Are you looking for a healthy, delicious vegetable dish to go with your meal? This Simple Roasted Buttercup Squash Recipe is a perfect recipe any time of year! The vegetables are sweetened with maple syrup for a simple side dish packed full of flavor. This tasty side dish will go well with any meal and will be a hit! This recipe is ready in under an hour, including prep, and is easy enough to do on a weeknight!
To see the step-by-step process for how to make roasted buttercup squash, check out my web story.
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This roasted buttercup squash recipe is a tried and true favorite. It's an easy and delicious way to cook buttercup squash, and not only is it healthy, but it also tastes great!
Roasted buttercup squash is a great option if you want the perfect side dish that goes with any meal. It always appears at our holiday table on Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner alongside Double Smoked Ham, Smoked Turkey, or Roast Turkey.
This is my favorite way to make buttercup squash, especially in the Fall when we first harvest our homegrown squash. I like to make extra so that I can have it for lunch the next day.
Check out my Savory Buttercup Squash Soup Recipe with Carrots (Low-Carb and Healthy) for another fantastic buttercup squash recipe.
Jump to:
- What is Buttercup Squash?
- Health benefits of squash
- How do you store buttercup squash?
- Recipe features
- How to Prep Buttercup Squash
- Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
- How to roast buttercup squash in the oven
- Variations of buttercup squash roasted recipe
- Equipment
- Storage
- Top tips for maple buttercup squash recipe
- Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
- More Favorite Side Dishes
- 📋 Recipe
- Food safety
- More Recipes
- 💬 Comments
What is Buttercup Squash?
Buttercup squash is a winter squash with a dark green exterior and orange flesh. The peak season for it is in Fall, from September-November. Buttercups are easy to spot at stores; they have a light grey protrusion on the bottom.
It's one of the sweetest winter squashes, much sweeter than acorn and spaghetti squash varieties.
This squash tends to retain more moisture than some other squashes when cooked.
This winter squash is quite firm and is perfect for soups, with roasted vegetables, and any dish requiring tender vegetables that won't mash when stirred or tossed with seasonings.
Health benefits of squash
- Squashes are nutritional powerhouses.
- It is an excellent source of soluble and insoluble dietary fiber.
- Contains absolutely no saturated fat or cholesterol.
- Buttercup squash is naturally gluten-free.
- Buttercup squash is a powerhouse of carotenoids and vitamin-A, which is an important antioxidant that helps in fighting cancer.
- Fresh Buttercup squash holds relatively higher amounts of vitamin C and thiamin than pumpkin.
- It is also a good source of folates, which help prevent neural-tube defects in newborns when taken during early pregnancy in expectant mothers.
- Buttercup is a low sodium winter squash.
- High in potassium. Potassium helps our cardiovascular healthy by decreasing blood pressure and heart rate.
- In addition, buttercup squash has many other vitamins and minerals essential for good health, such as copper, selenium, calcium, iron, manganese, phosphorus, and zinc.
How do you store buttercup squash?
The best way to store whole buttercup squash is to place it in the fridge, which will keep the squash fresh for up to two weeks. Keep it on the top shelf so it doesn't take up too much room.
It would be best if you did not store squash with apples or pears because they emit ethylene gas which will cause the squash to spoil.
The squash can also be stored in a cool, dark, dry place, well-ventilated, away from heat and sunlight, where no freezing temperature is expected. It will keep for up to four months.
Recipe features
HEALTHY: This simple roasted buttercup squash recipe is packed with nutritious veggies and is sweetened with pure maple syrup. It makes a great side dish that goes with any meal.
EASY: All you have to do is roast the squash and sweet potatoes in one pan, so easy! You will have this squash dish on your dinner table in no time!
GREAT FOR MEAL PREP: This roasted squash is great for leftovers and tastes just as good when reheated. You can make it ahead of time for a quick lunch or dinner.
DIETARY NEEDS: Gluten-free, dairy-free, and vegan.
How to Prep Buttercup Squash
The hardest part of this recipe is cutting the squash. I find the easiest way to cut buttercup squash is to place the squash on a cutting board. Using a large sharp knife, cut the squash in half and remove the seeds with a spoon and discard seeds,
Place the squash halves cut side down. Cut the squash into slices of about 1-inch thick pieces. Carefully using a knife, cut the dark green skin off each piece of squash, then slice the squash into cubes.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
- Buttercup squash, medium. I used a medium buttercup squash that we grew in our garden. You could also substitute your favorite squash such as acorn squash, kabocha squash, butternut squash, or even pumpkin. You can find buttercup squash in grocery stores or your local farmers market.
- Sweet potato. I used organic sweet potato, but you could also use frozen sweet potato cubes. Apples are an EXCELLENT substitution, and give this side dish a sweeter flavor.
- Olive oil. I used extra virgin olive oil. You could also use avocado oil or melted butter.
- Maple syrup, pure. I used pure maple syrup. I do not recommend imitation syrup. You could also use honey.
- Brown sugar. I used brown sugar. You could also use raw sugar, cane sugar, or your favorite sweetener.
- Garlic powder. I used garlic powder, but you could also use a couple garlic cloves, chopped.
- Cinnamon. I used ground cinnamon in this side dish to add fantastic fall flavor.
- Sea salt. You can also use regular table salt, seasoning salt, or kosher salt.
- Black pepper. I used fine ground black pepper. You could also use freshly cracked black pepper for bolder flavor.
See the recipe card for quantities.
How to roast buttercup squash in the oven
This easy-to-make side dish is easy to prepare, but be sure to make plenty of it because it disappears quickly!
The first step of this recipe is to heat the oven to 375 degrees F. You will need to cut the whole squash in half, remove the seeds with a spoon, and slice it into 1-inch sections. Next, carefully cut the green skin off with a knife and cut the squash into 1-inch cubes. Place the squash cubes into a large bowl.
Next, cut the ends off the sweet potatoes. Using a good vegetable peeler, peel the skin of the sweet potato. Next, slice the sweet potato into 1-inch cubes and place in the bowl with the raw squash.
Add olive oil, maple syrup, garlic powder, cinnamon, and salt and pepper to the bowl. Stir to mix well.
Place the mixture into an 8.5 x 11-inch baking dish lined with parchment paper. You can also use a rimmed baking sheet. Make sure the vegetables are in a single layer. Cover with aluminum foil.
Place the roasting pan in the oven and bake for about 45 minutes until the squash can be easily pierced with a fork and start to turn a golden brown.
Remove from the oven and serve immediately. Enjoy!
Variations of buttercup squash roasted recipe
There are so many ways to modify this easy side dish to suit your taste:
- Spicy - Adding a dash of cayenne pepper to imbue heat
- Sweet - Add an apple or two for great flavor that tastes almost like a dessert!
- Less sweet - If you would like this side dish to be less sweet, you can omit the maple sugar and the brown sugar. You may want to also omit the cinnamon.
- Different spices: Feel free to use your favorite spices, and add more or less garlic powder. Onion powder is also a great spice in this dish. You could also add nutmeg as well.
Equipment
To make this simple roasted squash recipe, you need a baking dish and aluminum foil. You could also use a sheet pan.
Storage
Let the leftover squash cool to room temperature, then store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
These ingredients don't stand up well to freezing once cooked. If you freeze them and reheat them, they will be mushy.
Top tips for maple buttercup squash recipe
Follow these easy tips for making roasted buttercup squash:
- Scoop out the seeds easily using an ice cream scoop.
- Place parchment paper on a large baking sheet to prevent the vegetables from sticking to the pan.
- Give the squash a stir about halfway through the cooking time to ensure everything is cooking evenly.
- If the squash is dry and starts to burn, add water so you have about a ¼-inch of water in the pan. The moisture levels of squash can vary, and not all squash is the same.
- Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil, sealing around the edges. This helps keep the moisture in the baking dish so the squash doesn't dry out, and it also helps to cook the squash much faster.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Buttercup squash and pumpkin are two different vegetables. Buttercup squash is typically smaller than the typical pumpkin and has bumpy ridges. The buttercup squash is a type of winter squash with a sweet flavor, while the pumpkin is a type of summer squash with a savory flavor.
Including prep time and roast time, it takes just under one hour.
Cut the butternut squash in half lengthwise, then scoop out the seeds and discard. Cut or peel off the skin, then cut into cubes.
Roasting typically cooks meat or vegetables at high heat, while baking is usually done at lower temperatures.
More Favorite Side Dishes
This Simple Roasted Buttercup Squash Recipe takes just minutes to prepare and 45 minutes to cook. The roasting process makes the squash tender and delicious, and it also brings out its natural sweetness. Serve with your favorite protein, and you have an easy, delicious meal in less than an hour!
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📋 Recipe
Simple Roasted Buttercup Squash Recipe
Equipment
- Rimmed baking sheet
Ingredients
- 1 medium buttercup squash seeded, peeled, and diced in 1-inch cubes
- 2 medium sweet potatoes peeled and diced in 1-inch cubes
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
- 2 tablespoon brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt or to taste
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper or to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
- Place cubed buttercup squash, sweet potatoes, olive oil, maple syrup, brown sugar, garlic powder, cinnamon, and salt and pepper in a large bowl. Stir to mix well.
- Place the mixture into an 8.5 x 11-inch baking dish lined with parchment paper. You can also use a rimmed baking sheet. Make sure the vegetables are in a single layer. Cover with aluminum foil.
- Place the roasting pan in the oven and bake for about 45 minutes until the squash can be easily pierced with a fork and starts to turn golden brown.
- Remove from the oven and serve immediately.
- Enjoy!
Notes
- Scoop out the seeds easily using an ice cream scoop.
- Place parchment paper on a large baking sheet to prevent the vegetables from sticking to the pan.
- Give the squash a stir about halfway through the cooking time to ensure everything is cooking evenly.
- If the squash is dry and starts to burn, add water so you have about a ¼-inch of water in the pan. The moisture levels of squash can vary, and not all squash is the same.
- Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil, sealing around the edges. This helps keep the moisture in the baking dish so the squash doesn't dry out, and it also helps to cook the squash much faster.
Nutrition
Food safety
- Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
- Never leave cooking food unattended
- Use oils with high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds
- Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove
Giangi Townsend
Wonderful recipe full of flavor and yet so easy to make. Perfect winter dish
Jeri
Thank you, Giangi! I'm glad you liked it!
Ramona
This is what you call simplicity at its best. This was perfect. I’ve left it a little longer in the oven as I like it a little more caramelised.
Oscar
Loved roasting the buttercup squash. It turned out perfect and I enjoyed how it all got caramelized with the brown sugar. Super tasty.
Jeri
Thanks, Oscar! I'm glad you liked it! 🙂
Colleen
My favorite way to cook squash! This butter cup recipe was perfectly caramelized. Thank you!
Jeri
Thanks, Colleen! I'm so glad you liked it!
Addie
Love this sweet and savory butternut squash! It’s an easy way to make veggies taste so good.