Honey Roasted Butternut Squash is a delicious and easy side dish with diced squash and crunchy pecans roasted to perfection with cinnamon and honey. This wonderful recipe for roasting butternut squash is perfect as a side or add-in for weeknight meals and holiday dishes like Thanksgiving turkey!

 

Easy Honey Roasted Butternut Squash with Pecans

I love, love, love going back to the basics sometimes. It’s a nice and humble reminder that less is often more. And for me, there’s nothing better than a recipe that’s plain and simply delicious without much fanfare – come fall, that recipe is this Honey Roasted Butternut Squash.

Caramelized butternut tossed with crunchy pecans, cinnamon, honey and olive oil; this sweet and savory squash side dish is just loaded with flavor. Going through the ritual of cutting down and roasting a whole butternut squash is worth it, when the rest of the recipe couldn’t be any easier! I promise, this recipe is so simple, you’ll be making this yummy roasted squash over and over again all season.

Is Butternut Squash Good for You?

Butternut squash is a wonderful winter superfood, loaded with fiber, and antioxidants like vitamin E, vitamin C, and beta-carotene. Antioxidants have tons of health benefits like helping to reduce inflammation and damage to cells, so butternut squash is not only a versatile ingredient but definitely a healthy one also!

What You’ll Need

For this roasting recipe, all you need is a baking tray or baking dish, and a sharp knife for cutting the squash. Oh, and an oven for roasting – though that should be a given!

• Butternut Squash: One whole squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into cubes. See below for tips on how best to cut up butternut squash!
• Honey: Maple syrup is also a good alternative.
• Olive Oil: For the highest quality, Extra Virgin is best. My go-to for this recipe is the Extra Virgin Olive Oil from Star Fine Foods!
• Crushed Pecans
• Ground Cinnamon
• Salt

How to Pick a Good Squash

Now to pick a perfect squash! Look for butternut squash that’s beige in color and free from deep cuts, soft spots, heavy scratches or bruising. The next “tell” for a quality squash is to pick it up and compare its weight to a few others – the heavier a squash is for its size, the better!

Once you have picked out your prize specimen, a good butternut squash will keep for two weeks (and often longer!) if kept in a cool and dry location.

The Best Way to Cut Butternut Squash

While it’s not the most glamorous kitchen activity, peeling and cutting a squash doesn’t have to be a battle! Cut the top and bottom ends off the squash, and using a peeler or a sharp knife, slice the peel off carefully lengthwise. You can stand the squash upright on a cut end if it makes things easier.

How to Make Honey Roasted Butternut Squash

I promised the easiest recipe ever; and since I’m a woman of my word, here are the instructions for roasting this beautiful butternut squash with honey and pecans:

Combine all ingredients with the squash in a good sized bowl.

Bake the butternut squash in a single layer on a prepared baking sheet, until tender. Give the cubes a light light stir halfway through cooking to make sure they are evenly roasted.

Serve after removing the squash from the oven, and transferring it to a serving dish. Adjust the seasoning to taste and enjoy!

Tips for Success

• Be Careful When Cutting the Squash: Make sure you’re using a sharp enough knife (very important) and steady work surface when cutting up the butternut. Work slow and safe!
• Soften the Peel Before Peeling the Squash: If you think you’d fare better with the outside of the butternut softened a bit for peeling, poke a few holes in the peel and then microwave the squash for a minute or so.

Serving Suggestions

A perfectly roasted butternut squash is perfect to serve as a side, or as an add-in for so many easy fall meals! Here are some suggestions:

• Include this honey-coated butternut as the vegetable component in a juicy Pork Loin Roast.
• Serve as a side to tasty Baked or Grilled Marinated Chicken or Braised Short Ribs.
• Toss roasted butternut squash cubes into leafy Winter Salads or into a medley of Roasted Vegetables.
• Add roasted butternut squash as a sweet-savory element in pastas and risottos, or in wraps and quesadillas.
• Bake this butternut squash into a hearty Vegetarian Lasagna, or gluten-free Rice Casserole.

How to Store and Reheat Leftovers

You can store both cooked and uncooked leftover butternut squash for easy reheating and cooking! Just follow these directions.

• Cooked: To store, allow the butternut squash cubes to cool completely, then keep a batch airtight in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat cooked squash in the microwave for a few minutes, or in the oven until heated through.
• Uncooked: Store the peeled and cubed squash in an airtight bag or container in the fridge for 3-5 days, then cook as desired.

Can I Freeze This?

You can freeze uncooked butternut squash by pre-freezing peeled and cut squash cubes on a sheet tray, then transfer the frozen cubes to a freezer-safe container or resealable bag. Thaw the cubes whenever inspiration hits!

Cooked butternut squash is actually best to freeze when pureed! Blend the cubes of honey-roasted squash in a food processor until smooth, and then transfer to a freezer-safe container to freeze. Thaw the butternut squash puree in the fridge to use in recipes like Butternut Squash Soup!

More Thanksgiving Side Dish Ideas

• Roasted Butternut Squash Salad
• Creamy Cauliflower and Brussels Sprouts Casserole
• Garlic Butter Roasted Parsnips
• Maple Roasted Carrots
• Traditional Stuffing Recipe
• Mashed Sweet Potatoes