Roasted Butternut Squash

This recipe for roasted butternut squash starts off with a few minutes in the microwave so you can peel it easily then finishes in the oven.

I absolutely love roasted butternut squash. Heck, I love butternut squash in just about any way that you serve it to me. There is just something about winter squashes that really appeals to me. 

It has a slightly sweet taste with a richness to it. It kinda reminds me of mild butterscotch, in a way. It is nutty, slightly sweet, richly textured and just makes me think about a cooler time of year.

I think that most of us tend to think of butternut squash as a vegetable but it is actually a fruit. The biggest issue with butternut squash is how difficult it can be to peel. 

It can be a lot of work and most of us don’t want to work that hard after working all day. Thankfully, we have learned a fantastic trick to make peeling a butternut squash easier to do!

How to easily peel butternut squash

Heating up the butternut squash first softens the rind and makes it easier to peel.

First, wash and dry the butternut squash. That is important to do with any squash. Next, poke quite a few holes in it and all around it. I tend to stab it with a fork but you could use a knife. 

Whatever you do, just be careful during this step. Then heat up the whole squash in the microwave on high for 3 minutes. Remove with a clean kitchen towel so you don’t burn your hands.

Allow the squash to cool to the touch. You sure don’t wanna be messing with it while it is hot. Finally, peel the squash. Find a cut edge of the skin and it should peel right up. You may need your vegetable peeler for a tough spot or two.

What to do with roasted butternut squash

You can do quite a lot with roasted butternut squash. We tend to just eat it as a side dish. You can serve it as a side to pork chops or roasted chicken. The recipe below makes a great side for fish tacos, even.

You can also use the butternut squash in salads or turn it into a roasted butternut squash soup. You could mash the squash and create mashed butternut squash instead of mashed potatoes. 

Another tasty option is to use it in a hash. Use your favorite hash recipe but replace the potatoes with the squash.

The bottom line

This Roasted butternut squash recipe with garlic and rosemary is a fantastic winter side dish. 

You can make it savory like we did in this recipe or you can sweeten it up a bit with cinnamon and brown sugar.