Roasted Butternut Squash with Orange Maple-Syrup Glaze

Winter squash were never a staple at my home when I was growing up, but after a couple of really nice experiences with butternut squash in restaurants, I became curious about making my own, so I adapted this recipe from one I discovered online. The results were very pleasing: tender squash with an intriguing hint of citrus.


Roasted Butternut Squash with Orange Maple-Syrup Glaze
Adapted from about.com

1 small butternut squash (2-3 lbs)
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
3/4 cup orange juice
3/4 cup pure maple syrup
1 tsp salt

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Prepare the squash by cutting the ends off to get rid of the stem and bottom, then cutting the squash in half lengthwise. Use a knife or spoon to scoop the seeds and pulp out of the center of the squash. Peel the squash until the green veins of the peel are gone, then dice the squash into roughly 1 inch x 1 inch cubes. Place the cubes in a large mixing bowl.

Combine the cinnamon, orange juice, maple syrup, and salt in a separate bowl, and whisk until the mixture is homogenous. Pour approximately one half of the mixture over the squash cubes in the bowl, reserving the remainder for later. Mix the cubes in the mixture until coated.

Line a baking sheet with tin foil and spread the squash cubes onto it in a single layer. Place in oven and roast for 30 min. At this point, remove from oven and use a spatula to turn the cubes over, so that both sides will roast evenly. Pour the remaining glaze that you held in reserve over the cubes at this time. Return to oven and roast for another 20 minutes, tasting a cube to test for softness at this time. Depending on the size of your cubes and on your oven, 10 or so more minutes of roasting may be required.

Serve immediately, spooning any glaze that is still liquid on the baking sheet over the squash cubes before serving.


Serves 4