This delicious roasted butternut squash recipe will be the highlight of your dinner table. Sweet squash and tangy apples are paired with tart cherries and crunchy walnuts. Itโs literally a match made in heaven!
Fall is here! Our weather has cooled down and my electric blanket is already getting a ton of use! One of the things I love most about fall is the freshly harvested apples and squash… and the baking. I probably bake more in the fall than I do any other time. I mean, hello Gluten Free Pumpkin Spice Scones with Cardamom Icing!!
Maybe the baking is a comfort thing?! Do you find yourself baking more in the fall, too?
In celebration of the transition of the seasons, I wanted to create a simple and delicious side dish my whole family would love. I tell you what… you guys are going to love this Roasted Butternut Squash with Apples, Tart Cherries and Walnuts. My family gave it rave reviews! The flavor combination is right on point. Sweet brown sugar roasted butternut squash and apples, with dried tart cherries and crunchy toasted California Walnuts.
An absolutely delicious fall side dish, Roasted Butternut Squash with Apples, Tart Cherries & Walnuts.
California Walnuts are a delicious and versatile ingredient that adds flavor, crunch and depth to sweet and savory dishes alike. They are perfect in this dish! Not to mention they are the champion of plant-based omega-3 among nuts, and are the only nut to provide a significant source of the essential nutrient (2.5 grams per ounce). I love walnuts!
How to peel a butternut squash
Just in case you’re not quite sure the best way to peel a butternut squash, I hope these directions and pictures will help you.
- Use a sharp knife (I use and recommend Global brand knives) to cut off both the top and bottom ends of the squash.
- Use a peeler to peel the outer skin of the squash. This can be a little tricky, especially when the squashes can be large. Place one hand firmly on the end of the squash closest to you, and then peel from the middle of the squash out to the top end (be very careful of your fingers!). Do this until half of the squash is completely peeled.
- Flip the squash around and peel the other side.
Once the butternut squash is peeled, the hard part is done. Cut it in half, scoop out the seeds, then cube into 1 inch pieces. Easy peasy!
Roasted Butternut Squash Recipe
This delicious roasted butternut squash recipe with apples, tart cherries, and walnuts will be the highlight of your dinner table.
Ingredients
- 1 butternut squash (about 3 lbs.), cubed into 1 inch pieces
- 3 Pink Lady apples, peeled and cubed into 1 inch pieces
- 2 tablespoons of butter, melted (or ghee, or vegan butter)
- 2 tablespoons organic brown sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/2 cup walnuts, roughly chopped
- 1/2 cup dried tart cherries (or cranberries)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees (F) and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Place the cubed butternut squash and apples in a large mixing bowl.
- Drizzle with melted butter, then sprinkle with organic brown sugar, ground cinnamon and ground nutmeg. Toss to coat thoroughly.
- Pour the contents of the bowl onto the parchment lined baking sheet, and use a spatula to spread it out in an even layer.
- Bake for 35 minutes, stirring once. At the end of the baking time, pierce 1-2 pieces of squash with a fork, to ensure it is soft. If it is not soft, bake an additional 5-10 minutes.
- Add the roughly chopped walnuts and dried tart cherries and bake an additional 5 minutes.
I have apples on my trees and squash ready to be picked in my garden…this looks like a delicious way to use them up!
Oh how I envy your apple tree, Amy!! Enjoy them for me too! ๐
WOW!! This looks like it would be very delicious. I have never tried butternut squash. I have used yellow squash, zucchini, pumpkin, and cushaw. My husband planted cumshaw a few years ago and we love it. He planted more this year. They are HUGE! HA!!
Hi Charlotte! Thank you! I’ve never tried cushaw squash before! Now I’ll have to try to track one down. ๐ How awesome to have your own garden! Enjoy!
Going to try this when I get back home to Florida next week.
Sounds like a wonderful plan!
Hi girlfriend, Not so cold in Arkansas yet; just into the rice and soybean harvest. Recipe looks good, I’ll be using pecans off my own tree instead of walnuts and probably simplify with pumpkin pie spice, one of my favorite shortcuts.Thanks for the recipe, I brag about you all the time and am never without some of your bread in the freezer. Jerre (You may remember we had that little discussion about tongs ๐
Oh Jerre, I read your message and laughed and laughed…. the tongs. ๐ How could I forget?! Your substitutions sound wonderful too. Thanks so much for commenting! (((hugs)))
Yummmmm!!! Delicious recipe, Megan! Thanks!
You bet, Stephanie! Thank you! ๐
I think this perfectly fall salad is going on my Thanksgiving table!
Great plan, Amy!! Thanks!
The ingredient list says Brown sugar but it’s not in the instructions. Do you add it with the cinnamon?
Carole! Thank you so much for catching that for me! Yes, you add it with the cinnamon. ๐
I love baking in the autumn and winter. I find it super comforting, plus it’s a great way to warm up the house ๐
Mmmm – this looks like the perfect addition to a holiday menu!
Butternut squash is by far my favorite of the winter squashes. I love the addition of the tart cherries and walnuts for crunch and bite!
This sounds amazing! I love how perfect this is for the cooler weather!
The perfect fall side dish – love that it has both apples AND cherries!
This looks amazing! I featured it tonight on Allergy-Free Thursdays. Can’t wait to see what you share this week!
I love squash, but I always feel that there’s so little recipes you can make with it. This looks very tasty, though!
Thank you!
This sounds so delicious! I absolutely bake more in the fall/winter months! I love having the oven going and the warming smells in the house.
Made my take on this recipe for our Thanksgiving dinner today. It was a hit! Didn’t have time to roast the veggies so I cooked the butternut squash and two apples cut into cubes in the microwave with a little water. I drained the extra water from them and added them with some pre-cooked (about 3/4 cup measured dry before cooking) red quinoa, the other ingredients in the recipe, and I added about 2 tbs maple syrup, a pinch of salt, and about a tsp lemon juice. Was yummy hot and cold. Going to try the roasted version soon.
I love healthy food! Definitely I will prep these roasted butternut squash with apples tart cherries and walnuts on the weekend for my family. Thx Megan!
I hope you enjoy it as much as we do! ๐ Thanks Jill!
Definitely, I will make roasted butternut squash with apples tart cherries and walnuts on the weekend for my family.
That roasted butternut squash with apples tart cherries and walnuts recipe is incredible! I’m seriously so inspired right now. I need to add honey to the recipe, and it would be perfect. Thx for sharing!
Awe – thank you so much, Robin! I think honey would be a great option!
That roasted butternut squash with apples tart cherries and walnuts recipe so extravagant:) Iโm afraid I will not find the ingredients for this recipe!
I loved it! I found the simple ingredents so perfectly flavorful! I made it three nights ago and am already craving it again!
That’s awesome, Susan! Very happy to hear that. I appreciate you letting me know!
Loved this recipe! Able to stand on it’s own with no changes…. Very nice indeed!
Glad to hear that, Richard! Thanks for coming back here and letting me know what you thought of it. ๐