Roasting Winter Squash
Simply roasted winter squash is, simply put, great. It’s so easy to do, and it lets the flavors of each variety shine on their own. There are two ways I like to roast the squash, and the method I choose depends both on the variety of squash*, and how I plan to eat it (will I be using this as a puree or will roasting be it’s final form?).
The first method I’ll share is definitely the easiest (although, both ways are pretty simple). It works best for squash you plan to either stuff or dress, mash (like potatoes), or puree to then use for sauces, fillings (ravioli!), soups, and baking projects (pie! breads! cookies! gnocchi!). I use this method most with butternut squash, kabocha, and sugar pie pumpkins - but it also works great for smaller squash like acorn, delicata, and honeynut if you want to make a stuffed squash dish or eat them as you would a baked potato. All you need is a very hot oven (425º), a rimmed sheet pan (or any type of large-enough, flat, bakeware like a glass dish), and the squash. Salt, pepper, olive oil, and any aromatics are bonuses, but not necessary.
Roasting Squash, Halved
Best for larger squash destined for use in Sauces, Soups, Fillings, or Mashed & smaller squash to be dressed (like a baked potato) or stuffed
To start, preheat your oven to 425º and cut your squash in half, lengthwise (stem to base). You can remove the stem, or leave it on — whichever is easiest. Then, using a spoon, scoop out the seeds and any “guts” so the seed cavity is empty (see photo above).
Next, place the squash cut-side down on the sheet pan and pop it in the oven. Here’s when you’d add olive oil (rub on the fleshy, cut, side), salt (on the flesh), and any aromatics (I like to put herbs and garlic cloves into the seed cavity) if you’re choosing to use them.
Putting it cut-side down creates a sort-of steam chamber for the flesh, helping it cook faster and retain moisture (no dried out squash here!). If you’ve added oil to the flesh before cooking, it will brown nicely where it’s in contact with the sheet pan.
When it’s finished cooking, you’ll be able to easily pierce a fork or knife through the skin and into the soft flesh. The skin will also looked puffed up a bit and have a nice sheen to it; this takes about 30-40 minutes, more or less depending on the size of your squash. Begin checking around 20 minutes, rotating the pan (if you feel like it).
Once it’s passed the fork test (or is cooked to your liking), you can take the squash out of the oven and let it cool until it’s easy to handle. Then, scoop the flesh out of the skin and do what you will with it!
I will typically use it right away for a sauce or soup or, more often, mash it into freezable containers to freeze and use throughout the season.
Alternatively, if it’s a smaller squash like a honeynut, I’ll cook it like this and then drizzle with browned butter, nuts, and herbs (or something like that).
If stuffed squash is on the menu, you could remove the squash once it’s “just” cooked, or even a little before, and fill the cavity with your favorite mix of grains, cheese, veg, what-have-you, and pop it back in the oven to finish cooking.
Roasted Winter Squash, Again
This second method is pretty similar, but instead of roasting the halved squash, you’ll chop it into pieces or cubes (and possibly peel, depending on the squash: looking at you, butternut!), toss in olive oil, salt and pepper, and then roast! You can even toss the raw squash in a light sauce before cooking (as in this Gochujang Roasted Butternut recipe from Bon Appetit), or add different spices and herbs. If you’re using a squash with an unpalatably thick skin, like a butternut, you’ll want to peel it before cutting it. Otherwise, for squash like delicata, acorn, kabocha, and honeynut skip straight to chopping!
Preheat oven to 425º
Cut into 1/4”-1” thick pieces/cubes (so long as they’re all the same thickness) depending on the type of squash and how you want to eat it.
For example:
Butternut can be peeled, then sliced or cubed
after peeling, cut the “neck” off, then cube or slice — cut the bulbous end in half, scoop out the seeds, then chop in the same manner as the neck.
Acorn and kabocha can be sliced (unpeeled) into 1/2”-1” wedges lengthwise (anything thinner and it just gets a little too crispy)
Cut in half lengthwise first to remove seeds, then cut into wedges
Delicata is great sliced a little thicker, almost 1” thick rounds or half rounds
it’s easiest to cut lenghtwise, scoop out the seeds, then cut each half, crosswise, into 1” crescent moons
Toss in olive oil, salt, and pepper and place on a rimmed baking sheet in a 425º oven.
if you’re tossing the squash in a sauce before roasting, you might want to line the sheet pan with parchment paper
Roast for 25-40 minutes depending on the thickness and desired browning. (Begin checking at 20 mins, rotating the sheet during cooking and tossing squash if needed)
Once cooked, serve as is, use to top a hearty winter greens or grain salad, toss with pasta, put in a sandwich, use as a pizza topping, toss in a delicious sauce…you name it!
*If spaghetti squash is your target, I have found this method of roasting spaghetti squash works best for getting nice spaghetti-like strands (How To “Spaghetti” Squash).