Roasted butternut squash

In my last recipe, I cooked oven-fried pork chops with a side of roasted butternut squash. One of my favorite things about fall is all these winter squashes that are ready, but they can be a little intimidating if you’ve never cooked them before. I’m here to tell you – if I can do it, you can do it!

Start with a butternut squash. They should have pale skins, and be very firm to the touch. Wash it off, and cut off the base. (Set that aside, we’ll be using it in a minute!)

Slice the top into strips, and carefully cut off the rind. Make sure you get all of the light yellow part off, or your squash will be tough.

Now, for the base! Cut it in half, and scoop out the seeds just like you would for a pumpkin.

Then slice the base into strips, and cut off the rind just like you did for the top. (You can also use a heavy-duty vegetable peeler to cut off the rinds, but that ends up taking me longer than my trusty knife.)

Cut the peeled butternut squash into 1-inch chunks, and throw them in a large bowl. Drizzle with olive oil, and add 1 teaspoon of cinnamon and 1/2 teaspoon of nutmeg.

Spread on a foil-lined baking sheet, and bake at 425 degrees for around 30 minutes, tossing once during cooking. You want the squash to be tender when pierced with a fork.

The squash pieces will shrink a little while roasting, and the outsides turn all golden-brown. So yummy!

Get out there and enjoy these fall vegetables!

Here’s the printable recipe card: