Roasted Butternut Squash with Maple Pecans is the perfect way to enjoy all of the best flavors of fall! It’s a simple side dish for any meal!
Sweet and savory Roasted Butternut Squash with Maple Pecans is a wonderfully comforting fall dish that is a must-have once the temperature starts cooling down! Fresh roasted butternut squash seasoned with sage, nutmeg, and thyme, and topped with a delicious maple and pecan syrup, is perfect for any holiday or fall dinner!
The Best Fall Dish
Butternut squash feels like a little fall celebration every time I serve it. A little sweet, a little savory, and oh so healthy, butternut squash with maple syrup and pecans is bursting with delicious roasted flavors that make it the best side to serve with holiday favorites like turkey and more. I must confess, I also like to make an extra one to enjoy with a salad the next day for a light lunch. Light yet filling, creamy butternut squash is incredibly versatile and can be enjoyed in numerous ways, making it hands down our favorite fall vegetable.
Stay warm and cozy all winter long with easy-to-make Pumpkin and Butternut Squash Soup, or serve a light Harvest Salad with Butternut Squash and enjoy more of the delicious ingredients fall has to offer!
Other Recipes to Serve with Roasted Butternut Squash with Maple Pecans
- Make weekend breakfast or brunch feel more special with a wildly flavorful Maple Sausage French Toast Bake!
- Orange Cranberry Party Punch is the perfect all-ages drink to serve at any fall get-together!
Ingredients
Veggies: To make this dish, you will need two butternut squashes and a few cloves of garlic. Cut the squash in half from top to bottom, and scoop out the seeds.
Butter: You will also need a small amount of unsalted butter for the squash.
Seasoning: Pick up fresh sage and thyme, or use dried sage and thyme, along with salt, pepper, and ground nutmeg.
Pantry Items: Set out the maple syrup and chopped pecans for this recipe.
How to Make Roasted Butternut Squash with Maple Pecans
STEP ONE: Preheat the oven to 400°F. Cut the squash in half lengthwise and remove the seeds. Then make shallow diagonal cuts along the flesh of the squash.
STEP TWO: Rub each butternut squash with the cut side of the garlic clove, and brush them with the melted butter. Sprinkle the salt, pepper, nutmeg, sage, and thyme over the squash.
STEP THREE: Place the squash on a baking sheet, flesh side up, and lay the thyme sprigs on top. Roast the butternut squash for 40-60 minutes, or until it is tender enough to be pierced with a fork.
STEP FOUR: While the squash roasts, place a medium skillet over medium-low heat. Add the chopped pecans and toast them for 4-6 minutes, stirring occasionally. Once the pecans have browned, pour in the maple syrup and stir to coat.
STEP FIVE: When the squash is ready, remove the baking sheet from the oven and divide the maple pecans evenly over the squash before serving warm.
Tips for Success
- Toasting the pecans will give them a wonderful richness. Just be sure to keep your eye on them so they don’t burn!
- Scoring the butternut squash will help it roast evenly, but you don’t have to make deep cuts. Additionally, the maple goodness will soak further into the squash, making it extra delicious!
- If the butternut squash you have is small, you can serve it as is, but if it is large, you can easily scoop the squash out of the peel to serve.
What seasoning is good on butternut squash?
Butternut squash has a lovely sweetness to it, which becomes more pronounced when sweet ingredients are added, or a deliciously balanced amount with the addition of warm, pungent spices. Maple syrup and brown sugar enhance the sweetness of the squash, without making it taste like a full-on dessert. Fragrant spices like sage, cumin, thyme, and pepper complement the savory side of butternut squash without overshadowing its sweetness. Bold spices and ingredients, both sweet and savory, pair perfectly with butternut squash and can really elevate the squash as a side dish, in a soup, or in a casserole.
Should I roast butternut squash face up or down?
Roasting butternut squash face up or face down can depend on how you want to serve it. Roasting squash face up not only gives the squash a more pronounced roasted flavor, but it also caramelizes the sugars slightly, making the squash taste slightly sweeter. The exposed squash will also brown more evenly and become firmer, resulting in a more substantial texture with a bite to it. Roasting squash face down allows steam to build up within the squash, resulting in a tender texture. The steam will help with more even cooking, and the squash will also be tender and creamier, which is perfect when making soup.
More Fall Favorites to Love
- Apple and Cranberry Cornbread Dressing
- Brown Sugar and Maple Sweet Potatoes
- Liz’s Candied Carrots
- Squash and Sweet Potato Gratin
- Roasted Acorn Squash
*This post originally posted on 09/16/2015.
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 medium butternut squash about 2 1/2 pounds each
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter melted
- 1 cloves garlic peeled and halved
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg (freshly grated if possible)
- 1 tablespoon fresh sage finely chopped
- 3 sprigs fresh thyme stems removed and chopped
- 1 cup pecans chopped
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
- Cut each squash in half lengthwise and remove the seeds. Score the flesh of the squash in a diamond pattern by cutting diagonal lines in one direction, and then rotating the squash and cutting lines in the other direction.
- Rub the cut side of the garlic clove all over the flesh of the squash, and then brush each squash with the melted butter. Sprinkle evenly with salt, pepper, nutmeg, sage, and thyme.
- Place the squash, seasoned side up, on a baking sheet. Roast for 40-60 minutes or until it feels tender when a fork is inserted into the flesh.
- While the squash is roasting, add the pecan pieces to a medium skillet over medium-low heat. Cook, stirring often until the nuts are toasted, about 4-6 minutes. Add the maple syrup and mix until the pecans are evenly coated.
- Remove the squash from the oven and divide the maple pecans evenly between the 4 squash halves. Serve warm.
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