Slow roast butternut squash

Wonderfully wintry squash is sweet, nutty and ultra versatile. It can be blitzed into a warming soup, added to a comforting curry or roasted to perfection and served as a hearty veggie main. You can either roast butternut squash in its skin, halved, or cut into wedges. It can be served stuffed as a stunning main, as a simple side dish, stirred into risottos, pasta or salads, or blitzed into slow roast butternut squash soup.

By peeling and dicing, the cubes of squash will become more caramelised, with plenty of texture. Top and tail the squash, and use a Y peeler to remove the tough skin from the squash. Cutting it in half before peeling is easier, if you’re using a knife. Cut the peeled squash in half and remove the seeds with a dessert spoon. Check out our video tutorial on how to cut butternut squash for even more tips and essential info. Top and tail the squash, halve and scoop out the seeds and any stringy membrane with a spoon. Either score the flesh of the squash if roasting halves, or cut into wedges.

For more information, read our guide on how to prepare squash. Tip your squash pieces or wedges into a bowl or on a baking tray, and add a little olive or vegetable oil, and toss together with some salt and pepper, so every piece is coated. You can add extra herbs and flavourings here if you fancy, like garlic, tamarind, cumin, pomegranate molasses, or chopped sage, depending on what you’re making. If you’re roasting squash halves, rub with olive oil and season, put cut-side up on a baking tray.

6 until golden and tender when pierced with the tip of a sharp knife. Roast wedges for 35-45 mins until tender and half squashes for 1hr 15-30 mins. If you’ve roasted the squash skin on, either use a spoon to scoop out the softened flesh, or gently peel away the skin once the wedges have cooled a little. Top 5 roasted butternut squash recipes1. Add red onion and chunky red pepper for a veritable veggie feast for the senses.

The sweet squash and creamy cheese are the perfect accompaniment to peppery rocket. Roasted squash, stirred through a rich risotto makes for a super-satisfying family dinner. Our roasted squash risotto with Wensleydale is ideal for a dinner party main. It’s equal parts comforting and impressive, but it’s deceptively simple to make. Our roasted butternut squash soup is deliciously decadent, topped with crispy pancetta and toasted pine nuts for extra texture. Roasting the squash before blitzing adds depth of flavour and a distinct nuttiness.

This bowlful is the perfect winter warmer. This colourful stuffed butternut squash, packed with buts, barley and herbs is full of texture and flavour. This crowd-pleasing main is ideal for entertaining, and it takes just fifteen minutes to prepare. Carve your squash into slices and serve with a drizzle of tahini sauce. Serve our maple-roasted squash with pecans as a simple side dish to an extravagant Sunday dinner.