This Roasted Butternut Squash with Brown Sugar is the perfect fall side dish that captures the essence of the season in each flavorful bite. With its delightful blend of sweet and savory notes, this recipe brings the warmth and comfort of autumn to your dinner table.
Disclaimer: This recipe was originally published in January 2021, but has been re-photographed with an improved recipe as of September 10th, 2023. We hope you enjoy the new look!
Whether you're preparing a cozy family meal or a festive holiday feast, this tasty side dish is a great addition that complements a variety of main courses!
It's particularly perfect for serving as a side dish for festive gatherings. Add it in to accompany your Thanksgiving dinner!
If you're looking for more tasty and sweet side dish recipes, you'll love these sweet honey cornbread muffins, or this old fashioned sweet potato casserole.
You may also enjoy this keto butternut squash soup recipe, this pumpkin pasta sauce, these roasted Brussels sprouts with bacon and balsamic, these caramelized onions and mushrooms, these air fryer pumpkin seeds, or these roasted pumpkin wedges.
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❤️Why we love this recipe
- Easy side dish. This recipe is a breeze to make, requiring minimal effort and basic kitchen skills. It also requires minimal prep work and uses simple and readily available ingredients.
- Perfect for fall. The combination of brown sugar, cinnamon, and optional spices creates a symphony of flavors that evoke the essence of fall. The fork-tender squash paired with the buttery maple topping melts in your mouth, offering a touch of sweetness and a hint of warmth, which makes it the perfect side dish.
- Suitable for multiple diet types & customizable. This recipe is suitable for various diets, it's naturally vegetarian, and gluten-free. It can easily be modified to be low carb or low sugar, dairy-free, or vegan. It's a versatile choice for holiday meals like Thanksgiving.
🧈Ingredients
Here are the ingredients we used for this recipe. You can find more information for substitutions below.
- Fresh butternut squash. Halved with the seeds removed, and cut into half moons. There's no need to peel in this recipe! You can use chunks if you prefer.
- Olive oil
- Brown sugar
- Kosher salt
- Cinnamon
- Fresh thyme. Optional, but we love the earthy, savory flavor it brings to the recipe.
- Ground cloves. Optional.
- Cayenne pepper. Optional, but adds a delicious small kick of heat!
- For the optional maple butter topping. We highly recommend making the maple butter topping for this recipe. It really adds an extra delicious layer of flavor. You'll need unsalted butter, maple syrup, more kosher salt, and cinnamon. If you don't have any maple syrup, just use more brown sugar.
Visit the recipe card for the full quantities and nutritional information.
✨Substitutions
Here are a few suggestions on additional flavors to try, or simple variations to this recipe.
- Spice intensity. Adjust the cayenne and cloves according to your spice preference, or omit them for a milder flavor profile.
- Different spices. You can add your favorite herbs and spices. Try a dash of chili powder, fresh black pepper, or some warming nutmeg or cardamom to experiment with different flavors.
- Other squash varieties. While the recipe highlights butternut squash, you can experiment with different winter squash varieties like acorn squash or delicata for a unique twist.
- Serving Ideas. Use the roasted squash as a topping for salads, like this fall harvest salad, as a side with pork chops or pork tenderloin, or even stir into pasta sauce for added richness.
- Dried thyme. You can also use dried herbs if you prefer, just be sure to reduce the amount by ⅔. Or in other words, dried herbs are more potent so only use a third of the amount you would with fresh.
- No maple syrup. If you don't have any maple syrup on hand for the maple butter topping, just swap maple syrup for more brown sugar.
✨Variations
- Low carb or low sugar. If you're diabetic, on a low carb diet, or just looking to decrease the amount of added sugar in your diet, you can easily swap out the brown sugar for a brown sugar replacement (affiliate link), and the maple syrup with a sugar free maple syrup substitute.
- Dairy free and vegan. All you have to do is swap the regular butter for your favorite dairy-free or plant-based butter.
- Simpler version. Skip the maple butter topping, the fresh herbs, or some of the spices for a simpler version of this recipe. We do recommend trying our version if you can, it's really delicious!
🔪Prep work
- Preheat the oven to 425°F. Prepare a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Peel the whole squash with a vegetable peeler if desired. This step is completely optional. There's actually no need to peel it if you don't want to! If you aren't peeling, just be sure to wash the outside of the squash before cutting in.
- Cut the squash in half lengthwise, scoop out the seeds, then cut the squash halves into half moons. (Image 1) Place the squash pieces in a mixing bowl or on your prepared baking sheet.
✨Pro Tip: Check out the produce section at your local grocery store to find pre-cut butternut squash for a shortcut to save you some prep work! You should be able to find great deals on precut butternut squash in the fall, or year-round in the freezer section. Please note, that using smaller pieces of squash will impact the cooking time (they will cook faster).
📋Instructions
In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, brown sugar, salt, cinnamon, the optional cloves, and cayenne. (Image 2)
Drizzle the mixture over the squash on the prepared baking sheet. (Image 3)
Make sure the squash is in an even, single layer on the baking sheet. Toss to coat, then sprinkle with fresh thyme over top of the squash pieces. (Image 4)
✨Pro Tip: Place the squash in an even, single layer on the baking sheet to maximize the contact with the pan. This will help the squash caramelize nicely. We also recommend using parchment paper to help everything crisp up a little better, as well as prevent it from sticking to the pan. We love the easy clean up.
Roast the squash in a preheated oven for 35–40 minutes, or until soft and fork tender. (Image 5)
✨Pro Tip: Cooking time will vary depending on the size and shape of your butternut squash.
Optional step. A few minutes before the squash is done, prepare the maple butter topping.
Melt unsalted butter in a small saucepan or in a bowl in the microwave. Mix maple syrup into the melted butter and season to taste with salt and cinnamon. Taste and adjust seasonings. (Image 6)
When the squash comes out of the oven, drizzle the top of the squash with the buttery maple topping. Garnish with more fresh thyme, cinnamon, flakey salt, and even brown sugar if you like. Enjoy!
✨Tips & tricks
- Roast the squash evenly. Arrange the squash pieces in a single layer on the baking sheet to maximize contact with the pan. This ensures even roasting and caramelization.
- Use parchment paper. Line your baking sheet with parchment paper or coat it with cooking spray to prevent sticking and make cleanup a breeze.
- Use a sharp knife and a sturdy cutting board. A sharp paring knife and an even, sturdy surface are essential for cutting the squash and removing the seeds with ease, and safely.
- Use fresh thyme. While optional, fresh thyme adds a fragrant herbal note that beautifully complements the squash's flavors.
- Don't skip the maple butter! It's an extra step, but it's so delicious. We highly recommend adding the maple butter for an ultra tasty bite!
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💭Frequently Asked Questions
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 4-5 days. To freeze, place leftovers in an even layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet and place in the freezer for about 2–3 hours or until frozen solid. Transfer frozen squash pieces to a freezer-safe bag and store for up to 3 months.
Gently reheat the squash in the oven, microwave, or air fryer to maintain its texture and flavor.
More Recipes To Consider
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📖 Recipe
Roasted Butternut Squash with Brown Sugar
Equipment
Ingredients
Squash
- 1 medium butternut squash (You can also use about 2 pounds, or about half a kilogram, of butternut squash cubes)
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar (to taste)
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¾ -1 teaspoon kosher salt (to taste)
- ⅛ - ¼ teaspoon ground cloves (optional and to taste)
- ⅛ - ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional and to taste)
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme (Optional and to taste. You can also use about 1 teaspoon of dried thyme)
Maple butter (optional)
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 - 2 tablespoons maple syrup (to taste)
- ¼ - ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon (to taste)
- ⅛ - ¼ teaspoon kosher salt (to taste)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F. Cut the squash in half lengthwise, scoop out the seeds, then cut the squash halves into half moons. Place the squash pieces in a mixing bowl or on a parchment lined baking sheet.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the 4 tablespoons of olive oil, 2 tablespoons of brown sugar, ¾ teaspoon of salt, 1 teaspoon of cinnamon, the optional ⅛ teaspoon of cloves, and ⅛ teaspoon of cayenne. Drizzle the mixture over the squash on the prepared baking sheet.
- Make sure the squash is in an even, single layer on the baking sheet. Toss to coat, then sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of fresh thyme over top of the squash pieces. Roast the squash in a preheated oven for 35–40 minutes, or until soft and fork tender.
- Optional step. A few minutes before the squash is done, prepare the maple butter topping. Melt 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter in a small saucepan or in a bowl in the microwave. Mix in 1-2 tablespoons of maple syrup into the melted butter and season to taste with ¼ teaspoon of cinnamon and ⅛ teaspoon of salt. Taste and adjust seasonings according to your preferences.
- When the squash comes out of the oven, drizzle the top of the squash with the buttery maple topping. Garnish with more fresh thyme, cinnamon, flakey salt, and even brown sugar if you like. Enjoy!
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 4-5 days. To freeze, place leftovers in an even layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet and place in the freezer for about 2–3 hours or until frozen solid. Transfer frozen squash pieces to a freezer-safe bag and store for up to 3 months. Gently reheat the squash in the oven, microwave, or air fryer to maintain its texture and flavor.
Notes
- Roast the squash evenly. Arrange the squash pieces in a single layer on the baking sheet to maximize contact with the pan. This ensures even roasting and caramelization.
- Use parchment paper. Line your baking sheet with parchment paper or coat it with cooking spray to prevent sticking and make cleanup a breeze.
- Use a sharp knife and a sturdy cutting board. A sharp paring knife and an even, sturdy surface are essential for cutting the squash and removing the seeds with ease, and safely.
- Use fresh thyme. While optional, fresh thyme adds a fragrant herbal note that beautifully complements the squash's flavors.
- Don't skip the maple butter! It's an extra step, but it's so delicious. We highly recommend adding the maple butter for an ultra tasty bite!
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