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Fruit or Veggie?
What would you guess a butternut squash is? Probably vegetable at first glance right? Well actually it is a fruit! All those seeds in there that you have to remove before cooking, those are what make it a fruit! Fun fact to start the post 😛
Palate Pleaser
Whether you are in the mood for a sweet or savory side dish, this is the recipe for you. Butternut squash is so good for you, read about the benefits here. And this dish is SO easy to make. It is a win-win!
The only real prep steps this side dish requires is for you to cut and season the squash. And I promise, although the squash may look intimidating, it is not that hard to cut in half. A lot easier than a spaghetti squash if you have ever had to make one of those. This will seem easy-peasy!
Tis the Season
The season you choose will be a big factor in the taste of this side dish. So choose one that works for you! I have two recommendations for what I like, but if you have something at home you prefer than feel free to stray!
For the sweet option, I like using my McCormick’s Pumpkin Pie Spice. I buy a new one of these every autumn and use it on just about everything. And it goes really well with butternut squash because pumpkin spice and squash are both fall/winter time flavors, so they accompany one-another perfectly! I also add some of my Whole Earth Baking Blend. This is a 50/50 blend of raw cane sugar and stevia extract, to provide a lower calorie, natural sugar alternative. It adds more sweetness to the dish to complement the spice of the pumpkin pie flavor, and creates a great finished product when the squash is done!
If you are going the savory route, I highly recommend my Weber’s Roasted Garlic and Herb seasoning. I am obsessed with this season. I use it on grilled chicken, roasted veggies, you name it. And it goes on the butternut squash really well too. It provides great flavor without being too overwhelming.
Either way, you will not be disappointed!
Roasted Butternut Squash
Ingredients:
- 1 butternut squash
- Olive oil
- Sweet option: McCormick’s Pumpkin pie spice, Whole Earth Baking Blend
- Savory option: Weber’s Roasted garlic and herb seasoning
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 420F.
- Peel and chop squash, into about one inch cubes.
- Put cubes in a bowl, mist with olive oil, and sprinkle spice and sugar (or savory spice), stirring until evenly distributed.
- Place on greased cookie sheet.
- Cook for about 45 minutes, or until tender.
Whole30 Note: The savory option of this side dish is Whole30 compliant, the sweet option is NOT (no added sugar is allowed on the program). However if you want a sweet option and are on the program, you can just season with cinnamon instead of the aforementioned spices.
Can’t decide if you would rather have sweet or savory? No problem, you can have both! Just season one half of the squash with the pumpkin pie spice, and the other half with the roasted garlic and herb. You can serve them separately so you can please both your guests that have an insatiable sweet tooth as well as those with a salt craving, or combine the two into a fun sweet/savory mix!
If you liked this side dish, give my sweet potatoes a try. This recipe also includes both a sweet and a savory option. Sweet potatoes are one of, if not my top, favorite veggies to cook as a side dish. And now butternut squash is one of my favorite fruits!
If you are looking for a main course to serve and you enjoyed this squash, you can also give my butternut squash soup a go. It is the perfect meal for a cold winter night when you need something to warm you up.