Savory Roasted Butternut Squash Cubes

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Diet: Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian

Prep Time: 15

Cook Time: 35

Total Time: 50

Servings: servings

Calories: 188kcal

Butternut squash cubes roasted at 425°F until the edges brown, with garlic and sage added at the flip so they never burn.

1 Large rimmed sheet pan (half sheet, 18 x 13 inches), or two if the cubes touch

1 large butternut squash ~3lb squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1-inch cubes (about 7 cups)
4 tablespoons olive oil divided
1 teaspoon kosher salt Diamond Crystal; use 3/4 teaspoon Morton
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 cloves garlic minced
12 fresh sage leaves roughly chopped

Heat the oven to 425°F with a rack in the upper third.
Toss the squash on the sheet pan with 3 tablespoons of the oil, the salt, and the pepper. Spread in a single layer with space between the cubes; use two pans if they touch.
Roast for 20 minutes without moving the cubes.
Toss the garlic and sage with the remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a small bowl.
Flip the cubes with a spatula, scatter the garlic and sage over the top, and roast until the edges are deeply browned and a fork slides in easily, 12 to 15 minutes more.
Taste for salt and serve warm or at room temperature.

Add the garlic at the flip, not the start. Minced garlic burns bitter in the first 20 minutes at 425°F.
Skip the parchment. The cubes need direct pan contact for browned edges.
Pre-cut squash from the store works: two 20-oz containers, cubes trimmed to 1 inch.
Peel and cube up to 2 days ahead and keep covered in the fridge.
Swap rosemary for the sage, or add 1 teaspoon smoked paprika and 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin in step 2, or toss with grated Parmesan while hot (no longer vegan).
Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat on a sheet pan at 400°F for about 8 minutes so the edges crisp again; the microwave turns them soft.