How to Roast Butternut Squash in the Oven
This is one of the best ways to cook butternut squash. Roasting allows for subtle browning and caramelization to occur, which means even more flavor by enhancing the natural sweetness of the squash. Take your pick among roasting the squash whole, halved, sliced, or in chunks. Cooking time will vary widely depending on weight and how the squash is cut, and can take anywhere from about one hour for a whole squash, skin and all, to about 30 minutes for butternut squash that’s been cut into bite-size pieces. Pro tip: If roasting squash halves, place cut-side down on a rimmed baking sheet.
How to Roast Butternut Squash in the Air Fryer
The allure of the air fryer is still going strong and for good reason. In a fraction of the time it takes to roast vegetables in the oven, an air fryer can produce the same crispy-on-the-outside and tender-on-the-inside outcome. And roasting butternut squash in an air fryer is no exception and is extremely simple. In addition to seasoning with salt and pepper, try paprika and garlic powder, ground cumin and coriander, or a spice blend like chili powder or ras el hanout.
How to Roast Butternut Squash in an Instant Pot
You can get roasted butternut squash-like results using an Instant Pot. Technically, it’s not roasting since roasting as a cooking method requires dry heat, but this method of cooking butternut squash yields caramelized edges and a tender center to each bite of the subtly sweet squash, much like the result of roasting in a hot oven.
How to Roast Butternut Squash From Frozen
A frozen bag of already-cut butternut squash can be a weeknight hero. The good news is that you can roast butternut squash straight from frozen and serve it as a side dish, or toss it into a wide range of other dishes. A hot oven is key to avoiding any mushy results due to the extra moisture of frozen squash (and other frozen veg). Throw in a few sprigs of herbs like rosemary, thyme, or sage, or season with your favorite spice blend, if desired.
