is so easy but is such a show stopper. It's full of salty, sweet, creamy squash cosiness. So, bundle up in your warmest jumper and get roasting some squash.
Roasted Butternut Squash Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 (2) butternut squash
- 100 g (⅖ cups) butter
- 170 g (6 oz) smoked pancetta lardons
- 2 tablespoons (2 tablespoons) demerara sugar
- 2 (2) sprigs rosemary, chopped
- 3 tablespoons (3 tablespoons) hazelnuts, chopped
Instructions
- Start by preheating the oven to 190º-200ºc.
- Slice the butternut squash in half lengthwise, and use a spoon to scoop out the seeds. Once the squash is in half it's much easier to hold while you peel the skin off. *See notes.
- Drizzle with olive oil and sea salt. Place in the oven for about 15-20 minutes. This is to soften the squash so that you can put the slices in it more easily.
- While the squash is roasting for its first 20 minutes, you can heat a non-stick frying pan over high heat and start to cook the pancetta. Once the pancetta is browned and crispy add in the chopped rosemary and the butter. Let the butter melt and add in the demerara sugar and let that melt in. Let the butter and sugar bubble up and take off the heat.
- When the squash has roasted for 20 minutes and the flesh is tender, use a sharp knife to make slices about â…” of the way down the squash. Make sure you don't slice all the way through the squash. Slice the squash at about 1cm intervals. Place back in the oven for another 30 minutes, or until the squash is fully roasted and tender all the way through. Spoon the bacon butter over the squash, top with the chopped hazelnuts and roast for another 5 minutes.
Notes
- Note 1- The skin is completely edible and you don't need to peel it, but I always do. I think it looks better when it's sliced for the Hasselback part.
- Note 2- It may seem like a long roasting time, but the process is really straight forward. And your squash may be ready before this time is up, depending on the size of your squash.
- Note 3- Be sure to keep an eye on the squash during the last few minutes of roasting while it has the hazelnuts on it. Nuts are very fatty and can burn very quickly at a high temperature.
Nutrition
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