Easy, Delicious Roasted Butternut Squash Recipe
You’re gonna love this vegan and paleo recipe for roasted butternut squash with smoked paprika and turmeric. Not only is it gluten-free but only takes 10 minutes to get it in the oven.
I originally published this recipe on October 10th, 2014. Today I added brand new photos, a video and more cooking tips today. This post contains affiliate links.
This roasted butternut squash recipe with smoked paprika and turmeric is one I go to over and over again from fall through the winter. It is so simple to toss the ingredients together in just seconds and pop in the oven! The resulting tender, caramelized and smoky roasted squash is one of our favorite easy side dishes.
It is a great meatless side dish to pair with a vegetarian dinner such as Macaroni and Cheese with Broccoli or Mushroom Carbonara or serve it with roasted pork or chicken. We love the way it tastes with these Honey Mustard Chicken Thighs or you can add it to meal prep lunch containers with lemon quinoa and sauteed kale.
Ingredients You’ll Need For This Recipe
- 3 pounds butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 1-inch cubes (8 cups)
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 teaspoons Smoked Paprika
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
How To Make this Roasted Butternut Squash Recipe
How To Cut Butternut Squash for Roasting
- First of all, if you have sensitive skin, you may want to wear vinyl gloves to peel the squash because it has so much Vitamin A in it, it will actually cause the skin on your palms to peel a bit!
- Cut the stem off the butternut squash with a sharp Chef’s knife. Then cut off the bottom. Peel the butternut squash with a sharp vegetable peeler.
- Cut the squash in half lengthwise (from stem-end to base.) You will need a spoon to scoop out the seeds and fibers from the center of the squash.
- Cut the squash lenghtwise into one-inch thick strips and then cut squash cubes.
- You can cut the squash in advance and store it in a gallon ziplock bag in the produce drawer for up to a week.
Expert Tips and FAQs About This Recipe
After the squash is cubed, toss it with olive oil and then add in the spices. Smoked paprika, which is arguably the best ingredient on the planet, adds tons of major smoky flavor without adding calories. Then I also toss in some turmeric, which is a great inflammation fighter. Lastly, just a touch of garlic, because that helps everything taste better. I used garlic powder so it wouldn’t burn.
- Once the squash is coated in the seasoning, spread it out on a large sheet pan. I really love a nice heavy aluminum “half sheet” pan.
- Roast the butternut squash at 375 degrees. A hotter oven will over-brown the squash before it is tender all the way through. That is due to the naturally occurring sugars in the squash.
- Roast the squash for about 35 minutes until the squash is tender. Use a fork to check.
Once it comes out of the oven, add on some parsley for a bit of color if you like.
While the skin of butternut squash is edible, it is not pleasant because it is tough and papery. It is best to peel it before roasting.
Using turmeric and smoked paprika is our favorite way to season roasted squash, but there are many other flavor pairings that are great too! We like to roast the squash with oil, salt, pepper and a little chopped fresh thyme. Then when it comes out of the oven drizzle on aged balsamic vinegar. It is also wonderful when paired with maple syrup and cinnamon. For added crunch add toasted squash seeds on top!
How to Store and Reheat Roasted Squash
This is a common question I get. “I want to serve this recipe for Thanksgiving, how can I make it in advance?” I am so happy to report this recipe is great for Thanksgiving because it can be made ahead and reheats beautifully! This also means it works well for meal prep!
Cut The Squash Ahead:
As I mentioned before the squash itself can be cubed and stored for a week before you roast it. Ideally you’d only do this 3 days ahead to limit the nutrient loss. Either way, having the squash cubed ahead is super nice, so on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, all you have to do is drop the bag of squash into a bowl, drizzle on the oil and seasoning and pop it in the oven.
Reheating in the Oven:
Since the oven will be used for the turkey on Thanksgiving, I don’t recommend roasting the squash on Thanksgiving. But you can roast it the day before. Leave it on the sheet pan to cool and then transfer it to a nice casserole dish with a cover. On Thanksgiving, once the turkey comes out of the oven to rest, set the casserole dish in the oven at 350 degrees F. Let it warm up until it is steaming hot. This will take up to 45 minutes. Note that once it is hot, it will hold it’s heat for almost an hour in the casserole dish, and is great even when warm, so don’t leave it in the oven for too long, as the squash will become mushy. Top it with parsley right before serving.
Reheating in the Microwave:
You can also reheat the squash in the microwave. Just cover it with a paper towel, or with parchment, and then microwave it at 50% power for 5 minutes. Toss it gently with a silcone spatula, and if it is not hot all the way through, microwave it for up to two minutes more at 50% power.
What To Serve With Butternut Squash
Butternut squash has a mild sweet flavor that pairs very well with pork and chicken. Serve this roasted squash as a side dish with one of the following suggestions.
- This Pork Loin Roast with apple chutney would be a festive meal for a Sunday dinner or special occasion.
- You’ll only need one skillet for this Maple Mustard Pork Tenderloin and Apple Dinner.
- My family’s favorite meal is this Crisp Roast Chicken Thigh recipe. Since the oven will already be going, making this squash with it is a simple dinner combo.
So that’s all there is to it. It is yummy, smoky, savory. The best!!!
Thanks so much for reading! If you are new here, you may want to sign up for my email newsletter to get a free weekly menu plan and the latest recipes right to your inbox. If you make this recipe, please come back and leave a star rating and review. I would love to hear what you thought!
Happy Cooking! ~Katie
PrintRoasted Butternut Squash with Smoked Paprika
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 6 cups 1x
Description
Here is a simple way to make Roasted Butternut Squash with the flavorful addition of Smoked Paprika and turmeric. It is a healthy side dish to serve for Thanksgiving, and can be made ahead and reheated.
Ingredients
- 3 pounds butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 1-inch cubes (8 cups)
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 teaspoons Smoked Paprika
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground Turmeric
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
- Toss squash cubes with oil, paprika, salt, turmeric and garlic powder in a large bowl to coat. Spread out on a large rimmed baking sheet. Roast, stirring once or twice, until the squash is tender, and starting to brown in spots, 32 to 37 minutes.
Notes
TO MAKE AHEAD: Leave the roasted squash on the sheet pan to cool and then transfer it to a nice casserole dish with a cover. Refrigerate up to 24 hours. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Place the casserole in the oven and let it warm up until it is steaming hot, about 45 minutes. Keep covered until ready to serve. To reheat in the microwave, cover with parchment or a paper towel. Microwave at 50% power for 5 minutes. Gently stir. If the squash is not hot all the way through, microwave up to 2 minutes more at 50% power.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 100
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 250 mg
- Fat: 4 g
- Saturated Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 17 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 1.5 g
Five More Butternut Squash Recipes
- This recipe is the perfect post-holiday antidote. You’ll want to pin this Clean Eating Curry Butternut Squash Soup for later! Trust me.
- Butternut Squash with Garlic and Herbs is a super popular recipe, and is made entirely on the stove-top which makes it awesome for Thanksgiving dinner.
- Easy Cheesy Stove-top Butternut Squash, is another stove top recipe, and happens to be on the Best Of HealthySeasonalRecipes because it is THAT good!
- If you have yet to try this Butternut Squash Lasagna, you need to add it to your weekend plans. It can be prepped ahead too, so it makes a great meal prep or entertaining recipe.
- I adore this Mac and Cheese with Butternut Squash. It’s one of my favorite recipes to bring to a potluck. Kids and adults devour it!
What is the herb on top- parsley or cilantro maybe? Thx
I’ve made this quite a bit in the last year or so. My family loves it, except my almost 4 year old. She’s picky. I bring it for holiday meals too
I absolutely love hearing that Kim. I make this one a lot too. It is so easy! Hope your 4 year old comes around 😉
Thank-you Katie, it looks absolutely yummy! I love butternut squash SO much 🙂 Never tried it with smoked paprika. I will as soon as possible 🙂
That’s so great to hear Vero. Have a wonderful day. And please let me know if you do try it!
I do not frequent any blogs, but I do plenty of perusing Pintrest…this is how I stumbled upon this recipe, when I was planning for Christmas dinner. I just HAD to find this post again so that I could let you know how amazing this recipe is.
My mother and my in-laws are less adventurous than my husband and I and none of them were big fans of squash. I found this recipe when planning my menu and knew that we couldn’t tell ANYONE that we were making squash because we’d get moans and groans galore. I put it on the table (SO EASY!!!) and everyone dug in, believing that my squash was sweet potato. My brother in law was the first to ask what it was and everyone was STUNNED to know that they loved squash.
I’m so sorry for the lengthy comment but I’m obsessed with your recipe and I needed you to know!! I’m always searching for healthy AND delicious recipes and this post did not disappoint. Thanks so much!!
You are a rock star for coming back and reporting to us! Thank you and I am thrilled to hear you converted so many folks to the squash loving side of life!
Best recipe ever! The flavor is amazing. So quick & easy to make. So I’m making it again for dinner tonight! Thanks for sharing!
Oh my goodness this was unbelievably fantastically delicious! Thank you, thank you!
I am so thrilled to hear it. I love this recipe too!
I love finding new ways to cook squash. Definitely will try this. However, how do you peel and cube the raw squash? It is a chore to cut into wedges and some bigger pieces, which I do in order to boil it. But to cut into small pieces and peel raw seems a huge task to me. When I cook butternut squash, I boil it first at least for a bit to make it softer and easier to peel and cut smaller; then I roast. Would that work for this recipe? I don’t want to make it too soft and lose on texture.
Hi Maya, thanks for your question. I am sure others are wondering the same. To peel the squash leave the entire raw squash whole. Use a good vegetable peeler to peel the entire thing. Careful! It will get slippery! Then cut in half lengthwise, scoop out the seeds and pulp with a spoon. Then cut into cubes. Enjoy!
yummy yum. simple roasted with simple seasoning is one of my favorite treatments of butternut squash (or really, uhh anything). i like your pairing of smoked paprika with bright vibrant turmeric! i’ll be keeping that in mind. thanks for sharing!
p.s. your photos are beautiful!
I found this on Pinterest and just made it. It is SO GOOD.
Tiffiny,
Thank you so much for your informed reply. I am being driven to distraction by people who write “I love this idea! I plan to make it soon”. Who the hell CARES if they are going to make it? I’m looking for real feedback.
Thank you once again.
Lisa
This looks delicious. I don’t know why, pumpkin and turmeric just go so well together!!
Yes I agree! It is a great combo! Thanks so much for coming by Emmanuelle.
OOh- this sweet butternut squash balanced with a little heat from the paprika and the smokiness of the turmeric has me hooked – love this simple and flavor-packed dish!!
Thank you so much Shashi. Glad you like it.
I think I am in love with this dish Katie. Roasted butternut squash with smoked paprika and turmeric sound too good to be true!
Thank you Mike. It is tough to not love easy recipes like these. I have been using smoked paprika and turmeric on everything lately. It is my new secret combo.
I can’t get enough of pumpkin or squash these days…this is a simple yet very flavourful and delicious dish, Katie.
I know what you mean Angie. I was wondering if I had a vitamin A deficiency or something. I can’t get enough either!
Love this recipe, Katie! Roasted butternut squash is one of my ultimate comfort foods in the Fall. I’ll definitely have to try this version out as the smoked paprika sounds like it’s right up my alley. I hope you are doing well! 🙂
I am well David! How are you friend? Thanks for coming by to see this recipe, and thanks for the compliment. Try it! It’s so easy.
Yay, plenty of squash! That’s how you know it’s fall, for sure. 🙂 I love how simple this is– perfect as a side for an otherwise complicated Thanksgiving dinner.
I agree EIleen. I need to head back to the farmers’ market for more squash! Thanksgiving would a great time to make this, though with oven space at a premium it could be tricky. I did reheat the left-overs in the microwave and it was great if you do decide to go that route.