Cinnamon Roasted Butternut Squash with Maple Syrup

Serves 4 in about 45 minutes. A stove recipe built around pecans and brown sugar.

Ingredients

• 2 lbs butternut squash, cubed
• 2 ½ tablespoons brown sugar, packed
• ¾ teaspoon kosher salt (½ tsp table salt)
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 pinch pepper
• 4 tablespoons melted butter (or 2 tbsp olive oil)
• ¼ cup toasted pecans, chopped
• 1 - 2 tablespoons maple syrup

Method

1. If your butternut squash is not precut, you will need to peel, deseed, & cube it. It helps if you pierce the squash with a knife a few times & then put the whole squash in the microwave for 5-6 minutes. just long enough to soften it for cutting.
2. Warm oven to 425° F.
3. In a mixing bowl, add the brown sugar, salt, cinnamon, pepper, and melted butter. Beat together well.
4. Stir in the squash cubes to the mixture and toss to coat all of the cubes.
5. Smooth the squash cubes out on a parchment lined baking sheet in a single layer. Try to separate them as much as you can. If you need to, use two baking sheets.
6. The cook time will depend on how large you cut the cubes, and whether or not you had to microwave the squash a little to soften it for peeling. Just keep an eye on them.
7. Cook at 425° F for 15 minutes and then check on them. If you want, you can stir them and put them back in until done, another 5 to 15 minutes (cook time will depend on how large the cubed butternut squash pieces are).
8. Lift out to a serving dish and garnish with chopped toasted pecans and a drizzle of maple syrup.

More side dishes ideas are in the side dishes collection.