Cinnamon Pecan Roasted Butternut Squash
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This easy roasted butternut squash is baked until caramelized with all the cozy fall spices – brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and rosemary!
Featured Comment
I’ve been making this recipe for the past couple years. It’s absolutely delicious and has become my staple butternut squash recipe!
Why you’ll love Cinnamon Pecan Roasted Butternut Squash
- Makes for a great side dish. With a little bit of maple syrup, brown sugar, cinnamon, and a touch of nutmeg, this will be your new go-to side dish for the entire season. The butternut squash is amazingly caramelized with the crispiest edges, and the pecans provide that perfect crunch in their candied, sweet glory.
- Easiest, no-fuss recipe. Roasting butternut squash will be one of the easiest things you will ever whip up. Simply toss in your seasonings directly on a sheet pan and pop it right in the oven. It comes together on a single pan, which makes for the easiest clean up ever.
- The leftovers are even better. If you have been graced with leftovers, the butternut squash can be repurposed for soups, salads, and grain bowls!
How to make Cinnamon Pecan Roasted Butternut Squash
- Prep the butternut squash. Cut the peeled and seeded squash into uniform 1-inch chunks.
- Toss. Gently toss the butternut squash chunks directly on a baking sheet with olive oil, maple syrup, brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg until evenly coated.
- Roast. Arrange the squash in a single layer, avoiding any overlap, and bake until tender, caramelized, and golden brown, about 25-30 minutes. Stir in the pecans during the last 10 minutes. Pro tip: stir or flip the squash halfway to ensure even browning and uniform cooking.
- Serve. Serve warm, garnished with rosemary, saving leftovers for soups, salads, or grain bowls.
variations and substitutions
- Pumpkin: swap out the butternut squash for a small sugar pumpkin
- Nuts: substitute the pecans with walnuts, almonds, or pine nuts
- Nut-free: use pepitas (pumpkin seeds) or sunflower seeds
- Herbs: replace the rosemary with thyme or sage
Tools For This Recipe
Cinnamon Pecan Roasted Butternut Squash: Frequently Asked Questions
How can I make it easier to cut the butternut squash?
You can pierce the squash in a few places first and microwave for 3 minutes to help soften the squash prior to cutting.
Do I need to peel the squash?
Yes, the squash should be peeled prior to cutting into uniform 1-inch pieces.
Do I have to flip halfway?
Yes! This will ensure even, golden browning on all sides with crispy edges.
How can I store leftovers?
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days, reheating in the oven at 350°F until warmed through.
Cinnamon Pecan Roasted Butternut Squash
This easy roasted butternut squash is baked until caramelized with all the cozy fall spices – brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and rosemary!
Ingredients
- 1 large butternut squash, (about 3 pounds), peeled, seeded and cut in 1-inch chunks
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar, packed
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 cup pecan halves
- 2 sprigs rosemary
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly oil a baking sheet or coat with nonstick spray.
- Place butternut squash in a single layer onto the prepared baking sheet. Add olive oil, maple syrup, brown sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg. Gently toss to combine.
- Place into oven and bake for 25-30 minutes, turning once, until tender.* Add pecans during the last 10 minutes of cooking time.
- Serve immediately, garnished with rosemary, if desired.
Equipment
Notes
- Use a good quality sheet pan. A durable sheet pan is ideal – it will last for years with minimal wear and tear, and will help achieve even cooking and avoid warping at high temperatures.
- Prep ahead of time. Save time by cutting the butternut squash 1-2 days prior and storing in an airtight container in the fridge.
- Soften the butternut squash first. If the squash is too hard to cut through, pierce the squash a few times using a fork and microwave for 3 minutes. Let the squash cool for 10 minutes, or until it is cool enough to handle.
- Make a stable base. Trim off the top and bottom to create a flat stable base for cutting.
- Cut into uniform pieces. Dice the butternut squash into similar-sized 1-inch chunks to ensure even cooking throughout.
- Avoid an overcrowded sheet pan. Spread the butternut squash in a single layer, allowing some space between the pieces. A crowded sheet pan will inevitably trap steam, yielding soggy butternut squash instead.
- Roast at high heat. Roasting at 400°F will caramelize the natural sugars of the butternut squash, boosting the natural sweetness of the squash and yield crispy edges while keeping the inside tender and soft.
Did you make this recipe?
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Great recipe- very easy to make and delicious. Very comforting, suits fall and winter time.
Do you think it’s okay to prep the evening before and keep chopped squash in a container in the fridge, without losing too much freshness? Thanks!
Damn Delicious! I omitted the sugar; it doesn’t need it. The slightly roasted pecans put if over the top. Thanks for the recipe.
Will this be yummy using sweet potatoes instead of butternut squash?
I’ve been making this recipe for the past couple years. It’s absolutely delicious and has become my staple butternut squash recipe!
This was the best butternut squash. Easy to prepare. Only thing I did not add was the nutmeg which I was out off. Will prepare it again soon.
Can the squash be cubed the night before and put together the next day?
I have a bumper crop of butternut squash! Yep, making this tonight! I know it’ll taste delicious! Easy too!
Has anyone every tried adding salt to the dish? I wonder if it would totally throw it off or would it be a nice touch of salty. Thoughts?!
This side dish was a hit with the whole family! I will definitely be making this on Thanksgiving Day!
Yummy, made with Thanksgiving turkey. Delicious, will definitely make again
Serving this tomorrow night but will be rushed for time. Can I make it tonight, refrigerate, and warm it up tomorrow? Wonder if the flavor would change.’
I made this last year for Thanksgiving and I’m doing it again this year! I think is has become a favorite
Want to make this and take it to a friend’s where we will have Thanksgiving. Can I make it in a crock pot perhaps? So it can be served warm?
Unfortunately, without further recipe testing, I cannot answer with certainty. As always, please use your best judgment regarding substitutions and modifications. Sorry, Christy!
I have a bunch of Frozen butternut squash, can vegetables that have been frozen be roasted?
I recommend using fresh.
I was wondering if anyone has any ideas on how to peel the squash un-cooked?? Cause that is a total pain in the rear!!
I know you will find this surprising. you cut off the round bulb and the top. then you can actually use a peeler and it will easily be peeled. to make it a little easier to cut it so you don’t hurt yourself microwave it about one minute and then its easier to slice the ends off and after it is peeled to slice off rounds so you can cube it. It’s really not as hard as it seems. Just heat it in the microwave a minute or so before starting. Then you realize to buy one with a longer neck and a smaller bulb. When I make soup with butternut squash I just bake it for 1 hour and the meat is so easy to use and you don’t even need to struggle with it. be sure when you bake it for an hour for soups to put it on a pan or cookie sheet with foil so you wont have any leakage mess. Enjoy!!!!
This was fabulous. The combination of maple syrup, brown sugar, and pecans with the butternut squash was perfect! We loved it! Another winner. Thank you!
Wow, was this good. We loved your recipe, thank you so much for sharing it. The squash was fabulous prepared this way. I didn’t have any fresh rosemary… so I used ground rosemary, it worked well in this dish. It is a wonderful dish that is quick and easy to make with excellent results. We will enjoy this often. Made for Best of 2016.
I just made this for dinner and it was my type of recipe – super easy, fast to get into the oven and really tasty. I did make a few minor tweaks, adding some chopped figs and chopped walnuts instead of pecans. I also didn’t have rosemary sprigs so I tossed in about a tbsp of dried rosemary with the other spices. The cooking was spot on. This would make a great side dish for Thanksgiving!
I’m thinking this would be a great way to prepare sweet potatoes!
Yes, absolutely!