Easy Healthy Roasted Butternut Squash

Butternut squash can be just what your diet needs for extra fiber and antioxidants, and a go-to delicious starch. Have it on its own as a side dish, add it to recipes like soups, stews, and sauces, or make it the star of the meal by stuffing it. Plus, this starchy vegetable is nutritious and good for weight management. This recipe make roasting butternut squash a cinch so you can have it at any meal.

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Butternut squash is a filling choice, with only 100 calories and almost 5 grams of fiber per half-pound serving. Each 8-ounce (half-pound) serving of squash has nearly 300% of the daily value for vitamin A in the form of beta-carotene. It also has over 40% of the daily value for vitamin C and 15% of the daily value for potassium.  You can swap any winter squash, such as acorn or kabocha, for butternut.

Seasoning for Roasted Butternut Squash

Roasted butternut squash tastes good without any seasoning, or with nothing but salt and pepper to taste. You can also dress it up by adding herbs, spices, or other seasonings.

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Here are more ways to flavor roasted butternut squash. You can add these ingredients to the bowl with the squash cubes and olive oil before roasting the squash. 

• Basic herbs: garlic powder, fresh or dried thyme, rosemary
• Onion and garlic: garlic powder and onion powder, or chopped onions and pressed garlic
• Sweet apple cinnamon: 1-2 tablespoons of apple juice plus cinnamon
• Garlic parmesan: ¼ cup of grated parmesan cheese, garlic powder, chopped parsley, thyme
• Spicy: cumin, chili powder, red pepper flakes
• Lemon garlic: pressed garlic, lemon juice, chopped parsley
• Herbed vegan: parsley, dill, nutritional yeast, onion powder
• Fresh herbs; chopped parsley, basil, mint, and sage
• Moroccan spice: cinnamon, paprika, cumin, coriander, turmeric

Serving Suggestions for Roasted Butternut Squash

• Serve it as a side dish instead of a grain or other starchy vegetables.
• For a high-fiber, high-protein snack, top it with cheese in the last few minutes of roasting and let the cheese melt. Try parmesan, low-fat cheddar or swiss, nonfat shredded mozzarella, feta cheese, or blue cheese.
• Puree the roasted squash and stir it into pasta sauce or casseroles, or use it for risotto.
• Have a healthy bowl with ingredients like cooked quinoa or brown rice, tofu or salmon, grilled onions or roasted vegetables, and hummus or tahini sauce.
• Turn it into a salad with arugula or other greens, protein like garbanzo beans or chicken breast, whole-grain croutons, and your favorite dressing like balsamic vinaigrette, ranch dressing, or French dressing. 

Recipe for Roasted Butternut Squash

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients: 

• 1 butternut squash, about 2 pounds
• 1 tablespoon of olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Optional spices and herbs

Instructions: 

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or spray it with cooking spray.
2. Peel the squash if desired. Cut off both ends and slice the squash lengthwise and in half. Scoop out the seeds and save for roasting if desired. Cut the flesh into 1-inch cubes for even roasting. 
3. In a bowl, toss the cubes of squash with the olive oil, salt, pepper, and any additional seasonings. 
4. Place the cubes onto the prepared baking sheet and spread them into a single layer.
5. Roast for 15 minutes, then remove the pan from the oven, flip the cubes over, and redistribute them in a single layer. Return the pan to the oven and roast for another 10-15 minutes or until the squash is tender and starting to brown.
6. Cool and serve, store, or use in recipes.

Nutrition information per serving: 150 calories; 4.5 grams fat; 0.5 gram saturated fat; 200 mg sodium; 27 grams of carbohydrates; 4.5 grams of fiber; 5 grams of sugar; 2 grams of protein

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