Making Roasted Butternut Squash is super easy and quick, especially if you bake it whole in the oven. It’s a great healthy and versatile side dish any time of the year!
To begin, make sure to wash the outside of your squash.
Next, use a sharp knife to carefully poke about 5-6 holes in the squash. This is to make sure it doesn’t explode in the oven.
Place it on a baking sheet or pan. I line mine with parchment paper to keep from having to wash the pan. All of the juices fall on it and not my pan which means I only have to wipe it out when done.
Bake at 400°F for approximately 60-80 minutes or until it is tender when pierced with a knife. The cooking time will vary depending on the size of your squash. Larger ones take longer to get tender.
Once it is fully cooked, remove it from the oven and allow it to cool.
You will notice how easily it can now be sliced, and only a spoon is needed to remove the seeds. There will be strings surrounding the seeds, and they will need to be scooped out as well.
Eat the cooked squash as is or sprinkle with a little cinnamon and salt and drizzle some maple syrup over the top. Or, make a little bit of Wild Rice Stuffing, and fill it full to make a beautiful and filling dish during the holiday or any time of year.
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Notes
Most recipes for cooking butternut squash and other squash varieties tell you to cut them first and deseed them. The problem with this method is that they are so tough to cut. Their outer skin is thick and difficult to slice.To me, it is much easier to just bake it whole in the oven and slice and deseed it once it’s nice and tender. Keeping it whole while it cooks also helps hold in the moister which I like.