These baked butternut squash halves bake up so sweet and tender. With just a little butter, salt and pepper they are an effortless way to create a delicious side or flavorful filling.
Baking butternut squash is a really easy way to enjoy the squash alone, as a side dish, or to prepare it for use in other recipes.
The best way to cook butternut squash in the oven is also the most delicious and happens to be extremely easy.
The only ingredients you need are butter, salt and pepper.
The only tools you'll need are a sharp knife, baking sheet, and something to scoop out the seeds with such as a spoon. You can throw down a piece of parchment paper or aluminum foil for easy cleanup if you like.
How to choose a butternut squash
An average sized squash can be anywhere between 1 ½ to 2 pounds in weight.
Look at the skin on the butternut squash.
If there is any green whatsoever, it's not ripe.
The skin should be hard, one solid color, and matte--not glossy anywhere.
You might find a few dings or dents in the skin of the squash and that's totally normal.
Preparation
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Position the rack in the middle section.
Use a very sharp chef's knife with about an 8 inch blade to handle the large fruit.
Butternut squash has a hard rind, and if your knife is dull, it can be difficult to slice through. You can slip and injure yourself if you're not careful.
Cut from the top where the step was down vertically through to the bottom.
Scoop the seeds out with a spoon, as you would when carving a pumpkin.
You can use olive oil, however butternut squash is infinitely more delicious when roasted with butter.
The butter caramelizes and browns deliciously, and it wells up in the cavities of the squash turning toasty and delicious for drizzling over the squash later.
Poke the squash halves all over the tops that face upwards using a fork. This not only helps steam to escape, but it lets some of the butter melt and drip down inside.
For easy cleanup after baking the butternut squash, line the baking sheet with parchment paper or foil.
Spread about 1 tablespoon of softened butter over the tops of the butternut squash halves after they've been pierced with a fork.
Place one additional pad of butter inside each cavity, and salt and pepper liberally.
Coarse ground pepper and kosher salt work really well on baked butternut squash, because they add texture that compliments the little caramelized edges that will form during the baking process.
Bake
Bake the squash halves at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for about one hour, checking at 45 minutes just in case.
Some smaller squashes weighing less than 1 ½ pounds may take less time.
Larger squashes weighing over 2 pounds may take up to 90 minutes.
If you notice the halves getting too browned, just place a piece of foil loosely over the tops and remove during the last 10 minutes.
The butternut squash is done baking when it's fork tender, meaning that it's tender enough to easily stick a fork in without much resistance.
You'll also notice the beautiful browning and sweet caramelization that has happened on the edges and surface of the squash.
Eat
There is no incorrect way to enjoy this beautiful and delicious baked butternut squash halves.
You can eat it right out of the skin, or slice the squash short ways, in ½ inch slices and enjoy it with skin on.
Baking it makes the skin tender enough so that you can just leave it on and eat it.
You could also choose to let the baked squash halves cool, then scoop the squash out with a large spoon for use in soups, sauces, or pasta fillings.
You can even make these types of preparations ahead of time and freeze the pureed squash for use in the perfect recipe later.
Related Recipes
Try these butternut squash recipes, and other similar dishes.
If you tried this recipe for oven baked butternut squash, leave a rating in the recipe card, or drop questions and comments below.
How to Bake Butternut Squash
Ingredients
- 1 butternut squash
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- Cut the butternut squash in half lengthwise from stem to the bottom.
- Scoop the seeds and pulp out of the cavity.
- Lay on a baking sheet and spread 1 tablespoon of softened butter on each half.
- Sprinkle the top of each half liberally with salt and pepper.
- Place a pad (1 tablespoon) of butter in each cavity.
- Roast for about 1 hour until fork tender.
Notes
- Choose a squash that doesn't have any green spots, has matte (not shiny) skin.
- A few dings and dents are normal.
- Butter roasts better on the squash and is recommended over olive oil for this recipe.
- Don't forget to stab the squash halves on their cut side up, with a fork several times before buttering.
- Coarse salt and coarse ground pepper adds good texture and is preferred for roasting/baking the butternut squash.
- Small squashes may only need to cook for 45 minutes, larger ones may need to go as long as an hour and twenty minutes.
- The squash can be tested for doneness by poking a fork in the flesh to see if it's "fork tender".
Kathy Robertson says
Best i’ve ever had thank you
Margaret says
Turned out perfect! So moist and tender!
Mona says
This worked well with another brand of vegan butter, Earth Balance.
Kalman says
I’ve just put it in the oven- simple and delicious. The butter keeps it moist.
You might want to correct the pad of butter to pat of butter, though…
Mary Ellen Christ says
I added brown sugar just over the top
Rebecca Gruis says
I absolutely love butternut squash!!! And like the recipe says, eating it as it is,is the best way!
Jean says
I like to also put brown sugar on mine for the carmalizing.
Mona says
So yummy! This might be my new go to way to cook butternut squash. My original plan was to make soup, but this was so good, I ate in on the spot. I had half of a 2 pound squash leftover from another recipe, so I adjusted amounts accordingly. I am vegetarian & lactose intolerant, so I veganized by using Miyoko’s Cultured European Vegan butter. (Not all brands of vegan butter would have worked as well here. That one is formulated for baking). Otherwise, I followed the recipe.
Chris Haywood says
I baked mine that I grew in oven at 400 for 60 minutes. Then let cool and peeled the halves. Served along side our lasagna birthday dinner for my wife
Teresa Houston says
You make this recipe sound so easy!! Going to try it. I have never ate Butternut Squash but looks good so I'm going check it out. Will try and give review of how your recipe turned out. Thanks
Vicki Duncan says
Appreciated how to bake squash but did not like the salt. Next time I will use brown sugar and cinnamon.
Rosé says
Enjoying a yummy dish thanks
Kathy says
This is a great way to cook this squash. It turns out perfect every time.
Frank says
I used the rub I use on ribs and pork,turned out great. Butter makes a big positive difference in taste and crispness on the surface.
Jenice says
I make butternut squash soup that calls for diced raw squash cooked in stock. I decided because I hate peeling and dicing squash that I would roast it instead and adapt the recipe from there. It turned out great! Now I don’t have to worry about cutting fingers off trying to peel and dice those things!
Erin says
Oh my gosh Jenice, that method of peeling squash terrifies me too!
Paula Gillespie says
This way of preparing butternut squash was so excellent. When it came out of the oven and we dug in, I had an old, old memory of baked squash in my mom's 1950s house, made this way, with brown sugar sprinkled on. Great squash. Great memory of home.
Erin says
That's amazing Paula, it's so delicious with brown sugar on it!
Nanette says
I love this easy baked squash! I’ll never go back to my old way of cooking Butternut.
Erin says
That's great Nanette, I'm glad you like it! I love how versatile butternut squash is 🙂