I have been making this recipe since college! You read that right– as an off-campus dwelling Penn State nutrition student, I loved throwing a good dinner party with friends and roommates. Any excuse to cook at home– see, not much has changed there! I was really into vegetarian cooking at that time and made a ton of lentil burgers and tofu chocolate pie. All good decisions. The first time I had this dish was at the hot foods bar at Wegmans– aka the best grocery store in the northeast. I love it so much and I hope you do too!
We got really lucky with how many squash we harvested from our garden’s first year. Thankfully, butternut squash last for months in a cool, dark place. Once cut and refrigerated, the squash will turn soft in a few days, so I do prefer to peel and cut my own rather than buy it pre-chopped, though that is an option at some stores.
To cut squash, make sure you have a sharp chef’s knife. A good knife is a true investment you will not regret. I like to cut the long neck of the squash off first, stand it upright on the flat cut, and trim off the peel with the knife. Work carefully to remove the skin from the round end, then cut in half and scoop out the seeds with a spoon before cubing the whole thing. It may seem like a pain, but I promise it won’t take longer than a few minutes and the squash is freshest this way!
One more note about a supremely awesome ingredient: PUMPKIN SEED OIL. It’s dark green, nutty, and so flavorful. I love drizzling roasted veggies with it! It’s also delicious mixed with balsamic vinegar to make a homemade salad dressing.
Okay… time for the recipe!
Roasted Butternut Squash with Cranberries
Equipment
- Half-sheet roasting pan
- Parchment paper
Ingredients
- 1 butternut squash, peeled and diced to 1/2-inch cubes (about 1 1/2 lb total)
- 1-2 tbsp olive oil
- Salt and freshly-cracked pepper, to taste
- 1/4 cup dried cranberries
- 1 shallot, thinly sliced
- 2 cups fresh baby spinach
- Optional: Pumpkin seed oil, for drizzling
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425. Line roasting pan with parchment paper. Place the cubed butternut squash on the pan and drizzle with 1-2 tbsp olive oil, tossing to coat. Season with salt and pepper. Roast for 20 minutes.
- After the squash has roasted for 20 minutes, remove tray from oven and add dried cranberries and sliced shallot, folding it in with the hot squash and spreading evenly on the tray. Return to oven and roast squash, cranberries and shallot for an additional 10 minutes.
- Turn off the oven. Remove tray from oven and add baby spinach, gently folding in so it is coated in olive oil and begins to wilt. Return tray to oven for 5 minutes to fully wilt spinach.
- Optional: drizzle with pumpkin seed oil before serving.