Tuesday, October 11, 2011

How to Roast Butternut Squash


I picked up a couple of butternut squashes at the little Mennonite Farm down the road last week for 50 cents each.  That's a steal! (They are 1.29/pound at the store)

I had visions of butternut squash soup but then reality hit.  I just didn't have time to make soup with soccer tournaments and baseball games. I had to settle for roasted butternut squash.



It's super easy and versatile.

Wash the squash and slice in half with a large knife.



Scoop out the seeds and squash guts.




You can place them on a cookie sheet or any oven proof dish.



Next, I like to season them with olive oil, pepper, and garlic powder.

Some folks like to use butter and brown sugar.  It's yummy.  I've made it like that before, but at this point in my culinary ventures, I'm trying to limit my sugar intake.



Brush on your seasonings of choice.

Crushed Rosemary would be really good, or sage, oregano, even curry.



Sprinkle with sea salt.



Roast in the oven at 400 degrees (F) for 40-45 minutes or till fork tender. (Time depends on size of squash.)



At this point the squash can become a myriad of delectable dishes.  Soup, puree, mixed with mashed potatoes, or mixed with veggies.


I cubed mine up with leftover veggies for a very satisfying lunch yesterday.

What's your favorite method?
The Lunch Lady

3 comments:

Amanda said...

would you take the skin off to make it into a soup? i tried this the other night and it was horrible... maybe the squash was bad--it didn't look as orange as yours. I need to be able to make this.

The Lunch Lady said...

Hi Amanda!
Yes, remove the skin. You can also just peel it prior to baking. You have to cook it very soft to puree it into soup. You could just cube it raw and cook it in broth on the stove and then puree it. I'm aiming to still make the soup so I'll post it when I get a chance.

healthful pursuit said...

50 cents each? Holy wow, I would have bought SO many. I made a ginger beer squash soup last Fall that I'd completely forgotten about until I saw your post. Will have to make it again!