Cinnamon Butternut Squash Roasted with Herbs

This simple roasted cinnamon butternut squash with fresh herbs is as easy and simple as it gets! The butternut squash is crisp on the outside, soft on the inside and seasoned with warm cinnamon spice and fresh herbs. It’s the perfect winter side dish!

Butternut squash is my all time favorite squash! Sure, I love acorn, zucchini, and yellow squash. But the natural sweetness of butternut squash wins out every time!

I have already posted numerous recipes including my vegan stuffed butternut squash with black beans and quinoa, as well as my vegan butternut squash soup, and vegan butternut squash mac and cheese. However, sometimes you just want something easy and simple.

Roasted butternut squash is a true classic, and just about the easiest way to enjoy it!

My husband is not the biggest fan of vegetables. He refuses to eat them raw. But if I roast them, he’ll absolutely inhale them! It doesn’t matter which vegetable it is, roasting just makes them taste amazing!

Why does roasting vegetables taste better than raw?

For some roasted vegetables taste better than raw because the heat of the oven caramelizes the natural sugars in the vegetables and brings out a greater depth of flavor that is slightly sweet, and nutty.

That’s why roasted butternut squash is such a favorite when it comes to roasting!

Why use cinnamon with butternut squash?

Cinnamon has a sweet and woody flavor with natural citrus tones. It makes for an excellent spice to use when roasting butternut squash because the warmth from the cinnamon and sweetness from the butternut squash meld together to create a savory side dish!

This recipe works well as a Thanksgiving or holiday side dish, as well as an accompaniment to your weeknight meal, or even as a salad topper, sandwich filling, or snack!

Why you’ll love this Cinnamon Butternut Squash…

• It’s a super simple and easy recipe to follow.
• You only need a few ingredients you likely already have on hand.
• Prep time is short! The only real task is cubing the butternut squash.
• It’s crisp on the outside and warm and soft on the inside.
• Warm spices meld together nicely to create even more depth of flavor!
• It’s vegan, gluten-free, and soy free!

Recipe Ingredients and Notes

One Medium Butternut Squash: You will need one medium butternut squash cubed. A medium size butternut squash is about two pounds, and will yield about 3 cups cubed. If you’d rather skip the hassle of cutting your butternut squash, you can use the pre-cut squash you find in stores to save you time. See below for more tips on how to cute and cube a butternut squash with ease.

Olive Oil: Only a touch of olive oil is needed to coat the butternut squash. Olive oil helps to create a crispy outer layer. In order to reduce the overall calories and fat, it’s not necessary to go overboard with the oil! If you’d like to skip the oil all together, you can lightly coat the butternut squash in vegetable broth or water.

Spices: A combination of cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg are used as well as salt and pepper to taste. If you don’t have nutmeg or cloves, you can use allspice or ginger, or just leave those out and add a touch more cinnamon.

Fresh Herbs: Sprinkle with fresh herbs such as rosemary or thyme.

Tools and Equipment

• Baking Sheet
• Aluminum foil
• Cutting board and chopping knife

How to Make Cinnamon Butternut Squash – Step by Step

Step 1: Preheat oven to 425 F. Chop butternut squash into equal sized cubes. Add squash to large bowl. Add olive oil, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and salt and pepper.

Step 2: Toss until oil and spices are evenly distributed.

Step 3: Add the butternut squash to a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil. Spread the squash evenly over the baking sheet. You may need two baking sheets to prevent overcrowding.

Step 4: Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes. At 10 minutes toss the butternut squash. Remove from oven allow to cool for a few minutes before transferring to a serving dish. Sprinkle with herbs, and enjoy!

Top Tips for Making Cinnamon Butternut Squash

• Cut the squash into evenly sized cubes. This helps ensure that all the pieces cook evenly.
• Be sure to remove the tough outer skin of the butternut squash. this part is not edible.
• Don’t overcrowd the squash on the baking sheet. Make sure it is spread out and not in layers. If they are too close together in the oven they will steam instead of roast. You may need to use two baking sheets to avoid overcrowding.
• Roasting is done at a high temperature. I recommend somewhere between 400-425 F. I prefer a high temperature of 425 F. This allows you to get that crisp brown caramelization.

How to Cut a Butternut Squash

Step 1: Cut off the top and bottom of the butternut squash. Then cut through the center where the the thinner portion and wider portion meet.

Step 2: Place the flat side of the butternut squash on the cutting board. Remove the skin by holding the squash firmly with one hand as you use a sharp knife to slice from top to bottom all the way around until all of the peel is removed. Repeat for the other section of squash.

Step 3: Slice the two sections down the center. Remove the seeds from the inside of the wider section.

Step 4: Slice each section (now you have four) into strips. Cut each strip into cubes.

Is roasted butternut squash healthy?

Yes, roasted butternut squash has many health benefits. The challenge with roasted vegetables is when too much oil is added increasing the fat and calories. Using a small amount of oil, or vegetable broth, or water instead reduces the fat and calories making this a healthy low calorie low fat side dish. Here are additional health benefits…

• High in Fiber: Butternut squash is high in fiber. Fiber helps with digestion and keeps you feeling fuller longer. One serving of this roasted butternut squash contains 3 grams of fiber, which is about 10% of your recommended daily allowance.
• Rich in Vitamins and Minerals: Butternut squash is an excellent source of vitamins A, C, E and B vitamins, as well as minerals such as calcium, magnesium, and zinc.

What to Serve with Cinnamon Butternut Squash

This dish makes for an excellent side dish at Thanksgiving, or Christmas. You could even make it as an appetizer with a dipping sauce!

Need more appetizer ideas? Try these 28 easy vegan appetizers.

Serve this recipe as a topper for a salad such as this kale salad with cranberries.

You can also serve it alongside a main dish. I suggest my meatless meatloaf.

How to Store, Keep, and Reheat

Store and Keep: Allow butternut squash to cool completely before transferring it to an air tight container. It will keep in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.

Reheat: When ready to reheat, transfer to a microwave safe plate, and warm for 45 seconds. You may need more or less time depending on the portion size you are reheating. Another option is to crisp the squash again by throwing it in your air fryer. Heat at 350 F for 5 minutes. Or you can transfer the squash to a baking sheet and use an oven or toaster oven at 350 F to bring back the crispiness.

Variations and Substitutions

No oil version: Use vegetable stock or water to help the spices stick to the squash.

Different Spices: Try using other warm spices you have in your pantry such as ginger, or allspice. You can also simply season with salt and pepper.

Check out these other healthy vegan butternut squash recipes!

• Butternut Squash and Chickpea Curry
• Air Fryer Butternut Squash
• Vegan Butternut Squash Chili

If you’ve tried this Cinnamon Butternut Squash Recipe please rate it and let me know how it turned out. You can also follow me on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest for more plant-based family recipes your whole family will enjoy!

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