Fall has finally arrived, and the temperature is dropping. It’s time to start thinking about butternut squash, apple crisp, and soups. I found this recipe for roasted cinnamon nutmeg butternut squash tucked into a cookbook. I’ve no idea where I got it from, but the combination of cinnamon, apple cider, nutmeg, butter, and squash is classic.
Cinnamon and nutmeg add both a bit of warm spice and sweetness, and the apple cider is both tart and sweet. It’s also apple cider season, so all the ingredients are at their peak now.
Butternut squash are notoriously hard to peel, unless you have an Oxo Swivel Peeler, which makes this chore much easier. Or, you can buy the pre-peeled squash.
The rest is just cutting up the squash (use a big, sharp knife), adding the spices, butter, and cider, and baking it in the toaster oven.
Roasted Cinnamon Nutmeg Butternut Squash
A classic squash recipe flavored with cinnamon and nutmeg. It's great as a side dish with a simple piece of roast chicken.
Ingredients
- 1 C butternut squash
- 1 tsp canola or neutral oil
- 2T apple cider
- 1T butter
- 1/4 tsp brown sugar
- 1/8 tsp cinnamon
- 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
- salt to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the toaster oven to 400 degrees.
- Peel the squash, remove any seeds, and cut it into cubes.
- Grease a small baking pan with the oil (or use butter, if you prefer)
- Add the squash, cider, butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt to taste.
- Toss it all together in the pan.
- Bake for 25 minutes.
Substitutions and Variations for Roasted Cinnamon Nutmeg Butternut Squash
- Add some chopped pecans or walnuts after 15 minutes of baking
- Make it savory: replace the butter with chicken stock, skip the cinnamon and nutmeg, and use curry instead.
- Bump up the sweetness with honey or maple syrup
- Wash the seeds, pat them dry, and then roast them for 10 minutes in the same pan for a sweet, crunchy snack
Tools and Ingredients for Roasted Butternut Squash
This peeler cuts through butternut squash skin with virtually no effort. It’s no harder than peeling a cucumber. I’ve had mine for years and it still works flawlessly. There’s even a little scoop at the end for de-eyeing potatoes or removing bruised spots. The handle is comfy and easy to hold. It works on apples, squash, cucumber, carrots, and hasn’t needed any extra care or sharpening. I did add a dab of red nail polish at the end to make it easier to find in my utensil holder.
Stainless steel 6 inch square pan
Most baking dishes are far too large for one person or small batch cooking. This is perfect. I use it for the squash, to bake brownies or coffee cake, and reheat leftovers. Goes in the oven and the dishwasher.
More Butternut Squash Recipes
Roasted Butternut Squash with Brown Sugar and Vanilla
It’s a veggie dessert! If you didn’t know it was a nice, healthy vegetable (packed with Vitamin A and C), you’d think you were having a dessert. Because that’s what it tastes like. But, it really is a vegetable!
Butternut Squash Cream Sauce Recipe for One Person
Roasted garlic, some cream, and parmesan balance against the sweet squash for a rich, creamy sauce. Punch it up with crumbled bacon or pancetta.
Curried Butternut Squash Soup with Apples
Mild sweet curry is a perfect foil for apples and squash. Filling, comforting, and perfect for a cool fall or winter day.