This Baked Butternut Squash recipe is one of our favorite easy side dishes. It only has 5 ingredients and tastes amazing! You can slice it or mash it and serve it alongside a roast or a meatloaf, or serve it as a delicious side with minimal prep work!
Oven baked butternut squash is super packed with nutrients and available year-round. It even freezes well in plastic freezer bags for single servings. Just pull them out, add the toppings, and reheat!
How to Bake Butternut Squash
The most important thing about baked butternut squash halves, is how to prep them properly! Lay the whole squash on a towel and slice a small portion off the bottom. This creates a solid stand for slicing in half from top to bottom. Slice the squash lengthwise.
- Preheat oven to 375°F (and line a baking sheet with parchment paper for easy clean up).
- Cut the butternut squash in half and scoop out the seeds and the stringy bits.
- Brush with melted butter and sprinkle of spice (we love using pumpkin pie spice) and bake.
It’s that easy! To enjoy, slice, and serve!
How Long to Bake Butternut Squash
When you are getting ready to bake a butternut squash sliced in half, make sure the oven is preheated and ready to go.
It can take anywhere from 50 to 60 minutes to fully bake a butternut squash, and it is best to bake in the center of the oven to ensure even baking on both sides.
The butternut squash should be tender when pierced with a fork, similar to most squashes, sweet potatoes and baked potatoes.
More Recipes You’ll Love
- How to Cook Acorn Squash – super delicious
- Roasted Butternut Squash – one of my favorites
- Spaghetti Squash Casserole – kid favorite
- Butternut Squash Soup – creamy, dreamy and delicious!
- How to Cook Spaghetti Squash In The Microwave – seriously easy
- Air Fryer Roasted Butternut Squash – savory & sweet!
How to Serve Butternut Squash
You can eat butternut squash as is for a delicious side dish! Serve it sliced and seasoned.
We sometimes scoop baked butternut squash into a bowl and mash it just like our fave Mashed Potatoes. Stir in your favorite seasonings, a bit of cream or sour cream, some butter (of course) and mash it until smooth.
Baked Butternut Squash
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 large butternut squash 3-4 pounds
- ¼ cup butter melted
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice
- salt to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F.
- Cut butternut squash in half lengthwise. Use a spoon to scoop out the seeds and stringy bits.
- Brush the squash with melted butter. Sprinkle with brown sugar and cinnamon (or pie spice).
- Place on a baking sheet (cut-side up) and bake for 50-60 minutes or until tender when pierced with a fork.
- Sprinkle with salt. Slice or mash with butter to serve.
Notes
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Side Dish
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Followed recipe exactly. Squash not done after 75 minutes at 375. Next time will microwave for 4 minutes, prick squash all over with fork and use my convection setting! Used dark brown sugar and it was like breaking the top on creme brulee!
If your squash is on the larger side it can need a little bit of extra cooking time. Sounds like the topping was delicious!
Is the squash peeled before making this recipe? I didn’t think the peel was edible.
You can eat the skin on butternut squash, but often we do not because it tends to be a little bitter and tough. In this recipe the squash is not peeled before baking (although you can!), and I find once the squash is baked the flesh comes right out of the peel!
The recipe ingredients were very good. I peeled and cut my butternut squash in circles, 1/4 inch thick. I melted the butter in a small bowl with the brown sugar and spices. I sprayed the foil covered baking sheet. I brushed both sides of the squash with the butter, spice mixture. I only had 45 minutes until dinner, so I baked the squash at 400 F for 40 minutes and turned them once. they came out perfect and I served them with lemon butter cod. Yummy.
Yum, thanks for sharing, Ms. Diana.
I di the same but I nuke with all ingredients in the scooped out portion. Sprinkle spices on top as well as the center. The center I use brown sugar with butter mixed with spices. Cover & nuke on high in covered dish. Use plastic wrap for cover, 7 minutes or until done. Yummy…
That sounds so delicious, Mary! Thanks for sharing.
Where does the brown sugar come in? It’s in the ingredients but not in directions
Sorry for the confusion we have updated the recipe, the brown sugar should be added with the cinnamon in step four.
The brown sugar is in instruction number 4.
Yup…good one. I use maple syrup instead of brown sugar.
Great substitution Elaine! That sounds delicious.