Whole Roasted Butternut Squash With Brown Sugar

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Looking for an easy butternut squash recipe? You’ll love this whole roasted butternut squash with brown sugar. It’s a simple, cozy side dish that brings out the natural sweetness of the squash.

With just three ingredients, butter, brown sugar, and squash, it bakes into a tender, caramelized dish that’s perfect for weeknight dinners or holiday meals.

Whole roasted butternut squash with brown sugar on a baking sheet.

A Quick Look At The Recipe

Recipe Name: Whole Roasted Butternut Squash With Brown Sugar
Cook Time: About 45 to 60 minutes
Servings: 8
Main Ingredients: Butternut squash, butter, brown sugar
Dietary Info: Vegetarian, gluten-free
Difficulty Level: Easy

I love butternut squash, it’s one of those vegetables that always feels like comfort food. Roasting it with simple ingredients like brown sugar and butter makes it taste even better.

As it bakes, it creates a caramelized glaze over the tender squash. Making this easy fall side dish recipe, you’ll want to make over and over again all season.

Ingredient Notes

1 Butternut Squash: Select a good squash that’s a nice tan in color with no soft spots.
3 Tablespoons Butter, melted: I use salted butter to balance the sweetness and enhance the flavor. If you are using unsalted butter, you’ll want to add a little salt to the top of the squash. Butter adds flavor to the squash and helps to make a nice caramelized topping along with the sugar.
6 Tablespoons Brown Sugar: I use light brown sugar, and it gives a lovely sweet taste to the squash and helps the top to caramelize.

How To Make Roasted Brown Sugar Butternut Squash

Preheat your oven to 350°F.

A butternut squash cut in half on a cutting board.

Seeds and pulp were removed from the butternut squash.

Start by washing your butternut squash. Then place it on a cutting board and cut the squash in half lengthwise.

Scoop out the seeds and strings, you can save them for roasting, just like pumpkin seeds if you like.

Set your prepared squash onto a rimmed baking sheet or a roasting pan.

Butternut squash cut in half on a baking sheet with the center filled with melted butter and topped with brown sugar.

Melt your butter in a microwave or a small pot on the stove. Then, using a basting brush or a spoon, baste the top of the squash with butter. Make sure to add lots into the hole where the seeds were removed from.

Then sprinkle the brown sugar over the melted butter.

Place the squash into the oven and bake for 45 to 60 minutes or until the squash is tender. You should be able to easily poke through with a knife.

A butternut squash cut in half and roasted with butter and brown sugar nicely browned in the pan.

To serve, you can leave it whole and slice or scoop portions out, or remove the skin and cut it into cubes.

It’s also very easy to turn it into mashed butternut squash. Simply scoop out the squash into a mixing bowl and use a potato masher or hand mixer to mash the squash until it’s nice and smooth.

It’s quick and easy because it’s already seasoned, but of course, you can add some extra butter and sugar if you like.

Storage And Reheating

Storing Leftovers:

Let the squash cool completely, then place it in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days. For longer storage, freeze it in a freezer-safe container or freezer bag for up to 3 months.

Reheating in the Oven:

Place the squash into an oven-safe dish and cover it with foil. Warm it in your oven at 350°F for 15 minutes or until heated through.

Reheating in the Microwave:

Transfer portions into a microwave-safe dish, and heat for 1-2 minutes, stirring halfway through.

From Frozen:

Thaw overnight in the fridge, then reheat using one of the methods above.

Recipe Notes & Tips

Choose a squash with smooth, tan skin and no soft spots or bruises. It roasts more evenly and holds its shape better once baked.
If the center is still firm after 60 minutes, give it another 10 to 15 minutes in the oven. Thicker squash can take longer to cook through.
Keep an eye on the sugar topping in the last 10 minutes of baking. If it starts to darken too quickly, loosely tent the squash with foil so it doesn’t burn.
This recipe roasts the squash whole (cut in half) rather than cubed. It takes a bit longer than roasting cubes, but the skin helps hold in moisture for a more tender, less dried-out result.

FAQ’s

This recipe bakes at 350°F for 45 to 60 minutes, or until the squash is fork-tender.

This recipe is called “whole roasted” or “halved” squash because it bakes in two halves rather than being peeled and cut into cubes, it isn’t left completely uncut. You just slice the squash in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds, no peeling and hardly any cutting required. That’s what makes this method so much easier than a cubed squash recipe.

You should be able to easily poke a knife or fork through the thickest part of the squash without resistance.

Yes, you can roast the squash a day or two ahead and store it in the fridge, then reheat it using the instructions in the Storage And Reheating section above.

Cinnamon, nutmeg, or a drizzle of maple syrup all pair well with the butter and brown sugar. See the Ingredient Notes above for more.

More Squash Recipes:

More Fall Side Dish Recipes:

Whole Roasted Butternut Squash With Brown Sugar

This roasted brown sugar butternut squash is a cozy, three-ingredient side dish that's buttery, sweet, and caramelized to perfection. An easy recipe for fall dinners and Thanksgiving.

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 45

Total Time 55

Serving Size servings

Ingredients

1 butternut squash
3 tablespoons butter melted
6 tablespoons brown sugar

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Wash the butternut squash, cut it in half lengthwise, and scoop out the seeds.
Place the squash cut side up on a baking sheet or roasting pan.
Baste the top of the squash with the melted butter.
Sprinkle the brown sugar over the top of the squash.
Place into the oven and bake for 45 to 60 minutes or until the squash is tender.

Nutrition

These values are from a nutritional database and automatically calculated, and should only be used as an approximation.

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Kim

Kim Mills is a homeschooling mom of 6 and lives on an urban homestead in Ontario, Canada. Blogging at Homestead Acres she enjoys sharing tips to help you save money, grow and preserve your own food.