Sure this roasted butternut squash with brown sugar and vanilla looks like an ordinary vegetable side dish. But, it’s really a dessert wearing a clever vegetable disguise. The first time I made it, I immediately wanted to eat it again. Sometimes, single serving is a bummer! Sadly, it was the last of the squash and the last of the nuts.
What made this recipe so good? The vanilla and nuts add a touch of sweetness, without being overpowering. It was almost like eating a cookie or some sort of dessert rather than a vegetable. Yet, it has very little sugar. Topping it with a mixture of nuts and craisins (dried, sweetened cranberries) added a bit of crunch and a sweet/tart tang.
The original version of this recipe (which I found on the Neilsen-Massey web site), called for vanilla sugar. Since I didn’t have any and had no interest in going out and searching for some in the stores, I simply added a bit of vanilla to some brown sugar instead. As far as I’m concerned it worked perfectly, and I didn’t have to buy an extra ingredient. Win win!
The nuts I used were an unsalted mixture from Trader Joe’s with hazelnuts, cashews and pecans. Use whatever mix you like, although I think I would skip something with peanuts. The craisins were an unintentional bonus. I had a few leftover from making the turkey chipotle enchilada recipe from a couple of weeks ago, and had thrown them in the bag of nuts. I forgot that when I mixed them into the topping, but it turned out to be a good “accident.”
So, while this may look like a vegetable, it’s definitely a dessert in a clever vegetable disguise! In fact, I’m half-tempted to put it in the dessert category instead of as a side dish. Serve it with a simple piece of roast chicken or a pork chop. I baked a chicken thigh with some olive oil, oregano, a bit of garlic, and salt and pepper.
Roasted Butternut Squash with Brown Sugar and Vanilla
Butternut squash with vanilla and brown sugar is practically a dessert, but it's cleverly disguised as a side dish. It's the perfect autumn treat when the squash are fresh.
Ingredients
Squash
- 1 cup butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into chunks
- 1 teaspoon butter, softened slightly
- 1/4 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp. brown sugar
- tiny pinch salt
Topping
- 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp brown sugar
- 1/4 C mixed nuts with dried sweetened cranberries
- 1 tsp butter, softened slightly
Instructions
- Preheat your oven or toaster oven to 375 degrees.
- Combine the ingredients for the squash in a medium size bowl. Toss it all together to mix it thoroughly. Pour the squash mixture into a small baking pan.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes.
- Once the squash is cooked, take the same bowl you used to mix the squash and add the topping ingredients. Mix that all together.
- Remove the squash from the oven, and add the topping mixture.
- Turn the oven up to broil and cook for another 2-3 minutes. Watch the nuts and make sure they don't burn.
Butternut Squash with Brown Sugar and Vanilla Substitutions and Variations
- Don’t have mixed nuts? Try just plain walnuts or pecans instead
- Use maple syrup instead of brown sugar
- Toast the nuts first
- Buy some puff pastry and spoon the squash into it—voilà butternut squash tart!
More Butternut Squash Recipes
Curried Butternut Squash Soup with Apples
Warm/spicy and sweet all at the same time. This soup is great for chilly days (or pantry cooking).
Butternut Squash Cream Sauce Recipe for One Person
Add sage and a touch of cream and you get a perfect pasta sauce. It’s rich, creamy and makes a nice change from the usual humdrum tomato sauce.
Roasted Cinnamon Nutmeg Butternut Squash
A classic combination that’s great with a simple main dish, like roast chicken.