Ready to level up your dinner game? Say hello to this whole roasted butternut squash! Imagine the sweetness of the squash mingling with aromatic herbs, all wrapped up in a crispy, golden exterior. Plus, it's a breeze to make! So, why settle for lame steamed when you can go for extraordinary golden?
Ah, the joys of roasted veggies! From the crispy edges of roasted Brussels sprouts to the smoky goodness of Spanish Escalivada, we've got a soft spot for these easy, hassle-free delights.
We use this recipe as a simple side dish or as the starting point for many recipes, like vegan butternut squash ravioli, roasted butternut squash pasta sauce, and cozy vegan butternut squash risotto.
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🧡 Why you will love it
- Caramelized Goodness
- Effortless Cooking
- Ultimate Versatility
- Seasonal Staple
- Step One for many recipes and good on its own
🧾 Ingredients
- Whole Butternut Squash: It's rich in fiber and vitamins and naturally sweet and nutty. Plus, it roasts beautifully, giving you that tender, melt-in-your-mouth texture.
- Herbs (like thyme, oregano, or rosemary): These aromatic greens elevate the dish, adding layers of complexity and fragrance. They also have antioxidant properties, so their flavor meets function!
- Garlic: This pungent gem infuses the squash with a bold and aromatic depth of flavor. It's also a natural immune booster, so eat up!
- Salt and Pepper: salt enhances natural flavors, while pepper adds a touch of heat.
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil: This liquid gold helps achieve that perfect, crispy exterior. It's also packed with healthy fats and antioxidants.
🔪 Instructions
Preheat the oven. Preheat the oven to 400ºF (200ºC).
Step 1: Remove the top and bottom of the whole butternut squash with a sharp knife and half lengthwise.
Step 2: Scoop out the seeds.
Step 3: Sprinkle salt and pepper and drizzle olive oil. You can use a brush to season it evenly.
Step 4: Lay the squash halves on a lined baking sheet, skin side up—slide in a couple of garlic cloves and your go-to herbs under each half.
Step 5: Drizzle additional olive oil and add more herbs.
Step 6: Roast butternut squash halves in the oven for 45–60 minutes.
Flavor Twist: Want to switch up the flavor profile? Use melted butter instead of olive oil for an extra layer of richness and a slightly nutty undertone. We like the vegan option Earth Balance. 🤤
💡 Expert tips
Wondering how long butternut squash takes to cook? Forty to fifty-five minutes at 400ºF (200ºC) will do it unless you use frozen butternut squash; see the below tips to make it right.
Quick Tip: If you're in a hurry, cube the butternut squash instead of chunking it. This will cut about ten minutes off the cooking time.
🧂 The perfect seasoning options
- My favorite seasoning is dried or fresh thyme.
- Also, Rosemary works beautifully. I think they combine very well with the sweetness of the butternut squash. A great addition to this roast would be Sweet potatoes.
- Fresh sage is also a great option and is often used when making butternut squash risotto.
- Also, for a more intense, delicious flavor, add a head of garlic to the baking tray, cut the head, and rub the butternut squash chunks with it. Alternatively, sprinkle onion or garlic powder on top of it.
- Olive oil will help the butternut squash sugars caramelize.
- We love seasoning it with ground cinnamon or nutmeg and even sprinkling some pumpkin pie spice mix on top for a sweeter take on butternut. In this case, use a neutral oil with a high smoking point, like avocado.
- To give it a nice Middle-Eastern twist, season with Lebanese Seven Spices mix.
🥢 How to serve
Butternut Squash is extremely versatile.
This recipe is great as a starter, snack, side dish, addition to your vegan quinoa poke bowl, or base for other recipes, such as a creamy soup, like this vegan pumpkin soup, where pumpkin and butternut squash can be used interchangeably.
Let's get into some serving suggestions.
Serve the cooked butternut squash on a serving plate with roasted garlic.
Alternatively, serve mashed as you would serve mashed potatoes or mashed sweet potatoes.
Use the pureed roasted squash to make vegan butternut squash lasagna.
If you baked the butternut squash into chunks, you can serve cubed ones as they are or add them to your veggie bowls or a warm couscous salad.
Although these can be eaten on their own, we like to top roasted veggies with cilantro chimichurri sauce or carrot tops chimichurri for a change.
❓ FAQ
Both roasting and steaming have their merits, but they serve different culinary purposes.
Roasting: When you roast butternut squash, you're allowing the natural sugars to caramelize, which brings out a sweeter, more complex flavor. The edges get a little crispy, and the inside becomes fork-tender. Roasting is ideal when you're looking for a richer flavor and texture, like in our roasted butternut squash recipe.
Steaming: On the other hand, steaming is quicker and retains more of the squash's natural moisture. It's a go-to method when you want a softer texture without the caramelized sweetness. Steaming is often preferred for recipes where the squash will be mashed or pureed, like in soups.
So, is one better than the other? Not really—it all depends on what you're aiming for in your dish. Want a deep, rich flavor? Go for roasting. Need something quick and versatile? Steaming is your friend. Either way, you're in for a tasty, nutritious treat! 🌱
📚 More Butternut squash recipes
If it's the holiday season or you just want a Sunday treat, don't miss our butternut squash casserole, which works both as dessert and breakfast.
Read on: how to cook with pumpkin and this delicious Stuffed Acorn Squash
If you try this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don't forget to tag a photo #ourplantbasedworld on Instagram. Cheers!
🎥 Video
📋 Recipe
Whole Roasted Butternut Squash
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 butternut squash
- 1 garlic head
- 1 teaspoon thyme or/and rosemary, preferable fresh
Optional:
- 1 teaspoon coarse sea salt omit if adhering to a WFPB diet
- 1 teaspoon olive oil extra-virgin, omit if adhering to a WFPB diet
Directions
Whole Roasted Butternut Squash Method
- Preheat Oven: Crank up your oven to a sizzling 400℉ (200 ºC). Let's turn up the heat, shall we?
- Slice Squash: Halve that butternut squash and get rid of the seeds. New to this? Our post pics got your back.
- Season Squash: A little salt, a little pepper, and boom! You're on a one-way trip to Flavorville.
- Arrange Herbs: Lay the squash halves on a lined baking sheet, skin side up. Slide in a couple of garlic cloves and your go-to herbs under each half.
- Drizzle Oil: Drizzle that liquid gold, aka olive oil, all over the squash.
- Bake Squash: Into the oven it goes for 45–60 minutes. Got a petite squash? Fork-test it at 40 minutes.
- Serve: Fork-tender? You're golden. Serve it up and enjoy your culinary masterpiece!
Roasted Chunks Method
- Preheat Oven: First things first, pre-heat your oven to 400ºF (200ºC). We're setting the stage for some roasting magic.
- Cut Chunks: Peel that butternut squash and cut it into hearty chunks. Toss 'em with your fave herbs in a bowl for that extra oomph.
- Choose Oil: Here's where you choose your own adventure. Either lightly drizzle some extra-virgin olive oil for a golden touch or go oil-free by placing the chunks on parchment paper. Oh, and don't forget to add a sliced garlic head and a couple of extra cloves to the mix.
- Roast Chunks: Slide that tray into the oven and let it do its thing for 40-50 minutes. You're aiming for fork-tender perfection.
Roasted Frozen Butternut Squash Chunks
- Preheat Oven: Get that oven roaring at 450ºF (230 ºC).
- Season & Roast: Without thawing, toss the chunks in oil, salt, and your fave herbs, then roast in the preheated oven for 15-20 minutes.
- Monitor Cooking: Place the squash on the lower rack and keep an eye on it from the 15-minute mark. Smaller chunks will cook faster, so stay alert!
Video
Notes
Nutrition Facts
Nutritional Disclaimer
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist's advice. See our full Nutritional Disclosure here.
Affiliate Disclaimer
Please note that some of the links here are affiliate links, and I will earn a commission if you purchase through those links. I recommend all of the products listed because they are companies I have found helpful and trustworthy.
As the lead content writer and recipe developer at Our Plant-Based World, he combines his passion for health and sustainability with a Plant-Based Nutrition Certification to create accessible, delicious vegan recipes. His expertise in plant-based cooking supports the blog's mission of fostering a healthier, environmentally conscious lifestyle through simple and seasonal dishes. His commitment to making vegan cooking enjoyable and inclusive for everyone shines in each recipe and article.
Aimee Mars
I can never get enough butternut squash in the fall and I honestly think roasted might be my favorite. This is such an easy recipe that breaks it down nicely.
Gwynn
Butternut squash is one of my favorites and this recipe is a delicious way to prepare it!
Lyn
I love butternut squash and this method of roasting came out perfectly! I love it with the flavor of thyme. Such a great recipe.
Andrea
Loved making this simple and tasty recipe. The added thyme to the roasted squash really brought out the flavor.
Gus
Thyme is king when roasting squash! We also love to add fresh rosemary sprigs!
Mindee Taylor
Squash is my favorite! Great flavor with such simple ingredients!
Sarah Baumeister
I am so ready for fall! This butternut squash put me right in the autumn mood.
Carrie Robinson
Yum! This is the BEST way to make butternut squash if you ask me. 🙂
Caroline
I love roasted squash, and the pairing with garlic and thyme is just perfect.
Claudia Lamascolo
I loved that flavor thyme and garlic that just made this squash perfect in flavors!
Liz
I love butternut squash!! It's so good roasted. I like drizzling a little ketchup on mine!
Denay DeGuzman
There's so much to love about this butternut squash! I added some melted butter to the mix to bump up the savory flavor. So yummy.
Wajeeha Nadeem
This was such an easy and simple recipe, I had to try it right away. It turned out amazing!
Tara
Such a wonderful use for butternut squash! It sounds absolutely incredible paired with the roasted garlic.
Taly
Tuve el placer de probar esas calabazas, por lo que puedo decir que quedan BUENISIMAS!
Recomiendo totalmente esta receta!