Whole Roasted Butternut Squash

butternut squash roasted on a foil-lined baking sheet, split in half lengthwise and seeded

5 from 4 votes

Don't worry about peeling or chopping a big, heavy butternut squash! With this easy method, you can roast it whole and then it with all sorts of dishes!

Prep Time5

Cook Time1 30

Total Time1 35

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Servings: people

Calories: 140kcal

Author: Don Baiocchi

Ingredients

1 (2½-3 lb.) butternut squash

Instructions

First, heat the oven to 425°.
Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Lay the squash on the foil. Use a paring knife to stab the squash in the bottom until you don't feel any more resistance. This means the knife has reached the cavity where the seeds are. This will let steam escape as it cooks.
Roast for 60-90 minutes, depending on its thickness, until a knife slides easily into the center. The skin might get very dark but that's okay!
Use a knife to cut the squash in half lengthwise (it should be very soft) and split it open. This will let the heat escape so it cools down quicker. Once it's cool enough to handle, scoop out the seeds and discard.

Notes

What to do with roasted butternut squash

First, use a spoon to scoop the flesh out of the skin. Then you have various options

Stir in your favorite fat like butter, extra virgin olive oil, ghee or bacon fat, plus salt and pepper, and eat it as is. This butternut mash is a great side dish with chicken, pork and beef, or as a base with chili or meatballs.
Blend it with vegetable or chicken stock, plus salt and pepper, and heat it up for an easy soup.
Mix with other mashed root vegetables and tubers you like, such as potatoes, sweet potatoes, carrots, parsnips or acorn squash.

Make ahead and storage

Once the flesh is scooped out of the skin, it can be refrigerated for up to 5 days.

It can also be frozen in an air-tight container for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge.

Nutrition