Sweet butternut squash gets a little sweeter as it’s roasted and then served with butter and brown sugar, making for an easy, irresistible fall side dish.
This post is sponsored on behalf of #FallFlavors. Our generous sponsors Millican Pecan and Door County Coffee and Tea have provided us with products for recipe creation and a giveaway for our readers. As always, all opinions are my own.
A few years ago, my parents discovered a happy accident in their back yard. Apparently Dad composted some squash pulp and seeds at some point, and their compost created a fertile environment to create a little squash haven. All of a sudden, they had sprawling butternut squash plants growing out of the large compost pile and creeping into the lawn. Those plants ended up yielding roughly 50 butternut squash that year.
It’s a good thing that butternut squash keeps well in a cool basement, because it’s hard to imagine eating that much squash, no matter how much you like the vegetable.
Needless to say that Mom and Dad now grow butternut squash (on purpose) every year. The plants still yield a ton, so every fall, I look forward to being gifted a few of the vegetables to stash in my own basement to accompany the right fall dinner.
This recipe is one that Mom made for us all of the time growing up – usually with squash from my grandmother’s garden. It’s crazy easy, and is actually kind of embarrassing to call it a recipe. Basically, slice, roast, and then add buttery brown sugar deliciousness. The large butternut squash half is always more than enough for a full side for even the biggest appetites. As kids, the more brown sugar, the better. As an adult? Well, not much had changed except my metabolism, so what you see below is enough to enjoy the flavor but not so much that you’ll need an hour at the gym to burn it off.
Recipe Notes:
- As you make this, you’ll be happy just to eyeball the butter and brown sugar. You really can’t go wrong. Besides, a little extra sugar never hurt, am I right? 😉
- Serving Suggestion: This is a favorite side dish for roasted chicken throughout fall.
Mom’s Roasted Brown Sugar Butternut Squash
Sweet butternut squash gets a little sweeter as it’s roasted and then served with butter and brown sugar, making for an easy, irresistible fall side dish.
Ingredients
- 1 medium butternut squash
- 2 Tbs. butter more if desired, see notes
- 2-4 Tbs. light brown sugar
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 375F.
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Rinse butternut squash. Slice off top end. Then slice the squash lengthwise down the middle. Scoop out seeds and pulp.
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Set squash on a rimmed baking sheet, cut side down. Add water to baking sheet, just enough to coat the bottom. This will prevent the baking pan from burning and the squash from sticking.
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Bake in preheated oven for about 45 minutes or until tender (you can check by sticking a knife through the neck of the squash). Check about halfway through, and if all water has evaporated, add more.
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When squash is tender, remove from oven and carefully flip over. You may need to loosen the bottoms a bit with a metal spoon. Inside the compartment where the seeds were, add 1 Tbs. butter and 1-2 Tbs. brown sugar. Return to oven until butter is melted, about 5 minutes.
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Transfer each half to its own plate or shallow bowl. Serve hot.
Recipe Notes
- For really large butternut squash (like mine were, in the picture), you may want to add a little extra butter and/or brown sugar.
- Nutrition calculated based on a 3 lb. squash (mine in the photo was larger) and 2 Tbs. of light brown sugar.
Today is day 3 of Fall Flavors Week, where we are celebrating all things associated with fall like squash, apples, pecans, sweaters, football. Thanks to Ellen from Family Around the Table and Christie from A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures for gathering this group 24 bloggers sharing over 100 recipes this week! We hope you enjoy today’s recipes – so get your pinning, tweeting, and sharing fingers ready, here we go:
Beverage
DIY Pumpkin Spice Vanilla Latte by Our Good Life
Pecan Spice Latte by Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks
Pumpkin Spice Caramel Mocha by Family Around the Table
Breakfast
Cranberry Apple Quick Bread with Coffee Glaze by Jolene’s Recipe Journal
Pumpkin Spice Glazed Scones by Blogghetti
Savory
Cinnamon Coffee Rubbed Pork Chops by Simple and Savory
Mom’s Roasted Brown Sugar & Butter Butternut Squash by Books n’ Cooks
Sheet Pan Pecan Maple Pork Tenderloin by Cheese Curd In Paradise
Sweet Potato Cornbread by Palatable Pastime
The Best Slow Cooker Coffee Rub Brisket by Everyday Eileen
Turkey Pecan Cranberry Sliders by Tip Garden
Dessert
Apple Crisp Hand Pies by The Freshman Cook
Brownies with Coffee Buttercream by Sweet Beginnings
Caramel Apple Tiramisu by The Redhead Baker
Maple Butter Pecan Rice Krispie Treats by A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures
Pumpkin Spice Latte Chia Pudding by Love and Confections
Make sure you like Fall Flavors on Facebook and follow the Fall Flavors on Pinterest, too!
Prize 1 – Door County Coffee and Tea Company
Founded in 1993 in Door County, WI, Door County Coffee and Tea Company is a small family owned business. Roasting a variety of flavors for 26 years, one winner will receive three full pot bags of all of their fall flavors. 21 bags in all! Their mission through the years has been to produce high quality, best-tasting coffee using only Specialty Class 1 Arabica coffee beans. Combine that with superior roasting technology and you get a wonderfully even and perfect roast every time and that means the perfect pot of coffee. A $40 value.
Prize 2 – Millican Pecan Tower of Treats Gift Tins
Originally founded as the West Texas Pecan Nursery in the late 1800’s, Millican Pecan is now in 5th generation ownership. Located in San Saba, TX, the family continues the tradition of pecan farming while also branching the business into the online world. The family also enjoys educating people about pecans. One winner will receive The Tower of Treats Gift Tins. The tower includes 3 decorative gift tins stacked on top of each other. The bottom tin includes our 2 lb. Chocolate Pecan Sampler, the middle tin is our Flavored Pecan Sampler and the top tin is a 8 oz. tin of Milk Chocolate Caramillicans (similar to Turtles). An $80 value.
Disclaimer: Two (2) winners will be selected. The prize packages will be sent directly from the giveaway sponsors. Bloggers are not responsible for prize fulfillment. Winners have 24 hours to respond once notified by email, or they forfeit the prize and an alternate winner will be chosen. The #FallFlavors bloggers are not responsible for the fulfillment or delivery of the prize packages. Bloggers hosting this giveaway and their immediate family members living in the household cannot enter or win the giveaway. Entries will be verified. No purchase necessary. Void where prohibited by law. Must be 18 years of age or older to enter giveaway. This promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed, administered by, or associated with Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter or any other social channel mentioned in the #FallFlavors posts or entry. Thank you to our sponsors Millican Pecan and Door County Coffee and Tea for providing prizes.
I really enjoy a smokey flavor…possibly Maple or even an apple flavor. YUMMY !
I love love roasted winter squashes like this – simple and delicious and always so good!
That sounds amazing! Love the butter and brown sugar!
Love roasting Squash and adding a hint of sweet. It’s like a dessert but not.
I love butternut squash. This would be perfect for any dinner party I happen to be throwing.
Butternut squash with butter and brown sugar is the best! What a lucky accident with the compost–we sometimes get a few that way but never 50!
I could just dive into that pool of yumminess! Roasted veggies are the best, and I love squash with a little bit of sweetness.
Love the flavors of this! Brown butter would be amazing with squash!