These roasted butternut squash cubes are oven baked until tender, caramelized and full of flavor. The best fall side dish that can easily be adapted to a variety of seasonings!
Butternut squash is one of my favorite fall sides! Other ways we enjoy it include this Butternut Squash Soup, this fall salad with butternut squash or winter salad.
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Roasted Butternut Squash Cubes
If you’re looking for the perfect side dish for fall, roasted butternut squash cubes are it! I love roasting squash in the the oven because the natural flavors get perfectly caramelized. I usually just season it with olive oil, salt and pepper although I have included a bunch of ideas below!
I love that this recipe is healthy and simple to make just like my recipe for roasted root vegetables. I always include oven-roasted butternut squash as part of our Thanksgiving side dishes!
Ingredients for Roasted Butternut Squash
- Butternut squash: I like to use an approximately 3 pound squash, but you can use a larger or smaller squash.
- Olive oil: This is needed to coat the butternut squash so it caramelizes in the oven.
- Salt and pepper: This is all I use but you can get creative with the ideas below!
Do I Need to Peel Butternut Squash before Roasting?
The skin on squash is super tough, so you’ll definitely want to peel the whole squash completely before roasting. Before peeling, I like to microwave it for 2-3 minutes so that the skin is a tad more tender. It makes the peeling process easier.
Then I’ll peel the whole squash using a potato peeler.
How to Roast Butternut Squash Cubes
- Preheat the oven. Preheat oven to 400°F.
- Peel and cut. Peel the squash, then slice the ends off. If it’s too hard to cut, pierce with a fork and then microwave for a few minutes. Scoop out the seeds and then slice down the middle. Slice in half again and cut into 1-inch cubes.
- Season and cook in oven. Place squash cubes on a large baking sheet and drizzle with oil. Then sprinkle with S&P and toss until combined. Roast for 20 minutes, then flip. Bake an additional 10-15 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden and caramelized (but not burnt).
To roast in halves: Preheat oven to 375°F. Peel and slice off ends of squash. Then scoop out seeds and slice down the middle. Brush oil on top of the cut sides of the squash, then season with S&P. Place cut-side down on a large baking sheet and cook for about 50 minutes, or until tender.
Butternut Squash Seasonings
Because roasted butternut squash cubes are so flavorful on their own, they don’t need much seasoning. I usually stick with oil, salt and pepper, however there are plenty of savory, sweet and spicy options.
Add any of the following to create super flavorful and delicious roasted butternut squash cubes:
- Olive oil
- Salt and pepper
- Butter
- Brown sugar
- Cinnamon
- Maple syrup
- Paprika
- Cumin
- Rosemary
- Italian seasoning
- Garlic
What to Serve with Butternut Squash
Here are some ideas for what to serve with oven roasted butternut squash cubes! It’s so versatile you will be enjoying this veggie all season long!
- At the holidays: For a Thanksgiving feast I love these along with sweet potato casserole and slow cooker creamed corn.
- Main dishes: Butternut squash pairs well with roasted pork tenderloin, grilled chicken, steak or even salmon.
- Add to salads: Any fall or winter salad would be great with the addition of butternut squash!
- With other sides: Like Instant Pot mashed potatoes and green beans! I could make a full vegetarian meal out of these!
More side dish recipes we love include this recipe for risotto, roasted zucchini and squash and roasted sweet potatoes.
More Roasted Veggies
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Oven Roasted Butternut Squash Cubes
Ingredients
- 1 large butternut squash
- 2-3 Tablespoons virgin olive oil
- 1-2 teaspoons Kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper , more to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
- Peel the butternut squash. Then slice the ends off. If it's too hard to cut, pierce with a fork and then microwave for a few minutes. Scoop out the seeds and then slice down the middle. Slice in half again and cut into 1-inch cubes.
- Place the cubes on a large baking sheet. Drizzle with oil and then sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss until combined. Roast for 20 minutes, then flip. You want the edges to caramelize but not burn, so tossing will help this. Then bake an additional 10-15 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden.
Notes
- Add 1-2 Tablespoons of maple syrup and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon.
- Oil and fresh rosemary and garlic.
- Add 2 teaspoons butter with a sprinkle of brown sugar.
- Oil and Paprika and cumin.
- Oil and Italian seasoning.
Nutrition
Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.
Did you make this recipe? Don’t forget to give it a star rating below!
Categorized as: 5 Ingredients Or Less, American, Side Dishes, Vegan, Vegetables, Vegetarian, Whole 30
Jamielyn Nye is the founder and recipe creator at I Heart Naptime. She is the author of the I Heart Naptime Cookbook and shares easy family-friendly recipes and desserts for every occasion.
I loved it! Really flavorful!
Butternut squash is my FAVORITE fall veggie. I can’t get enough of it! This recipe is so good!
This is the only way I like to eat squash. So good!
This was delicious and roasted perfectly! Thanks so much for sharing!