Food
Roasted butternut squash with crispy sage
A simple fall side dish: one sheet pan, a hot oven and a handful of fresh sage leaves.
The first butternut squash of the season always ends up on my counter a few days before I’m brave enough to cut it. Once it’s cubed, though, this is one of the easiest things I make all fall, and it earns a place on the Thanksgiving table every year.
What you need
Serves 4 as a side.
- 1 butternut squash, about 2½ pounds
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus a little more for the sage
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 12 to 15 fresh sage leaves
- Optional: a drizzle of maple syrup or a pinch of red pepper flakes
How I make it
- Heat the oven to 425°F. Put the rack in the middle.
- Cut the squash safely. Trim both ends, then slice a thin piece off one long side so the squash sits flat on the board. A wobbly squash and a sharp knife are a bad combination. Peel it with a vegetable peeler, halve it lengthwise, scoop out the seeds and cut it into 1-inch cubes.
- Season. Toss the cubes with the olive oil, salt and pepper right on a large sheet pan, then spread them out in a single layer. Give them room; crowded squash steams instead of browning.
- Roast for 25 to 35 minutes, turning the pieces once halfway through, until the edges are deep golden and a fork slides in easily.
- Add the sage. For the last 5 minutes, toss the sage leaves with a few drops of oil and scatter them over the pan. They come out crisp and fragrant.
If you like, finish with the maple syrup or the red pepper flakes, or both. Leftovers are good stirred into a pot of rice or folded into scrambled eggs the next morning.
A note on the peel
Butternut squash can leave a dry, tight feeling on your hands while you peel it. If that bothers you, wear kitchen gloves for that step, or peel it under a thin stream of cool water.
