Butternut squash is a very versatile ingredient; I serve it by itself, in macaroni and cheese, in soup, in risotto, etc. My favorite way to prepare it is by roasting it to bring out the flavor. You can buy canned or frozen butternut squash puree, but it just isn't it as flavorful.
This post covers two ways to prep butternut squash for different uses:
Technique 1 yields roasted, mashed butternut squash that can be incorporated into other dishes.
Technique 2 yields roasted, cubed butternut squash that can be eaten as a side.
Getting Started:
1. Preheat your oven to 400 and line two baking sheets with foil.
2. Cut the butternut squash in half, like this:
3. Scoop out the seeds and stringy material in the middle.
From here, you can choose one of the the following techniques:
Technique 1:
1. Place the squash face up on the baking dish.
2. Drizzle the squash with olive oil and sprinkle with salt.
3. Roast for 45 minutes.
4. Remove the squash from the oven, and let rest for 10 minutes.
5. Use a fork to scoop out the squash.
Technique 2:
1. Use a vegetable peeler to remove the skin of the squash.
2. Cut the squash horizontally into one-inch wide strips.
3. Cut the strips into one-inch wide cubes. Try to make the cubes as uniform as possible so that the squash cooks evenly.
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| Technique 2: Steps 1 to 3 |
4. Place the cubes on a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Toss the squash with a wooden spoon to distribute the oil.
5. Roast for 30 minutes.
6. Enjoy!
