Roasted Butternut squash with sage and pepitas is an easy way to take your favourite squash from simple to sublime! Toasted sage and pumpkin seeds add warm fall flavours to this easy squash side dish. Vegan, Paleo and Whole30 compliant.
Butternut Squash is probably the most well-liked squash variety and it's always welcome at a holiday dinner. This side dish of butternut squash with toasted sage and pepitas (pumpkin seeds) is a snap to make, yet those two simple additions add complexity to this dish, heighten its rich buttery flavour and put it over the top.
I often use toasted sage leaves as a garnish for soup, but this was the first (but not last) time I had tossed them into a vegetable dish. Crispy sage, crunchy pumpkin seeds, and creamy butternut--so simple, but so tasty!
Ingredients
Here's your short list of ingredients!
- peeled, cubed butternut squash
- olive oil for tossing the squash
- sea salt
- butter or oil for toasting the sage leaves and pumpkin seeds
- fresh sage leaves
- pumpkin seeds
Instructions
You'll find complete instructions in the recipe card below.
- Toss cubes of peeled butternut squash with a little olive oil and sea salt.
- Transfer to a pre-heated baking sheet and spread out so the cubes are not touching each other. In this way, they'll get crispy instead of cooking in their own steam.
- Flip halfway through the cooking time, then garnish with the toasted sage leaves and pumpkin seeds.
- Serve to your appreciative friends and family!
And if you're looking for more ways to serve butternut squash, try these recipes too.
More delicious Butternut Squash recipes
- Maple Dijon Butternut Squash
- Butternut Squash with Fresh Rosemary and Lime
- Chili Garlic Butternut Squash
- Butternut Squash Soup with Ginger and Orange
📖 Recipe
Butternut Squash with Toasted Sage and Pumpkin Seeds
Ingredients
- 4 cups peeled cubed butternut squash
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 2 teaspoon butter or oil
- 12 leaves sage
- ¼ cup pumpkin seeds
Instructions
- Heat oven to 400°F.
- Peel and cut the squash into ¾ inch cubes.
- In a medium bowl, toss squash with extra-virgin olive oil and salt.
- Heat a baking sheet in the oven for 5 minutes.
- Remove and transfer squash cubes to the hot baking sheet, spreading out so they are not touching each other (so they'll get crispy edges).
- Roast for 10 minutes, flip over and roast for 10 minutes more, or until tender when pierced with a fork.
- Meanwhile, in a medium skillet, melt 2 teaspoons butter, Add sage leaves and stir for 2-3 minutes, add pumpkin seeds and heat until they begin to turn colour. Remove from heat as they will continue to cook in the pan.
- Transfer squash to a serving dish and garnish with toasted sage leaves and pumpkin seeds. Serve immediately.
Flavour & Savour
Thanks Kari,
We never get tired of it. There are so many different ways to enjoy it!
Kari Peters
Butternut is definitely my favorite both for it's flavor and texture. We eat it every week all winter long, so I can't wait to try your recipe to change things up around here!
Flavour & Savour
I don't think I ever had squash as a child, either. Potatoes, peas, carrots or corn. Repeat. Once i started cooking for myself, I discovered a whole world of delicious options!
Sean
Beautiful dish Elaine. I didn't grow up eating squash at all, so butternut (and others) were something of a revelation to me when I was in my twenties. Now I'm always looking for new and interesting ways to work with it. I have to say, I LOVE that you've baked them with a crispy outside. I'm going to have to try that. The crispy, flavourful sage is a wonderful addition, and it adds real visual appeal too.
Cathy
I happen to have a butternut squash on hand. I must see if I can get sage leaves at my local store, so I can make this. I like your tip of preheating the baking sheet!
Flavour & Savour
Thanks , Cathy! Heating the sheet first really helps to make those sought-after crispy edges on roasted veggies! Have a great weekend!
Flavour & Savour
Thanks Colleen! I never get tired of it!
Colleen
Butternut squash is the best fall veggie in my opinion. It's incredibly versatile and you have proved it with all of these delicious recipes. Beautiful photos, too. Thanks for sharing.
Meaghan
Butternut squash is one of my favorite things about fall!! It is such a versatile veggie from roasting, to soups and sauces is there anything it can not do!?
Flavour & Savour
Me too, Meaghan! There seems to be no end to the ways you can use it. Haven't tried it in brownies yet, lol!
Wanda
I love Butternut Squash. My mom would make a variation when I would fly home for a visit back in the 80s & 90s and it got me hooked! Keep trying to get my kids to like it but for one it's texture and for the other it depends on the alignment of the moon, sun, stars 😉
Flavour & Savour
That's so funny! Kids---one day they'll love it, the next day, they'll shun it!
kathi @ laughingspatula
Oh boy I hope your foot is better and lava cakes? I've never made them and can't wait to try them. Wonderful Butternut Squash recipe round up! I've been buying the already cut and cubed stuff at the store...is that cheating? I'm sure I"ll do some damage if I try to cut one up myself!
Flavour & Savour
Thanks Kathy! That's not cheating at all. Let's call it being efficient 🙂 Stay tuned for the chocolate lava cakes--I'm working on getting that lava just right.