What is Butternut Squash?

Butternut squash is one of the most popular varieties of winter squash sold in most grocery stores. This hard and heavy squash has a light tan skin with bright orange flesh and it is sorta shaped like those bowling pins lol.

It is a very hearty squash that is great for long-term storage and bulk buying. They store remarkably well if stored in a dry cool place. I love to stock up on them during the fall because they are abundant and most stores like Aldi and Kroger will run them at great prices such as .69 per pound. 

They are mostly flesh that can be harvested for eating but is a small handful of seeds that can be found in the very center of the fatter end of the squash. 

Butternut squash is great roasted, mashed, or even cooked in the air fryer. It pairs so well with any kind of protein and can be made into a savory dish or even a sweeter, sweet potato-like dish. It is so great in so many ways!

Lemon Rosemary Roasted Butternut Squash

This Lemon Rosemary Roasted Butternut Squash is so flavorful. It is the perfect low-fat side dish to compliment any lean protein of your choosing. The squash is perfectly roasted and the natural sweetness works so well with the tartness from the lemon and Rosemary.

We eat a ton of veggies in our house and one of our all-time favorites is the butternut squash. This squash is a starchier cousin to the yellow or zucchini squash so it falls into the higher-carb group like a sweet potato.

In fact, this recipe is like my Cilantro-Lime Sweet Potato recipe! You should give both a try soon!

This new squash recipe and the sweet potatoes I mentioned work nicely in the “E” meal if you follow the Trim Healthy Mama diet or for anyone looking for a healthy low-fat side dish.

This past summer we tried our hand at growing some of our beloved winter squash and we did really well for our first attempt. Well, we grew 12 and they didn’t get huge, but hey not bad. Considering I normally kill houseplants, ha!

We hope to grow more next summer so we can enjoy this recipe and others like my Instant Pot Butternut Squash Soup, but for now, they are abundant in the grocery stores and I’m okay with stocking up while the prices are good.

Here’s a little trivia for you the title “winter squash” was given to this veggie because it is a very hearty squash and though it is grown in the warmer months it will last all winter if stored correctly.

Here’s What You’ll Need For This Recipe:

• large butternut squash
• lemon juice
• cooking oil
• rosemary, fresh or dry
• salt and pepper to your tastes

With just the squash and a few other ingredients, you’ll be on your way to a deliciously easy side dish that can be a new favorite. It for sure is one of my family’s most requested sides in the fall. 

How Do You Peel and Prepare Butternut Squash?

Since butternut squash is so hard and very hearty some may be intimidated by cleaning it and chopping it up for recipes. It does take some caution and a steady hand. But you can do it, I have total confidence in you.

Here are some steps on the proper way to safely prepare your butternut squash for any recipe. 

1. Slice off the stem and bottom ends of the squash so that both ends are flat.
2. Slice the squash in half, just at the spot where the skinner end starts to get wider and the round area begins. 
3. Turn each half so that a flat end rests against the cutting board. Use a vegetable peeler to work your way down all the sides removing the light tan skin from the squash.
4. If you notice and light green lines left on the squash after you have peeled it, be sure to remove those with your peeler too. Once all the peel and those green bits are gone, the squash is ready to be seeded.
5. Now that you have both of the halves all peeled, next you’ll need to slice the fatter half of the squash lengthwise. This will make it easier to scoop out the seed. I like to use a large ice cream scoop because it is the perfect size to get it all in just a scoop or two.
6. Rember to reserve those seeds if you enjoy roasting them. They are so yummy and you can do them as you would pumpkin seeds! 

Now that I’ve walked you through cleaning and preparing your squash, you are set to make this recipe!

More Deliciousness…

I hope you enjoy this simple but delicious side dish around your table soon, I know you will enjoy it when you do! Stay tuned to the blog here for more simple and tasty recipes to come.

If you are new to the blog, thank you for stopping by and I hope you like what you see here and that you will enjoy this recipe and all the others you can find in my Recipe Index!

Oh, and before I go, I wanted to share that if you love butternut squash as much as I do you also need to check these other recipes linked below. The recipes are from some of my blogging friends and trust me, they are some keepers!

Instant Pot Butternut Squash Soup, Dairy-Free Option, by Yours Truly

Butternut Oat Muffins from Mrs. Criddles’s Kitchen

Continue to Content

Yield: 6-8 Serving

Lemon Rosemary Butternut Squash || Low Fat & THM "E"

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes

Additional Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes

A flavorful roasted butternut squash that makes an amazing side dish to any protein.

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Ingredients

• 3 pounds of Butternut Squash, peeled and cubed
• 1 tablespoon of melted coconut oil
• 1 large lemon, juiced
• 2 tablespoons of THM Super Sweet or Erythritol and Stevia Blend
• salt and pepper to your tasteas taste
• 2 teaspoons of rosemary, chopped extra fine

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
2. Place the cubed butternut squash into a large bowl and set it aside.
   
3. In a smaller bowl combine the melted coconut oil, lemon juice, and rosemary. Mix well.
4. Pour the lemon mixture over the squash and sprinkle with the sweetener. Toss well until all the pieces are coated.
5. Pour the butternut squash onto a large baking sheet in one equal layer. If you only have a small baking sheet divide this amount between two baking sheets.
6. Place the squash into the preheated oven and bake for 30 minutes before removing the pan from the oven and stirring the squash. If the squash is soft enough and browned to your liking you can remove it from the oven and serve.
7. For a more evenly caramelized squash, return it to the oven after stirring and bake for an additional 10 minutes. We like it this way!

Notes

Note: If you would like to avoid using coconut oil to lower the fat, you can toss the squash with lemon juice, salt, pepper, and rosemary and roast until tender. Then to crisp it up you can transfer it to an air fryer and lightly spray it and cook it until it reaches your desired crispiness. This is a suggestion from Cindy Young after trying this recipe.

Nutrition Information

Yield

6

Serving Size

1
Amount Per ServingCalories 116Total Fat 3gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 0gCholesterol 0mgSodium 61mgCarbohydrates 26gNet Carbohydrates 19gFiber 7gSugar 5gProtein 2g

I am not a nutritionist. If you have strict dietary needs I always recommend using an online nutrition calculator to calculate your totals using your exact brands you're using in this recipe as values may vary per brand.

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Keri Bucci

I am a southern girl through and through that loves to laugh, cook, read and spend time with family. My passions outside of home schooling my son are ministering to those in need and creating art in the kitchen! Every day is an adventure in our little house and I wouldn’t trade it or the chance to share here with you for anything!