Roasted butternut squash is one of my favorite easy fall and winter side dishes! It tastes incredible; sweet and tender, with some savoriness from salt, olive oil, and good old caramelization. Want to learn how to cook butternut squash? Follow along with my easy tutorial and step-by-step photos!

Pumpkin gets a lot of love during fall and winter, but I’m especially partial to butternut squash (I also love acorn squash, but I’ll leave that topic for another time).

There are so many ways to use butternut squash, and it’s a star ingredient in many of my favorite recipes, including creamy butternut squash pasta, butternut squash soup, and my favorite savory tart: a butternut squash galette with goat cheese and sage! Not to mention my baked butternut squash macaroni and cheese, which is crazy good.

However, at the end of the day, one of my favorite things to do is roast butternut squash with olive oil, salt, and pepper. It’s a lovely, simple side dish.

If you don’t want to go through the hassle of peeling, seeding and dicing butternut squash, you can certainly purchase it pre-cut from the grocery store. Those are typically larger pieces, so you’ll need to dice it into 1-inch cubes, Other than that, it’s a fine (though less economical) option.

How to Cut Butternut Squash

Between the rounded shape and thick outer skin, butternut squash can be a little unnerving if you don’t know what you’re doing. There are two tricks that will make this so much easier:

You want to place a flat end on the cutting board so the squash isn’t rolling around.
You need a sharp chef’s knife and, ideally, a sharp vegetable peeler.

Contrary to popular belief, dull tools leads to more injuries than sharp ones. A sharp knife and peeler will get the job done easily, whereas dull tools will skid on the surfaces.

Step 1: Slice off the top and bottom of the butternut squash

Start by creating a flat surface to place against the cutting board. The bottom is a good choice since it’s wider than the stem end. You want to remove the stem end as well, because it’s inedible and difficult to slice through.

You use the same technique (creating a flat surface) for chopped onions. See my tutorial on how to chop an onion to learn more.

Step 2: Slice the squash in half lengthwise

Place the squash so it’s standing upright, then slice through the center from top to bottom, creating two halves.

You can peel the squash before slicing it in half, but I find it better to cut in half and scoop away the seeds first (it’s easier to grip the squash while the skin is on).

Step 3: Scoop out the seeds

Use a large spoon to scoop out and discard the seeds. You can also save them for roasting.

Step 4: Remove the skin

Next, you want to peel and discard the thick skin. I prefer doing this with a vegetable peeler, but it needs to be a sharp one or you’ll be hating life. The other option is to use your knife, which works fine, but is slightly less precise.

Step 5: Cut each half crosswise

Slice the halves in half again, this time crosswise. It will be easier to dice once you’ve separated the flat and rounded sides. The smaller pieces are more manageable, and the different shapes require slightly different cutting methods.

Step 6: Slice the flat halves into strips, then cut into cubes

Now you’ve got a nice, workable surface for dicing. Slice into long strips. Then cut the strips into cubes. Depending on the size and thickness of the squash, you might need to halve the pieces again to get the right size.

Step 7: Slice the rounded halves into strips, then cut into cubes

You follow almost the exact same process with the rounded side, but I find it easier to cut the individual strips into cubes, as you can see in the above right-side photo.

There you have it: diced butternut squash. It’s cheaper and much more fresh than pre-packaged squash. The more you practice this, the faster you’ll get.

If you don’t need to use it all immediately, store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

How to Roast Butternut Squash

Now for the easy part. To cook butternut squash, toss with some olive oil, salt and pepper, then spread in a single layer on a sheet pan lined with parchment sheets or foil.

You can add optional seasonings like ground cinnamon, nutmeg or fresh thyme. Roast until the squash is soft and slightly caramelized on the outside, flipping once for even cooking.

Because of the high moisture content, butternut squash won’t caramelize as much as something like roasted broccoli.

Can butternut squash be frozen?

You can freeze raw butternut squash pieces in the same way you would freeze berries. To prevent sticking, place them on a sheet pan, spaced out so the pieces don’t touch each other, and freeze until firm. Once frozen, you can transfer the squash to a freezer bag.

You can technically freeze roasted butternut squash as well, but it will get mushy. However, you can turn it into a puree after thawing.

Are butternut squash seeds edible?

Yes, all winter squash seeds are edible, including butternut squash, pumpkin, and acorn squash. They’re great as a garnish on soups and salads.

Dry them thoroughly, then toss with olive oil, salt, pepper, and any spices you like. Roast for about 10 to 12 minutes at 325 degrees F, stirring halfway through.

Here’s a more thorough tutorial on roasting seeds.

How to Roast Butternut Squash

How to Cut Butternut Squash

Step 1: Slice off the top and bottom of the butternut squash