It is not surprising that many people are intimidated by butternut squash. This oddly shaped vegetable is in my opinion the best of the winter squashes, but many people seem to avoid it like the plague. This roasted cinnamon butternut squash recipe is a great way for beginners to learn how to break down the squash and make bites that go great as an individual snack, or as part of a larger meal. I actually love doing sheet pan roasted vegetables; One of my most popular recipes is my Roasted Eggplant With Balsamic Glassa!
When buying a butternut squash, check for one that has a clean smooth surface. If you see any bruising or worse, mold, then pick another squash. Breaking it down an cooking it is actually not any more difficult than a melon. For this recipe, since we are making bites, you will start by using a vegetable peeler to peel the outside of the butternut squash.
After you peel the squash, slice off the top and bottom, and then split it in half. Make sure to use a sharp knife because the squash can be hard and if the knife slips…well, there goes a finger.
Now for the insides. Just take a spoon and scoop out the “guts” of the butternut squash. This is in the same family as pumpkin, so it should look familiar if you’ve ever broken down a pumpkin. Also, being in the same family means you can save the seeds for later and make some salty delicious roasted butternut squash seeds.
One of the most popular pairings with this squash is cinnamon. Thus this cinnamon butternut squash may sound odd at first, but it really is a great combination. After scooping out the guts of the squash, cut everything into about 1 inch cubes and then add olive oil, a good amount of cinnamon, and a pinch of salt. That’s really all this recipe is.
Place the cinnamon butternut squash cubes on a foil lined baking tray, and roast at 175 Celsius or 350 Fahrenheit for about a half hour, or until fork tender. I like to use this recipe in my healthy bowls, like my Butternut Squash Buddha Bowl with Lime Crema.
Roasted Cinnamon Butternut Squash
Equipment
- Sheet Pan
- Vegetable Peeler
Ingredients
- 1 Butternut Squash I got a small-medium one. If you get one larger then of course it will serve more people.
- 3 tbsp Olive Oil You don't need to use especially high quality. It's going to roast in the oven for a while anyways, so you can use a cheap bottle.
- 15 grams Cinnamon ground. I brought back a bunch of fantastic cinnamon from Sri Lanka and I grind it at home in a coffee grinder. You can use store bought powder, just make sure it is real cinnamon and not cassia.
- 1 pinch Salt
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 175 Celsius or 350 Fahrenheit.
- Use a vegetable peeler to peel the entire butternut squash. Then cut off the top and bottom and slice it in half.
- Use a spoon to scoop out the guts. Take the knife and cut the squash into around 1 inch cubes. Place in bowl.
- Add the olive oil and the ground cinnamon and salt. Mix everything up, then spread on a foil lined sheet pan. Place in the oven for 35 minutes, or until fork tender. If you want a bit more of a crust then jump the temperature to 200 Celsius just for the last 5 minutes.
