Baked Butternut Squash
Make Baked Butternut Squash with brown sugar and cinnamon in a few easy steps. You’ll love how tender and caramelized this butternut squash is. Enjoy it on it's own, make a soup or serve in salads, as a side dish with pork, chicken, and stir in pasta dishes. Or like a dessert with a scoop of ice cream.
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INGREDIENTS
- 1 2-3 lbs large butternut squash, cut in half
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- Pinch of chili flakes or cayenne powder, optional
- 3-4 Fresh Thyme sprigs
INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat oven to 425 F.
- Oil/butter mixture. Combine all the spices and oil in a small bowl. Add only a small pinch of salt. Set aside.
- Too much salt will draw out the moisture from squash which will cause it to steam instead of browning. Wash the butternut squash and cut it in half lengthwise. Cut out the top and the bottom part, about 1-2 inches first.
- Spoon out the seeds completely.
- Transfer to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and brush generously with the brown sugar glaze. Now carefully turn the squash over the cut side down. Bake like this for 25 minutes. Baking the squash flesh-side down helps develop a more deep browning.
- Then turn them over and add thyme sprigs. Bake another 25 minutes or until the knife inserted into the thickest part of squash comes out easily without resistance. The flesh should be soft inside.
- Throw away the old thyme and replace it with new fresh for serving. Remove from oven and brush with the leftover glaze (optional). Sprinkle with sea salt flakes or just salt and serve warm.
VIDEO
NOTES
- Portion size - depending on the size of the Butternut squash used and the purpose of using it in dishes it is difficult to measure the serving size. The one I used (about 2-3 lbs) was enough for 1 creamy soup with potatoes (of about 6 servings), 4 side dish portions to accompany main meat, 4 individual portions mixed in a salad along with a mix of lettuce, and a few vegetables.
- Storing. Store leftovers in an airtight storage container in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days.
- Reheating. I recommend reheating in the oven at 400 F until warmed through. Or in the microwave but will not taste as good as reheated in the oven!
- Freezing - I don’t recommend freezing this cooked butternut squash as the texture will change after thawing, it will be too soft and grainy - not the best result! If you need to freeze, then freeze the raw whole squash halves and thaw in the fridge overnight or at room temperature until softened.
- Do I have to peel butternut squash before roasting? It depends. If you are making whole roasted butternut squash then no need to peel here. It is easier to scoop out the tender flesh when the skin is on. If you will be cutting the squash into chunks before roasting then it is best to remove the skin. I find it hard to peel the skin as many advised, even after microwaving the squash for a couple of minutes. What I do is, I usually cut the squash with a large sharp knife into thick circles and then carefully slice off the skins on those. That’s it!
ADD YOUR OWN PRIVATE NOTES
NUTRITION
Calories: 142kcal
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