Try this perfect baked butternut squash! Here’s how long to cook the squash (whole or chopped) until it’s perfectly tender and moist.
Want to fire up your oven for squash? try that baked butternut squash! This bright orange vegetable is everyone’s fall favorite. But it’s notoriously unruly: difficult to cut and peel. Best to prepare? Roast it whole: no need to peel it, just pop it in the oven! Baked whole pumpkin is perfect for purees and soups. If you’re looking for chopped squash as a side dish, we’ve got that too! Here’s what you should know about cooking butternut squash.
How to Make Baked Butternut Squash (Whole)
One of the best ways to bake butternut squash: roast it whole! A big advantage of this method: you don’t have to peel or chop it! Prepare a whole baked butternut squash when making a puree, mash, or soup. It’s easier to serve this squash by removing the flesh from the skin.
How long does it take to cook a whole butternut squash? A medium sized squash (3 pounds) cut in half takes 45 minutes to cook at 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Here’s how:
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Halve the pumpkin. Drizzle with olive oil, then season with salt and pepper.
- Place cut-side down on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
- Bake until tender, about 45 minutes for a medium sized squash.
How to cook Butternut Squash (diced).
Would you like to serve baked butternut squash as a side dish? Cut into cubes and roast! This method requires peeling and dicing the squash. However, it shortens the cooking time and makes pumpkin cubes perfect for side dishes and salads.
How long to cook chopped butternut squash? Squash cut into 1/2-inch cubes takes 30 minutes to cook at 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Here’s how:
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Peel the butternut squash and cut into 1/2-inch cubes.
- In a medium bowl, toss the squash with 2 tablespoons olive oil, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, and freshly ground pepper.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, then spread the squash on it in an even layer. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, turning once, until tender and golden brown.
Find a quality butternut squash
A note on the quality of butternut squash: we’ve found that sometimes the butternut squash grown in gardens or even at farmers’ markets isn’t perfectly ripe. We recently cooked a pumpkin that was given to us just to find it its taste was bland and bland: not sweet at all! It can also happen if you have stored a pumpkin for more than 3 months. Store the whole butternut squash in a cool, dark place for 1-2 months.
If this happens to you, don’t blame the method! It’s probably the pumpkin. Often there are no outward signs on the squash itself. Make sure you are buying from a quality supplier and that the squash is as fresh as possible.
Recipes for Using Butternut Squash in the Oven
Once you’ve cooked a pumpkin, there are many ways to use it! Here are our top butternut squash recipes to use this recipe:
Baked Whole Pumpkin
Chopped Boiled Pumpkin
This Baked Butternut Squash Recipe is…
Vegetarian, vegan, plant-based, dairy-free and gluten-free.
The description
Try this perfect baked butternut squash! Here’s how long to cook pumpkin until it’s perfectly tender, sweet, and chewy. For chopped squash, go to Roasted Butternut Squash or check out the alternate method below.
- 1 Butternut squash (medium is 3 pounds, large is approx 4 at 5 Pound Sterling)
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- salt and pepper
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Using a large chef’s knife, carefully cut the squash in half. Use a spoon to scoop out the seeds.
- Brush cut surfaces with olive oil and sprinkle with kosher salt and pepper. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, then place the halves cut-side down on it.
- Bake the squash until tender when a fork is inserted into the thickest part, about 45 minutes for a 3-pound squash and up to 15 minutes longer for a larger squash.
- Alternative hash method: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Peel the butternut squash and cut into small cubes (about 1/2 inch thick). In a medium bowl, toss with 2 tablespoons olive oil, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, and freshly ground pepper. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, then spread the squash on it in an even layer. Roast 30 to 35 minutes, turning once, until tender and golden brown.
- Category: garnish
- Method: Cooked
- Kitchen: American
- Diet: vegan
Keywords: Butternut squash in the oven, how to cook butternut squash, how long to cook butternut squash, cook whole butternut squash
