This whole roasted butternut squash with browned butter, crispy sage, and Parmesan cheese is easy to make and a total showstopper of a fall side dish.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
“Absolutely delicious! My boyfriend cooks once a week and he made this tonight and I was impressed! Great flavors and perfect for autumn.” -Claire, FoodieCrush reader
Hasselback Butternut Squash Halves Are a Stunning Side Dish for Dinner Parties and Holidays
Butternut squash is a veggie I can’t get enough of this time of year. Every fall, I incorporate it into as many dishes as possible, like my harvest squash and ricotta stuffed shells and my beef and butternut squash enchiladas.
I particularly love roasting this nutty squash to draw out its natural sugars. The result is super sweet, flavorful, caramelized goodness. Sometimes I peel and cube it, and other times I leave the skin on and roast it whole (split down the middle), like in this fantastic fall side dish that I can’t stop thinking about.
This whole roasted butternut squash is seasoned simply with olive oil, salt, and pepper. While it roasts, you brown some butter and fry up some sage leaves, then drizzle the browned butter over the squash, top with the crispy sage leaves, and grate fresh Parmesan cheese overtop. The warm, earthy, nutty flavors of the browned butter and sage complement the sweet nuttiness of the butternut squash.
Enjoy!
What’s In This Recipe
The full recipe, with amounts, can be found in the recipe card below.
- Butternut squash — For an extra pretty presentation, I like to slice my squash hasselback-style but you can skip this step if desired.
- Extra-virgin olive oil — My oil of choice for roasting most veggies.
- Butter — You’l brown it and it’ll lend a rich, sweet, nutty flavor to the squash.
- Fresh sage — The sage will get slightly crispy in the browned butter, giving a nice flavor and texture.
- Parmesan cheese — Brings that salty, umami bite.
How to Roast Butternut Squash Halves (+ Tips)
Roasting a whole butternut squash is very simple, as long as you have a good, sharp knife and a hot oven!
Step 1: Peel and Cut the Squash Hasselback-Style
- Place the raw butternut squash cut side down and lay a chopstick on each long-side of the halves. The chopsticks ensure the knife doesn’t go through the whole squash when cut so the slices hold together while cooking.
- Use a sharp, heavy knife to make evenly spaced ⅛-1/4-inch slices through the squash. Slice until the blade of the knife hits the chopsticks on either side of the squash.
- Carefully lift the squash to a baking sheet and roast.
Step 2: Roast the Squash
- Drizzle with olive oil. Use your fingers to spread the oil into every little nook and cranny of the sliced squash.
- Roast at a high heat. I like to roast my butternut squash at 425°F to ensure it gets nicely tender and caramelized. Depending on how big yours is, it should take somewhere between 40-45 minutes.
Step 3: Make the Sage Brown Butter Sauce
- Once the butter is melted, add the sage leaves and stir. Scrape the bottom of the pan when the butter starts to brown. Those browned bits are where all the flavor is.
- Cook the sage in the butter for 2 minutes or so, or until the butter is brown and the sage leaves are slightly crispy but not burnt. Remove the sage from the butter and set aside to cool and crisp as they dry.
Step 4: Plate it up!
- Drizzle the hasselback butternut squash halves with the browned butter. Drip it in between the slices where you can.
- Top with the crisp sage leaves and sprinkle with Parm.
Heidi’s Tip: For an optional serving presentation, mash the squash after it’s cooked and then stir in the browned butter and Parmesan cheese. Top with the cripy sage leaves, flaky salt, and more cheese if desired.
What to Serve with This Butternut Squash
If you make this recipe, please let me know! Leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating on this recipe below and leave a comment, take a photo and tag me on Instagram with #foodiecrusheats.
Browned Butter Sage Butternut Squash Recipe
Ingredients
- 2-4 pound butternut squash
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil , divided
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt , divided
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper , divided
- 2 tablespoons butter
- ¼ cup sage leaves
- Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a large sheet pan with parchment paper or foil.
- Peel, trim, and slice the squash. Peel the squash, then lay it on its side on a cutting board and use your sharpest knife to cut off the top. Then, carefully slice the squash in half, stem to stem. Use a sturdy spoon to scrape and scoop out the insides and discard them. Place the raw butternut squash cut side down and lay a chopstick on each long-side of the halves. Use a sharp, heavy knife to make evenly spaced ⅛-1/4-inch slices through the squash. Slice until the blade of the knife hits the chopsticks on either side of the squash.
- Season and roast. Carefully lift the squash to a baking sheet and roast. Drizzle each half with ½ tablespoon of olive oil and spread to distribute the oil evenly. Sprinkle each with salt and pepper. Place squash in the oven to roast for about 45 minutes, depending on its size (start checking at 40 minutes). The squash is done when it’s caramelized (slightly burnished) and very tender, but not mushy.
- Make the sage brown butter. While the squash is roasting, melt your butter in a skillet over medium heat. Once the butter is melted, add the sage leaves and stir, scraping the bottom of the pan when the butter starts to brown. Add the sage leaves and cook for 2 minutes or so, or until the butter is brown and the sage leaves are slightly crispy but not burnt. Remove the sage and set aside to cool and crisp.
- Serve. Place the halves on a platter and drizzle with browned butter then top with sage, freshly grated Parmesan, salt, and more freshly ground black pepper.
Notes
Nutrition
More Butternut Squash Sides to Try
We send good emails. Subscribe to FoodieCrush and have each post plus exclusive content only for our subscribers delivered straight to your e-mail box.
Follow me on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, for more FoodieCrush inspiration.
As always, thank you for reading and supporting companies I partner with, which allows me to create more unique content and recipes for you. There are affiliate links in this post of which I receive a small commission. All opinions are always my own.
Mary Wingate
We did not peel just cleaned i,
then followed the exact recipe. It was delicious
So glad you liked it Mary!
Claire
Absolutely delicious! My boyfriend cooks once a week and he made this tonight and I was impressed! Great flavors and perfect for autumn
Thanks for the comment!
So glad you liked them Claire! And the BF too :)
Ellen
Soooo good! I needed to add more butter because the leaves absorbed some – and I used more leaves :) Honey nut squash were sweet and took less time to roast.
Thanks for the notes Ellen and so glad you liked it! Thanks for the comment at rating!
Elizabeth (Lisa) Johnson
looks great! do you leave the peel on and eat the peeling?
Hayley
No, we remove and discard the peel. We hope you enjoy!
Mary
Before or after roasting?
Peel the squash before cutting it in half and slicing it hasselback style.
Kelly
Looks yummy! But it does look like you sliced the squash cut side UP?
Hi Kelly, the cut side was down, so the rounded part was at beginning of cut.