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Fall is just around the corner and that means squash will be on every single menu you’ll encounter for the next 5 months.

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Not that I’m complaining! Fall has some of the best foods around: pumpkin pie, apple cider, roast poultry. And squash. It’s everywhere and it’s delicious. And by far the most popular (and my personal favorite) is butternut.

Butternut squash is a nice deviation from the classic pumpkin flavor you get everywhere and you can do so much with it! This delicious brown-butter soup, for example, is always one of the first things I make when fall rolls around. You can even add it to a roast veggie sheet pan to spruce up a typical meal with fall flavors.

But whether you love squash or just put up with it for a few seasonal meals, it’s always good to have a few handy squash recipes around. Simple Roasted Butternut Squash with Cardamom and winter spices is your ticket!

Don’t forget to save the seeds and roast them for a healthy fall snack!

What is a Butternut Squash?

Butternut squash is a common winter squash and part of the gourd family. These particular gourds start appearing around late September. You can find them in supermarkets year-round, but farmer’s markets will only have them until December/January.

Butternut squash are typically hourglass shaped with a long neck and round bowl. They have beige skins with a slightly orange tone that betrays the bright orange meat inside.

What does a Butternut Squash Taste like?

Butternut squashes are typically very nutty, sweeter than pumpkin, with a very “fall flavor.” (I know that’s vague but if you’ve ever eaten pumpkin, you’ll understand what I mean.) The flesh is very sweet and buttery, reminiscent almost of butterscotch or sweet potato.

How to Store a Butternut Squash?

Butternut squash have very thick skin so they can be stored whole on the counter all season. (Pro tip: They make fun kitchen decor that you can eat when the season is over, unlike gourds! Nothing wasted.)

A pre-cut fresh butternut squash should be stored covered in plastic wrap or airtight container for one week.

How to Pick a Ripe Butternut Squash?

You want your squash skin to be hard, with no blemishes or soft spots. The skin should be darker and matte. Any shiny, light squashes still need to ripen. (But remember, you can buy them and keep them. Butternut squashes do ripen off the vine!)

How to Cut and Peel a Butternut Squash?

While you can eat the skin of a butternut squash, it isn’t very appealing. Like pumpkins, Butternut squash skin is thick. I always recommend removing the skin.

You can remove it both before cooking and after.

• If you’re roasting a squash whole to use for soup or stuffing or puree, roasting it with the skin on. It’s then very easy to scoop out the flesh and remove the skin from the meat that way! (Just bundle up the skin in the tinfoil and throw it all in the trash on one go when you’re done. Although it never seems to work out that easily for me. I guess I’m a messy peeler.)
• If you’re roasting a butternut squash in cubes like this recipe, it is 100% easier to peel it first. Which is ironic, because peeling a butternut squash isn’t easy at all.

Steps to Peel a Butternut Squash:

1. Trim the top and bottom of the squash. (Remove the stem and bud.)
2. Cut the squash in half, right at the base of the neck. If the neck is very tall, cut it in half again horizontally to make it easier. 
3. To peel the neck, place once side down on the cutting board. Using a sharp knife, make a slight horizontal cut between the skin and the flesh. Place your knife in the cut and slice downward to the bottom. Continue around the circle of the neck.
4. Next, cut the bowl in half horizontally by holding the squash firmly and sliding your knife through until it reaches the hollow center. Cut around the bowl following that line. Pull apart if it doesn’t open readily. Scoop the seeds and strings from the bowl.
5. Repeat the same process you used on the neck.
6. Slice the neck into ½ inch rings. These can then be cut into fourths or sixths to cube.
7. Slice the bowl halves into quarters. Then slice into ½ inch pieces.

How to Store a Cooked Butternut Squash?

Roasted, pureed, even soup all stores the same way. Place it in an airtight container in the fridge. Fresh cooked squash will keep for around 5 days. 

They can freeze for up to 6 months.

How to Reheat Butternut Squash?

Reheating is a tiny bit different for each cooking method.

• Roasted – Wrap in tinfoil and roast in a 350°F oven for 20 minutes OR place uncovered on a baking sheet at 450°F for 5-8 minutes
• Pureed or Soup – Place in a saucepan on the stove on medium-low heat. Stir often.

Recipe: Roasted Butternut Squash with Cardamom

Variations:

Try different spices!

• Cayenne Pepper, Coriander, and Paprika
• Rosemary, Oregano, and Thyme
• Ginger, Sesame oil, and Soy Sauce

Maple Pecan

• ¼ cup Maple Syrup
• 2 tbsp Butter
• ½ tsp Cinnamon
• ¼ tsp Cloves
• 2 tbsp Pecans sprinkled on top

Candied Nuts

• 3 tbsp Brown Sugar (either melted with the butter or sprinkled on top!)
• 2 tbsp Butter (either melted with the sugar or brushed on separately)
• 2 tbsp Pecans sprinkled on top

Italian Roast – acorn and butternut

• 2 tbsp Olive Oil
• 2 tsp fresh Basil OR 1 tsp dried Basil
• 2 tsp fresh Thyme OR 1 tsp dried Thyme
• 2 tsp fresh Oregano OR 1 tsp dried Oregano
• 1 tsp fresh Rosemary OR ½ tsp dried Rosemary
• 1 clove fresh Garlic OR ½ tsp Garlic Powder
• Salt and Pepper, to taste

A quick and easy dish like this is perfect for weekly lunches, weeknight dinners, or even an addition to salads and a typical roast veggie plate. It’s full of fall flavors and healthy nutrients. So buckle up and get ready to take autumn by storm!

Try topping your squash with these easy homemade maple candied pecans!