Roasted Butternut Squash With Brown Butter Vinaigrette

By Ali Slagle

Published Oct. 29, 2020

Roasted Butternut Squash With Brown Butter Vinaigrette
Romulo Yanes for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Vivian Lui.
Total Time
40 minutes
Rating
4(946)
Comments
Read comments

This roasted butternut squash is every bit as caramelized as you’d want it to be, without the prep work that’s usually involved. First, it’s cooked without being peeled: The skin is a crisp counterpart to the jammy interior. (If you do want to get rid of the peel, it tears away easily after roasting.) Then, it’s dressed with a vinaigrette made with brown butter, vinegar and dried chile. Mint is added for freshness and flaky salt for crunch, and you could also throw on some cheese — Parmesan, Gruyère, ricotta — for more richness. Serve the squash over sturdy salad greens, or add nuts or pepitas to the browning butter for more texture.

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings
  • 1large butternut squash (3 to 4 pounds)
  • 3tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • Kosher salt and black pepper
  • 3tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1teaspoon apple cider vinegar, plus more as needed
  • ¼teaspoon red-pepper flakes, plus more as needed
  • ½cup fresh mint leaves (optional)
  • Flaky salt
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

325 calories; 19 grams fat; 7 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 10 grams monounsaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 41 grams carbohydrates; 8 grams dietary fiber; 7 grams sugars; 4 grams protein; 1004 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Arrange a rack at the bottom of the oven and heat to 425 degrees. Slice the squash ½-inch-thick crosswise. (No need to peel.) Cut slices in half, if desired, to make half moons. Remove the seeds from the squash with a spoon and discard.

  2. Step 2

    On a rimmed baking sheet, toss the squash with the olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Spread in an even layer and roast on the bottom rack until browned, 20 to 25 minutes. Flip and roast until tender, another 5 to 10 minutes.

  3. Step 3

    After you flip the squash, make the brown butter: Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium. Cook, swirling occasionally, until the foam subsides, the milk solids turn golden-brown and it smells nutty, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from heat and add the vinegar and red-pepper flakes. Season with salt and pepper and set aside on the stovetop until the squash is ready. (The heat from the oven keeps the butter from hardening.)

  4. Step 4

    Dip a piece of squash into the vinaigrette, try it, and adjust vinegar, salt and red-pepper flakes to taste. Spoon the vinaigrette over the squash and top with mint leaves, if using, and flaky salt.

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Ratings

4 out of 5
946 user ratings
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Comments

D. Ward

In the first step, it’s much easier to remove the seeds from a halved squash before slicing. Use a spoon or melon baller.

christina bokat

Made with delicata because that’s what I had, no mint and added pine nuts and parmesan. Very, very good

hilary

Miyoko’s vegan butter browns and works as a great sub

invisiblezipper

I love this recipe. The flavors are so complex and interesting and it is a great side for Thanksgiving. You should definitely include the mint! A cautionary tale: I followed the suggestions and halved the squash to easily seed them prior to slicing. I roasted the squash the day prior, and reheated on Thanksgiving to free up some oven space. That was a mistake. The squash got a bit dried out and chewy. It was still delicious but next time I’ll either figure out a way to roast and serve right away or I may play with cubing and roasting…bigger slices?

Isaiah

I didn’t find this recipe particularly flavorful.

Jane

This is sooo good. Another hit from Ali! I didn’t have apple cider vinegar so used Black Jack balsamic vinegar from a local purveyor. I don’t have much left so using judiciously. It was divine and the pine nuts were a good addition. I put over some leftover lentils and it was a complete meal. Thanks Ali!

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