Whole Roasted Butternut Squash
Have you ever baked a butternut squash whole? I haven’t until recently, and let me tell you – you are in for a treat! Whole Roasted Butternut Squash is totally the way to go.
Only 5 ingredients (butternut squash included, of course), requires minimal prep time (only 10 whole minutes!) and so incredibly delicious.

About Butternut Squash
Sitting on my kitchen counter right now are three whole butternut squash. Along with pumpkins, apples, pears etc.
Guilty as always for my obsession with Fall.
The reason for three whole butternut squash is quite simple – I CANNOT GET ENOUGH OF IT.
And since it is seasonal, I’ll make sure I eat my share of it while they are still around.
Such an underrated fruit, butternut squash (also known in Australia and New Zealand as butternut pumpkin or gamma, thank you Wikipedia), it is a great source of Vitamin A, Vitamin C, and fiber. Its flash has a sweet nutty taste – kinda similar to pumpkin.
Its texture is hard uncooked but once roasted it is nice and soft.

Baking Butternut Squash Whole
There are so many ways to cook butternut squash.
You can cut it into pieces and bake it, puree it, add it to salads, make soups out of it (speaking of soups, this delicious Curry Butternut Squash Soup is a butternut squash lovers’ dream!) etc. The list goes on.
Today, being the first butternut squash recipe on the blog (more will be coming, trust me…), I wanted to share a simple and basic way to cook butternut squash. One that requires minimal ingredients and prep time.
And one where you get to enjoy butternut squash close to its purest form – whole.
How to cut butternut squash
Before we start cooking, let’s talk about how to cut a whole butternut squash.
I don’t know about you, but when I first made Whole Roasted Butternut Squash, this is the most intimidating part for me.
How do I break apart this giant of a fruit?
If you are also asking that question, let’s dive straight in!
First, start by cutting off both ends (top and bottom) of the butternut squash.


Stand butternut squash up on a firm flat surface (bottoms down), then slice it into half lengthwise.

Next, dig out all the seeds using a spoon.

How to roast butternut squash
Now that we have cut up the butternut squash, it’s time to prepare it for roasting.
Place both halves of butternut squash face side up (skin side down) on a baking dish or baking sheet.
Using a brush, brush olive oil onto the non-skin surfaces of both halves of butternut squash, including the hole where the seeds were dug out.

Then sprinkle it generously with:
- sea salt
- black pepper – this is optional if you are not a fan of a slight kick in your foods. I personally like it but it will also taste delicious without this.
- brown sugar

Bake in the oven at 400℉ for 45-60 minutes. Check at the 40-45 minute mark, especially if you are baking a small butternut squash. If not, you will most likely need close to an hour.
When done, butternut squash should be very soft on the inside, and you should be able to scoop it out easily with a spoon.

And there you go – Whole Butternut Squash in all its glory.
Super simple. Super tasty. Super satisfying.
Variation and substitution
There are so many ways to season the butternut squash. I like to have a savory and a sweet component because having both really brings out the flavors of the butternut squash. But other than that, have fun with it! Feel free to add additional flavors to make this recipe your own!
Here are some other options:
- maple syrup instead of brown sugar
- seasonings such as garlic or onion powder
- herbs such as thyme, sage or parsley
- adding some Fall flavors such as cinnamon, allspice and nutmeg

How to serve this butternut squash
This makes a wonderful side dish to many protein dishes such as:
- Lemon Balsamic Chicken
- Creamy Spinach Chicken
- Pork Tenderloin with Gravy
- Restaurant Style Steak
- Sheet Pan Oven Baked Sausage and Peppers
- Marinated Flank Steak with Avocado Corn Topping
- Honey Lemon Garlic Shrimp
- White Wine Tomato Skillet Chicken
- Cheesy Tuna Casserole (by Love in my Oven)
In addition to sides, they are make the best salad toppings. After roasting the whole butter squash, remove the skin and cut it into cubes. Serve cubed butternut squash on top of your favorite salads!
Lastly, this is also a great way to get a butternut squash ready to be mashed up. Remove the skin and use a potato masher or electric mixer to smash butternut squash until smooth. With the seasonings added prior to baking, butternut squash should be flavorful but you can always add more seasonings to mashed butternut squash if you like.

Ready. Set. Feast! 🧡
More delicious Fall Recipes
- Pumpkin Banana Muffin
- Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Scones
- Broccoli Kale Apple and Cranberry Slaw
- Mascarpone Mashed Potatoes
- Brown Sugar Pecan Roasted Sweet Potatoes
- Sweet Potato Casserole with Pecans
- Cheesy Garlic Scalloped Potatoes
- Cheesy Garlic Rolls
DID YOU ENJOY THIS RECIPE? Please comment below and give us a 5-star rating! This will help others find this recipe on Google and Pinterest. We very much appreciate your help! 🤍

Whole Roasted Butternut Squash
Ingredients
- 1 butternut squash
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper optional
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven at 400℉
- Cut butternut squash lengthwise and remove seeds. (See pictures in post for directions on how to cut a whole butternut squash)
- Place butternut squash skin side down, face side up on a baking dish or baking sheet.
- Brush the top of butternut squash with olive oil.
- Sprinkle with salt, black pepper (optional) and brown sugar.
- Bake for 45 – 60 minute. If butternut squash is small, check at the 40 minute mark. Butternut squash is ready when it is soft can be easily pierced with a fork.
- Serve and enjoy!
Yummy ! So with you all the way !
Glad you like it! 🙂
We had this for dinner and loved it! Had not made butternut squash before and this popped up on my feed just as I bought some to try, so perfect timing! We were impatient so we microwaved the squash (after slicing into two and removing the seeds) for a few mins before seasoning and popping into the oven based on your instructions, which helped cut down on overall oven time. Thanks!
Love the microwave trick!!!
Try it with stuffing, meat,or nuts & veggies don’t forget the cheese 🧀 .
Yum!!! Great idea!
Roasted squash is one of the best things in fall. I love to serve it with a piece of fish for a simple and healthy dinner.
Such a delicious meal! Thanks for sharing!
Great clear instructions and turned out perfect! I use this year round but really love it in the fall.
Great to hear!
Turned out so tender and flavorful, I added a pat of butter to mine, because well, butter and veggies! Thanks for the great recipe!
Yum! Butter makes everything better! 😀
Love the addition of a little brown sugar. So good!
Thank you!! Love the sweet and savory flavors together 🙂 Happy to hear you enjoyed it as well!
LOVE this recipe and using this method. Such a delicious side for the fall!
SUCH a Fall staple for us! Glad you love it!
So simple and delish! Thanks for making it so easy 🙂
You are so welcome! Thanks for making it! 🙂
This was such a great, easy recipe!
Thank you!!!
You are so right, butternut squash is so underrated! I just loved this easy recipe for roasting it. The natural sweetness sure shined through.
I cannot agree more! Thank you for giving it a try and letting me know how it went!
I love roasting butternut this way. We add a little ground chile pepper to play off the sweetness!
Delicious add!! YUM!
For some reason I always for get about butternut squash when thinking about side dishes. It’s so delicious and this is an easy way to prepare!
Indeed! So glad you liked it!
My grandson LOVES squash — this recipe is going to get used a lot!!
I’m so glad!!!
Do you peel the skin or leave it on and eat it?
I typically don’t eat the ski – I just scoop it out with a spoon and eat it without the skin.
I added a sprinkle of cinnamon and nutmeg. Came out delicious. Thank you for the basic start of the recipe.
Yum! Love cinnamon and nutmeg!
I made this this morning with the butternut squash we grew in our garden last summer. It turned out excellent thank you for the great recipe!
That’s wonderful! Love that you have butternut squash in your garden!
my 1 yrs old grandson lives butternut squash like the rest of us. Made your roasted butternut squash! delicious! will be my go to from now. saving seeds to plant for next fall
That’s great, Marilyn! So happy to hear that 🙂