Turning winter squash into a fun and delicious side dish is so easy—and learning how to roast butternut squash means you can turn it into fun shapes, serve it as “fries,” and even add flavors like brown sugar or rosemary. And each is ready in less than 20 minutes!

How to Roast Butternut Squash

I know winter squash can be a little intimidating to cook and can seem labor-intensive to prepare, but I’m here to tell you it’s likely much easier than you realize! With a few minutes of prep work, you can get this simple side dish into the oven and serve up a fun veggie to please the kids.

Roasting butternut squash cubes is so easy since all you need to do is to toss the cut squash with olive oil and bake it on a sheet pan. You really don’t need any special equipment or skills to make it happen!

This is an easy method for making roasted butternut squash to serve as a side dish, to turn into Butternut Squash Puree for a baby or to use in Butternut Squash Muffins, or to add to a smoothie.

Ingredients You Need

To make this simple butternut squash recipe, you just need the squash and olive oil. You can add flavorings and spices if you’d like, but the basic recipe is so good and so easy.

You can use a whole butternut squash or start with a bag of precut purchased squash from the produce section of your store.

Step-by-Step Instructions

To make this easy kids recipe, here’s a look at what you’ll need to do. Scroll down to the recipe at the bottom for the full information.

1. Peel the squash to remove the outer layer. You just want the bright orange flesh to work with, so discard the skin.
2. Cut off the thinner part of the squash and cut into 1/2-inch rounds. Remove the seeds from the middle of the thicker part, discard, and slice into rounds.
3. Cut into cubes, use a zigzag slicer to cut into “fries,” or use cookie cutters to cut into shapes.
4. Add to a bowl and toss with olive oil. Arrange on a foil-lined baking sheet and bake, adding optional spices as desired. Remove from the oven when just soft to the touch.

TIP: It’s easiest to cut shapes out with a cookie cutter if your squash slices are about ½ inch thick. You may want to put a towel over the cookie cutter before pressing down to make it a little more comfortable for your hand. Learn more about cutting squash here.

Make-Ahead Butternut Squash

I often make a batch to pull out for an easy lunch or dinner side throughout the week. Just let the sheet pan of cooked squash cool fully, then store in an airtight container for up to 5 days in the fridge.

Brown Sugar Butternut Squash

To add extra sweetness to this recipe, you can sprinkle the shapes or cubes with a tiny bit of brown sugar. It will caramelize a little and lend a yummy flavor the kids will likely love!

Serving Suggestions

We like this roasted squash as a simple side dish with scrambled eggs, sandwiches, chicken tenders, or tofu nuggets. We also like to make butternut squash pasta by adding some of the roasted cubes to a dish of spaghetti with Extra Veggie Marinara Sauce.

It can also be added to a packed lunch or be a standalone snack or snack component—with or without a dip like ketchup. It’s very versatile!

Best Tips for Success

• If serving to a child under 1, you can skip the salt.
• Choose one spice combo—salt; cinnamon and brown sugar; cumin and salt; OR crushed rosemary and salt—if desired.
• Aim to cut the squash to an even thickness so the pieces bake evenly.
• Spread the squash in one layer on the pan so they cook evenly.
• Grease the foil to ensure the squash doesn’t stick to the pan.
• Use precut store-bought butternut squash if desired.
• Learn more about cutting squash here.
• You might like tips on Acorn Squash and Spaghetti Squash.

I’d love to hear what your family thinks of this recipe, so please comment below to share!

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F and line a baking sheet with foil. Coat with nonstick spray.

• Remove the peel from the squash with a vegetable peeler or with a knife.

• Cut the “neck,” or the skinnier part of the squash into 1/2-inch rounds.

• Cut into cubes, “fries” using a zigzag slicer, or shapes with cookie cutters.

• Place on the greased foil-lined baking sheet in one even layer. Sprinkle with optional spices.

• Bake for 18-22 minutes or until soft when poked a fork.

• If serving to a child under 1, you can skip the salt
• Choose one spice combo—salt; cinnamon and brown sugar; cumin and salt; OR crushed rosemary and salt—if desired.
• Aim to cut the squash to an even thickness so the pieces bake evenly.
• Spread the squash in one layer on the pan so they cook evenly.
• Grease the foil to ensure the squash doesn’t stick to the pan.
• Use precut store-bought butternut squash if desired and simply roast the cubes.

Calories: 115kcal, Carbohydrates: 22g, Protein: 2g, Fat: 4g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 3g, Sodium: 8mg, Potassium: 660mg, Fiber: 4g, Sugar: 4g, Vitamin A: 19931IU, Vitamin C: 39mg, Calcium: 90mg, Iron: 1mg

This post was first published in November 2018.