Baked Butternut Squash With Cinnamon Maple Syrup

Diced butternut squash is seasoned with a cozy and mouthwatering mix of spices, herbs, and a hint of maple syrup to enhance its sweetness.

Ingredients & Substitutions

How to make baked butternut squash

Variations

Serving suggestions

Storage

Questions

More roasted vegetables

More Butternut squash recipes

The difference is in the seasoning, which, in our baked butternut squash recipe, includes a delicious mix of rosemary, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, extra virgin olive oil, and maple syrup. As the spices roast in the oven, they infuse the squash pieces with a comforting and warming aroma. The maple syrup boosts the natural sweetness of the squash, and it helps it caramelize. Baked butternut squash cubes are excellent as a side dish for a special holiday meal from Thanksgiving through Christmas. They are also excellent to add to salads and pasta dishes, such as our butternut squash salad, butternut squash ravioli, or butternut squash pasta.

Butternut squash

Get a whole butternut squash, peel it with a vegetable peeler, and cut it into chunks. Alternatively, you can buy pre-chopped butternut squash at the store. Substitute sweet potato, kabocha squash, pumpkin, acorn squash, and any other winter squash for butternut. Note that the squash skin is edible when cooked, but we prefer baking it without it.

Olive oil

Use extra virgin olive oil or olive oil. Their flavor goes well with the squash, and they are excellent for baking as their polyphenol content makes them stable at high temperatures. Substitute avocado oil for olive oil.

Maple syrup

A tablespoon or two of maple syrup helps boost the natural sweetness of the butternut squash, making it irresistible. Kids and adults alike will love this! You can easily keep the maple syrup out if you don’t want the extra sweetness. The squash will still be delicious.

Rosemary

Rosemary and butternut squash are an excellent flavor match. You can use a sprig of fresh rosemary or a teaspoon of dried rosemary. Substitute sage leaves for rosemary.

Cinnamon

Delicious with both the rosemary and the squash, cinnamon is a must in this recipe.

Optional Spices

To make this baked butternut squash more festive than it already is, we recommend adding a grating of nutmeg, a hint of ground cloves, and a pinch of ground ginger.

Salt & Black Pepper

We recommend sea salt or kosher salt, and freshly ground black pepper. Peel the butternut squash with a vegetable peeler, trim the top and bottom, and cut it in half lengthwise. Now, scoop out the seeds with a spoon. With a sharp chef’s knife, cut the butternut squash halves into logs and then into 1-inch cubes. Add the dice to a large mixing bowl and toss with extra virgin olive oil, maple syrup, cinnamon, clove, grated nutmeg, ginger, rosemary needles picked off the sprig, salt, and black pepper. Arrange on a single layer on a baking tray and bake for about 25 minutes or until the squash is fork-tender and slightly caramelized. Transfer onto a serving plate and serve as a side dish for a weeknight dinner or a special holiday meal. A simple seasoning of rosemary, sage, olive oil, and salt enhances its rich, earthy flavor. Check out our roasted butternut squash recipe.

Mushroom tofu cutlets: a tasty substitute for mushroom chicken. Mushroom Wellington: the best vegetarian holiday main. Lentil vegetable soup with Italian herbs and healthy leafy greens. Easy lentil curry: a bowl of comfort food with hearty flavor. Garlic and oil spaghetti with fried tofu: a quick 15-minute weekday dinner.

As part of a festive holiday meal with other vegetable sides, such as:

Mushroom Wellington

Lentil Curry

Lentil Vegetable Soup

Fried Tofu

Mashed Potatoes

Roasted Brussels Sprouts

Mushroom Gravy

Green Bean Salad

Refrigerator: keep the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for three days. Freezer: let the baked butternut squash cool down completely, then transfer it into a freezer-friendly container and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw & Reheat: defrost in the fridge over several hours, and Reheat in the microwave, air fryer, or preheated oven.

Roasted Brussels sprouts with a finger-licking mustard dressing Crispy baked asparagus for a vibrant and wholesome side dish Garlic roasted eggplant with Italian herbs, a delicious veggie side with pasta and salads Italian roasted zucchini with crunchy rosemary and breadcrumbs topping Tender-crisp roasted cauliflower with four ingredients and ready in 30 minutes! Sweet potato cubes: a perfect addition to sweet potato salad and grain bowls. Easy roasted kabocha squash is a fuss-free recipe with no peeling required! Roasted artichokes and potatoes: a one-tray recipe perfect for Thanksgiving and Christmas

Roasted Eggplant

Roasted Carrots

Roasted Potatoes

Roasted Sweet Potatoes

Butternut squash ravioli with ricotta and parmesan filling. Velvety smooth butternut squash soup with fresh herbs. Pasta with butternut squash: a weekday dinner favorite with a creamy sauce. Risotto made with butternut squash cubes is ultra creamy and tasty.