brown sugar glazed butternut squash

May 24th, 2011 · 8 Comments

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Most likely, I should create a new category for this recipe. It’s best filed under, “Looks like veggies… tastes like candy.” I might have actually considered creating such a category except that I’m entirely unsure of whether any other recipe would join this one. How many veggie recipes can you think of that could pass as dessert (if you weren’t already planning on eating these after your dinner)?

I’ll be the first to admit that I’m not a squash fan. I don’t mind hiding pumpkin in a pie or slyly slipping into some cookies or a bread. I’ll even be so brave as to eat winter squash soup, as long as it has sufficient cream, sugar, and salt. But to choose to actually eat chunks of squash for dinner? I may have said “Never!” had I not trusted Cooks’ Illustrated’s infinite wisdom. There was surely hope for a squash recipe that started with “brown sugar” right?

This squash is amazing. If you can find pre-peeled squash, you may want to use that. I personally have not figured out how to grow pre-peeled squash in my garden, so I’m stuck preparing this the old-fashioned way. Squash does weird things to my skin, so I always use latex gloves when I am preparing it. Weird? Yes. But not nearly as weird as the feeling I get in my hands when I touch the raw squash. The idea here is simple. Toss the squash with some butter, brown sugar, salt and pepper and roast in the oven for 45 minutes. Roasting vegetables brings out their sweetness. Roasting vegetables covered in sugar *really* brings out their sweetness.

Oh, and by the way… Brant ate this. Which means it’s really good. Brant hates squash more than I do. If he can eat it, you can. And you should.

brown sugar glazed butternut squash

adapted from www.cooksillustrated.com

1 butternut squash (about 2.5 pounds)
1/4 cup dark brown sugar, packed
3 tbsp butter, melted
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper

Adjust oven rack to the middle position and preheat oven to 425F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil.

While oven is preheating, peel the squash, halve lengthwise, and remove the seeds. Cut into 1-inch chunks. In a large bowl, combine the squash with the rest of the ingredients. Mix well. Pour onto foil lined sheet. Roast, stirring every 15 minutes, until squash is well browned and completely tender, about 45 minutes. Serve.

Tags: 60 min or less · garden tale · vegetarian

8 responses so far ↓

1 Nicole@HeatOvenTo350 // May 24, 2011 at 4:35 pm

It looks delicious. I love butternut squash, especially when prepared to bring out its sweet side. Can’t wait to try it!
2 Bari // May 24, 2011 at 7:31 pm

Try an acorn squash — cut in half, remove seeds, put a little butter and brown sugar in the middle and bake in the oven in a glass pan with water. Probably tastes the same as the yummy squash above! YUM!
3 Paula // May 24, 2011 at 11:43 pm

Bari – and better yet, no peeling that darn butternut squash!!!!
4 Dana@TheSundaySweet // May 26, 2011 at 3:42 pm

This looks and sounds amazing! Butternut squash is one of my favorites. This looks like something I wouldn’t screw up too bad. Ive got a fun giveaway for food bloggers going on. Plate to pixel.
5 Paula // May 26, 2011 at 4:00 pm

Dana – I just bought Plate to Pixel. It’s a gorgeous book!!!! I’m so inspired!
6 Brenda // Sep 30, 2011 at 6:15 pm

Anxious to try this version! Btw, I finally found the secret to peeling a butternut squash without losing a few fingers . . . place a whole butternut squash in a large pot of boiling water. Turn the heat off and leave for approx. 10 minutes. Squash peels and slices so much easier!
7 Paula // Sep 30, 2011 at 6:35 pm

Your squash tip is brilliant! Can’t wait to try it! I have a pasta recipe using butternut squash that I want to try and have been avoiding just b/c I didn’t want to peel it!
8 deb burow // Oct 30, 2011 at 9:50 am

looks delicious, and love Brenda’s peeling suggestion. Can’t wait to try it. Yeah.