This time of year butternut are coming from local farms and hitting the stores and winter farmer’s markets. They’re big and meaty and gorgeous! We grow a lot of them for our soups, but we also love them simply roasted or pureed with different seasonings. This is the perfect time to practice a recipe or two before the holiday feasting is here. Here’s the simplest way to roast a butternut:
WHAT YOU’LL NEED
- (1) large butternut (select one that feels weighty and I select ones with the longer necks. Less seeds when the neck is longer)
- A good knife
- A heavy spoon for scooping seeds
- Sheet pan
- Parchment paper
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil – about 1/4 cup
- Salt – about 1 tablespoon
- Pepper – about 1 tsp
INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat oven to 400
- Place parchment on sheet pan
- Wash the butternut. Then towel dry. You have to get a good grip on this vegetable before slicing into it!
- On a cutting board, cut the butternut in half and scoop out seeds and strands (I often cut the squash in half the short way rather than the long way and then cut those pieces in half. Whether you’re planning on cubing the flesh or scooping it out after it’s roasted, this makes it easier to get out. It’s also a safer way to cut into a big vegetable like this)
- Place each half or quarter of squash onto parchment lined pan
- Drizzle with olive oil – with your hands or brush, spread completely cover the flesh
- Sprinkle with salt and pepper
Place squash flesh-side up on the sheet pan and into the oven. Roast for about 30 to 40 minutes depending on size of butternut and desired doneness. If cubing the squash, cook less time. Pureeing the squash, cook until very fork tender. Once cooked, let cool for 10 – 15 minutes. Once cooled, cut or scoop out flesh and enjoy with your favorite seasonings. There are a few ideas below for adding flavor to butternut.
ADDING EXTRA FLAVORS
You can take the squash up a notch or two by adding different flavors. Brown sugar, crumbled sage or chopped thyme or rosemary, butter (of course!), hot honey drizzle, maple syrup, whip cooked squash into mashed potatoes, add cooked squash puree to waffle or pancake batter, puree with curry and coconut milk, add toasted pepitas or pumpkin seeds or cashews. It’s kind of endless what you can do!
Please share your methods of roasting and any recipes you’ve enjoyed! Thank you!