Ditch the struggle. Learn how to whole-roast butternut squash the EASY WAY with zero prep work. No pre-peeling, chopping or deseeding (yes really!). Use for creamy butternut squash soup, side dishes and more!
It was winter 2016. Jamie Oliver was making a butternut squash recipe on TV. He took the entire squash, the whole thing, and threw it into the oven (skin on and everything!). He placed it directly onto the oven rack, shut the door and walked away.
Wasn’t he going to cut the butternut squash first?
Everyone knows cutting butternut squash is a struggle. Let me remind you. First, there’s the slippery business of peeling that darn thing. Then, as you cut it, your knife gets stuck halfway through. And what about the seeds? Those little slimy things deeply entangled in long, stringy orange bits?
Whole-Roasted Butternut Squash
Apparently, Jamie’s not into the struggle. You shouldn’t be either. His method of roasting butternut squash whole, and I mean truly roasting it whole (no pre-peeling, chopping or deseeding) is nothing new; we’re just not accustomed to it. But if you think about it, it’s like baking a potato. The whole thing goes into the oven. No olive oil, herbs or spices. Completely naked.
The Benefit?
Less work for you, more concentrated flavor and 100% convenience. You still have to peel the skin when the squash is cooked but it’s SO MUCH EASIER. It slips right off. Cutting the squash is no longer akin to sawing an ice block… and those pesky seeds? Still slimy, but they’ll release in one swift scoop. If you can’t use the butternut squash right away, it can be chilled or frozen. I portion the butternut squash into individual containers.
What Can It Be Used For?
Since the texture of whole-roasted butternut squash is soft, use it in recipes where it makes sense: creamy butternut squash soup, homemade ravioli filling, muffins, pasta sauces and whatever else your heart desires. Sometimes I just mash it up with a little creme fraiche and Parmesan cheese, and serve as a side dish with red-wine braised chicken for dinner. So good. It takes less than 5 minutes to do and requires zero thought.
How to Whole-Roast Butternut Squash
Place scrubbed and clean butternut squash onto a parchment-lined sheet pan. Bake at 400 F for approximately 1 hour or more, depending on size. The skin should start to collapse when it’s ready; a sharp knife will easily slip out when pierced. Cool for 20 minutes or so, and then peel off the skin. Scoop out the seeds. Done.
But Wait… Can You Whole-Roast Other Types of Squash?
Absolutely! So far, I’ve tested the whole-roast method with acorn squash, carnival squash, home-grown cheese pumpkin and sugar pumpkin (for pumpkin pie). All successful. When experimenting yourself, just play around with the bake time as needed, depending on the squash variety and size.
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The EASIEST Whole-Roasted Butternut Squash {no pre-peeling, chopping, or deseeding!}
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 1 quart mashed squash 1x
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Oven-Baked
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegan
Description
Ditch the struggle. Learn how to roast butternut squash the EASY WAY without any prep work. No pre-peeling, chopping or deseeding (yes really!). Just whole-roast it in the oven until soft and tender. Use for creamy butternut squash soup, ravioli filling and incredible muffins!
Ingredients
- 1 butternut squash (medium-sized)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 F. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper or foil. Clean and scrub the butternut squash. Dry thoroughly and set aside.
- Place the butternut squash onto the sheet pan- no need for oil, herbs or seasoning. Do not cut it. The whole thing goes in whole, as is.
- Bake for 1 hour until soft. The squash is ready when a knife easily slips out when pierced and the skin starts to collapse. Allow for more time as needed, depending on the size of your squash.
- Remove from the oven. Cool for 20 minutes or so. Peel off the skin, cut it in half, and scoop out the seeds.
- Mash the cooked butternut squash with a fork. Portion into individual containers. Chill for up to 3 days; freeze up to 3 months.
Comments
Marsha says
I saw Jamie Oliver do this also but have never tried it and it came out perfect! Now I can finally enjoy butternut squash without dreading the difficult process of cooking it. Thank you!!
DTB says
You just made my day. I’ve been looking for this way of cooking my delicate squash all morning. They are in my oven now. I will Pearce them a couple of times in a few minutes. Life with squash that I love will forever be changed. Thank you
DTB
Elliot says
Is it a good idea to pierce the surface of the squash a few times with a knife, like you would with a sweet potato before baking it in the oven? The reason I ask is because, as the steam heats up inside the squash, I wouldn’t want it to explode. Have you ever had this problem with whole-roasting butternut or acorn squash?
Debra S. Paulson says
I grow butternut squash and because it is open pollinated, I can save and replant seeds every year. That means, I need to cut it open to save my seeds. I use a butcher cleaver and it’s not that bad to cut. My daughter gave me a pumpkin that was so much harder to cut. I love butternut squash soup that I cook in my pressure cooker and it is great in sourdough and I have even used it to make gnocchi.
Jane says
This is the easiest and most delish way to make btternut sqash soup. I adore the soup, but cutting the squash is so hard and makes me have an allergic reaction to the raw squash. This method is not only quick and yummy, it is itchy free!
Dawn Melillo says
Oh my. I wish I would have know this 40 years ago. Emile, thanks so much for sharing!!!!!
Can’t wait to try with my other winter squashes. Emile, I love your cookbooks and recipes!!!!
Anonymous says
Kyra says
Have you tried eating the seeds when you roast squash this way? I imagine the shells would soften after cooking. I’m sure people ate everything back in the day but I only see recipes online for the seeds roasted separately.
ME says
How do you season? Once prepped? What seasonings/ingredients taste good with the butternut?
Emilie Raffa says
You can do anything with this! It’s a blank canvas. If you want to serve it as a side, combine with butter, salt, pepper, nutmeg and a little brown sugar. Or, keep a portion completely plain and use to make butternut squash soup or muffins.
Lynn says
Yea! We planted pumpkin, acorn squash and butternut squash in our garden. We thought we only had 8 acorn squash and ended up with 32! Our pumpkin went crazy and we had 22 sugar baby pumpkins. It was unusually warm here in the pacific north west this summer now so we had a great garden. Now know how to save them. Thanks!
Giselle says
I’m intrigued! Have you ever tried this method with acorn (which is such a pain to peel!) or kabocha squash? We eat squashes of all kinds and this roasting method is a welcome game changer.
Emilie Raffa says
Hi Giselle! I’m literally updating this post right now… The answer is yes! It totally works with acorn squash. I made 4 of them yesterday (roasted at 400 F for 45 minutes to 1 hour). The thick skin wasn’t an issue at all. Then, I roasted a home-grown cheese pumpkin from our garden (the thing was HUGE) and it worked perfectly. I portioned everything into containers and put them in the freezer. As for kabocha, I haven’t tried it. But I can’t imagine it wouldn’t work? If you experiment, let me know. Enjoy! This method truly is a game changer.
Sharon Gardiner says
I use the same technique for pumpkin. Once you have had pumpkin pie with fresh (vs canned) pumpkin you will never do it any other way.
And of course same technique works for any kind of squash.
Emilie Raffa says
Hi Sharon! Yes! I went crazy today and roasted several acorn squash and a giant homegrown pumpkin. I’m watching it cool as we speak. Can’t wait to make fresh pumpkin pie.
Kimberly says
Mind. Blown.
So simple and such an obvious way to deal with the delight that is prepping butternut squash!
Stacie K says
Brilliant! I always worried that the squash would slip and I’d end up cutting my hand. This method makes total sense, and I’ll be using it a lot.
Jolene says
Hello! Do you have recipe for squash muffins? Thank you
Sandy says
This sounds fantastic! Do you need to pierce the skin, much as you would with a baked potato? I have several squash just harvested….not butternut, but I’d think that the same method would work for them.
Emilie Raffa says
Hi Sandy! Sure! It can work both ways for butternut squash. Piercing helps to release some of juice and steam. I didn’t do it in the video, but I’ve done it in the past… your choice!
Joey Sundvall says
Great idea! Can you do this with Acorn and Buttercup squash too, or are they too thick skinned?
Emilie Raffa says
Hi Joey! I haven’t tried it yet (I literally have 4 acorn squash sitting on my kitchen table right now), but it should work despite the thickness. I would perhaps roast it for longer, if necessary, to get it nice and soft.
Emilie Raffa says
Hi there! Reporting back. The whole-roast method works perfectly with acorn squash. I just did it: 400 F for about 1 hour and it was super soft, the skin peeled right off. I did go in and prick the skin at the halfway mark to release some steam.