Baked butternut squash is absolutely delicious! This somewhat underappreciated vegetable is delicious when boiled or steamed, but baking it enhances the flavor and sweetness. Honestly, roasted squash tastes so different, it is almost like a different vegetable. I make my baked butternut squash without sugar or butter, so my recipe is very healthy and easy. In fact, I just cut the butternut squash into halves and bake it with the skin on, so it doesn’t get any easier than that. If you want to learn more about how to prepare this delicious vegetable, keep reading!

Butternut Squash: One of America’s Most Underappreciated Vegetables

Like I said at the beginning of the article, butternut squash is somewhat unknown and underappreciated in the United States. It is much more common in Argentina, commonly added to stews like Locro and Puchero, as well as served as a side dish in pureed form.

I am not quite sure why butternut squash is not more popular in the United States. My guess is that the hard peel and awkward shape make people unsure of how to prepare it. Maybe people think cutting and preparing butternut squash is too much work, so they choose other vegetables.

That is definitely a shame since butternut squash is so delicious. If you have never had it, you should give it a try. It is similar to sweet potatoes, so if you like sweet potatoes, you will probably like butternut squash.

How to Choose a Butternut Squash

Before you go out and buy a butternut squash, you first have to learn how to choose a good one.

Unfortunately, picking a good butternut squash can be tricky. First of all, it should be heavy for its size. When you cut into it, the flesh should be a deep yet also bright orange. If the squash feels light for its size or if the inside is a pale color, it won’t be as flavorful.

Don’t be afraid to pick up a couple squashes in the grocery store to get an idea for how much they weigh. If they are all about the same size but one feels heavier, that is the one you want.

You won’t know what the inside color looks like, so if possible, buy two just in case one is pale.

Different varieties aside, I have found the flavor of individual butternut squashes to differ greatly, much more so than individual sweet potatoes. That is why learning how to choose a good butternut squash is so important. Buying the right squash can mean the difference between a dish that you forget the next day and one that you remember for weeks if not months.

Can You Bake Butternut Squash Whole?

Although it is possible to roast a whole butternut squash, I suggest that you don’t. Especially if you want to maximize the flavor.

If you roast a squash whole, you are basically steaming the flesh inside. by not exposing the inner flesh to the dry heat of the oven, you lose the opportunity to caramelize the sugars and really bring out the flavors. The squash will definitely be delicious, but like I said, the flavor will not be the same.

Honestly, I think there is a bigger difference between roasted and steamed squash than sweet potatoes. If you truly want an unforgettable culinary experience, I highly recommend getting some color on the orange flesh of the squash.

How to Cut Butternut Squash

Do You Have to Peel Butternut Squash?

The first thing to know is that the peel is actually edible. The peel softens significantly when cooked, so you do not have to remove it.

I left the skin on for this simple recipe, but if you truly want to maximize the flavor, I suggest peeling the squash. By removing the peel and exposing more of the inside to the dry heat of the oven, you will get more caramelization, bringing out even more flavor.

This is important if you want to make mashed butternut squash, soup, or a pie. But for normal, everyday, healthy eating, it is perfectly fine to cut the squash into halves and bake them with the skin on.

How to Cut Butternut Squash in Half

A picture is worth a thousand words, so a video is worth a million words. I am going to include a link to my YouTube video showing how to cut and prep butternut squash:

However, if you prefer to read instructions, I will write them out as well.

How to Cut Butternut Squash in Half

Wash and dry the squash.
Insert a large knife into the top of the butternut squash and then press down into the squash.
You may have to pick up your knife and cut again, closer to the bottom.
Scoop out the seeds
Optional: Cut a few slits into the peel and microwave the butternut squash whole for 3-5 minutes. This will soften the skin so that cutting the butternut squash in half is easier.

Now that your butternut squash is cut in half, it’s time to learn how to bake it.

Baked Butternut Squash with Skin On: 3 Methods

While researching how to bake butternut squash in the oven, I saw that recipes varied. Some people baked the butternut squash halves skinside-down with a bit of oil on the orange “flesh” of the squash, while other recipes called for placing the butternut squash cutside-down into a dish with a bit of water. I wasn’t quite sure which to do, so I tried multiple methods to see which turned out better.

Roasted Butternut Squash with a bit of Oil

I took one butternut squash half and placed inside-up (with the skin facing down, touching the Pyrex) in an ungreased 8 x 8 inch Pyrex dish. I used a tiny bit of oil, perhaps 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon, to coat the orange flesh of the squash. I thought that the squash would burn without a bit of oil protecting it, so I wanted to be on the safe side.

Baked Butternut Squash in Water

I wanted to trying baking one half of the squash without oil, so I put it cutside-down in another 8 x 8 Pyrex dish with the skin facing up. I then poured in 3/4 cup of water into the dish. I thought that the extra moisture would help prevent the squash from burning. I did not anything to the skin.

Baked Butternut Squash with No Oil or Water

After filming the first video, I tried roasting butternut squash in the oven again a few days later. This time, I placed one half of the squash face-up (skin touching the Pyrex) in a baking dish, but this time I did not coating the flesh with oil or pour water into the Pyrex dish. I had read online that squash could be roasted as is, without adding butter, sugar, oil, or water, so I wanted to give it a try.

How Long to Bake Butternut Squash Halves?

Bake butternut squash halves at 350 F for an hour and a half (90 minutes). Whether you use oil, water, or nothing at all, or you place the squash face-up or face-down, the baking time should not change.

Comparing Roasting Methods: Which is Best?

Honestly, I thought that all three methods produced a similar result. Although I baked one half with minimal oil and and one half with no oil, neither burned. Likewise, even though all of the water I added to the face-down squash evaporated in the oven, the squash did not burn, either. As you can see, adding oil or butter to roasted butternut halves so that they do not burn in the oven is not necessary.

However, there was a slightly noticeable difference in flavor. Although the second and third tests tasted about the same, the roasted butternut squash half that was cooked face-up and with a bit of oil browned a bit more, the caramelization of the sugars intensifying the flavors a bit more.

I also noticed a difference in regards to water content. The halves that were baked without water were not dry by any means, but the squash half that was baked with water was more moist.

As you can see, there are multiple ways to roast butternut squash with skin on. Even though there are slight differences in taste and texture, the differences are not as pronounced as you might expect. So, if you want to make a healthy version of butternut squash, feel free to roast it without butter, oil,…or even water.

Recipe Review

How to Bake Butternut Squash Halves — Learning how to bake butternut squash halves is easy. No sugar or butter required!

Ease: 9 / 10

Making baked butternut squash with skin on is super easy. Leaving the peel on eliminates the vast majority of the prep work, so the hardest part of the recipe is cutting the squash in half. This can be a bit tricky if you do not have a large chef’s knife. However, as you see in my video, I was able to cut my butternut squash in half in less than 30 seconds.

In regards to roasting in the oven, it can be as easy or complicated as you want. Adding sugar and butter is delicious, but not necessary, especially if you want to keep it healthy. Although adding a bit of oil to the flesh enhances the color and flavor, even that isn’t necessary. All you have to do is literally cut the squash in half, put the halves in a baking dish or tray, and put it in the oven. The only way to make this recipe easier is for me to do it for you, haha.

Appearance: 10 / 10

The roasted butternut squash was beautiful. Contrary to what you might think, butternut squash does not appear to burn easily. Instead, the shade of orange deepens and the skin chars slightly, sending signals that the vegetable is full of flavor.

Taste: 9 / 10

Although butternut squash is delicious any way you make it, baking it in the oven really enhances the flavors. It doesn’t need any help from butter, sugar, or spices because it is so flavorful.

Texture: 9 / 10

All three methods produced similar results. None of the squash halves were dry, but the one baked with water was more moist.

Like I already said, this baked butternut squash recipe turned out great. You can use the roasted squash in soups or stews, in pureed form as a light side dish, or even as the filling for a pie (it makes a much better pie than pumpkin does, in my opinion). I hope you give this recipe a try!

More Healthy Recipes:

For more healthy side dish ideas, here are some other recipes you might like:

Unsweetened Applesauce For One

Carrot Salad Recipe

Baked Butternut Squash Recipe