Sweet and Spicy Roasted Butternut Squash
Sweet and spicy roasted butternut squash seasoned with brown sugar, chili powder and cayenne. A beautiful balance of sweet + heat.
On the eve of the hottest weekend we’ve had all year, I made roasted butternut squash. But that’s okay because I just love butternut squash. While it can lend itself to being sweetly seasoned, I usually prefer it savory. But with this recipe, you get the best of both worlds! Brown sugar adds a touch of sweetness and creates beautiful caramelization. Chili powder, cayenne, salt and pepper bring the savory and the heat. It’s perfectly balanced and so delicious. Let’s make it!
Ingredients
Sweet and spicy roasted butternut squash
For the butternut squash, I prefer to buy a whole one and cut it myself (they are usually more flavorful) but you can definitely use the precut kind if you prefer. Frozen butternut will not work for this though.
- Butternut squash
- Brown sugar
- Chili powder
- Cayenne pepper powder
- Olive oil
- Salt & pepper
How to roast butternut squash
Use a high oven temperature
When roasting butternut squash (and many other veggies) you need to go with a higher oven temperature— 400-425 is generally the sweet spot for roasting. I did this at 425 and it was just right. The higher temperature will also help you get better caramelization which is the best part of any roasted veggie!
Line the baking sheet with parchment paper
Parchment is better than foil for roasting veggies because it will absorb moisture, unlike foil. This allows you to get those delicious crispy/caramelized edges more easily.
Season well
Butternut squash has a distinct flavor of its own that I very much enjoy so I didn’t want to over season and take away from that. But I wanted to compliment and enhance it.
Since butternut squash is a little on the sweet side, brown sugar goes beautifully here. It amplifies the sweeteness and helps us get caramelization.
And since I love opposing, but complimentary flavor combinations like sweet + spicy, I knew I wanted a little spice. Chili powder gives very subtle, more smoky heat while cayenne is just downright spicy heat— a little goes a long way with this!
To roast, just mix the squash with seasonings and oil, making sure every piece of squash is evenly coated with oil and seasonings.
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Sweet and Spicy Roasted Butternut Squash
Sweet and spicy roasted butternut squash— the perfect fall side dish!
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
- Category: Side Dish
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 1 butternut squash, cut into cubes (about 5 cups)
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1/3 cup brown sugar
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425.
- Line baking sheet with parchment paper. Toss butternut squash with olive oil, brown sugar, chili powder, cayenne, salt and pepper making sure it is evenly coated.
- Spread out evenly on baking sheet and baked for about 45 minutes, until tender and edges become golden brown.
- Enjoy!
Notes
- Keep the squash in an even layer and don’t over crowd the sheet pan to allow for caramelization. Use two sheet pans if you need to!
Looking for more yummy sides and appetizer recipes?
Look no further than our Easy Sides and Appetizers E-Book, featuring 10 Simple Sides and Appetizers for any occasion!
I purchased something similar to this from Whole Foods hot food bar. They added peanuts. It was delish!!
I’ve made this before and it’s delicious!! Such a pleasant change from the normal veggie side dishes we usually have. My local grocery store has butternut squash on sale this week and I just picked one up; we’re having this with stuffed pork chops.
Yum! This would be perfect with pork chops. Thank you for your review Patty!