Smoked paprika roasted butternut squash
Ingredients
Method
- Preheat the oven to 210 °C (190 °C fan). Cut off both ends of the butternut squash, then separate the neck from the round part.
- Peel it with a vegetable peeler, or keep the skin if it is organic. Cut the round part in half, scoop out the seeds with a spoon, then cut all the squash into 2 to 3 cm cubes.
- On a tray lined with baking paper, toss the cubes with the olive oil, smoked paprika, crushed garlic, thyme leaves, salt and pepper. Spread them out in a single layer without crowding.
- Roast for 30 to 35 minutes, turning the cubes halfway through, until tender and nicely browned at the edges.
- For the last 5 minutes, add the pumpkin seeds to the tray to toast them. For a sweet and savoury version, drizzle the squash with honey at the same time.
- Serve hot or warm, scattered with crumbled feta and a little fresh thyme.
Notes
Meltingly tender inside, caramelised at the edges and lifted by a subtle note of wood smoke, smoked paprika butternut squash is the ideal side for autumn evenings. The sweetness of the squash and the smoky character of pimentón make a surprisingly harmonious pair. Our butternut squash with smoked paprika takes 15 minutes to prepare, then the oven does the rest. Add a handful of feta and toasted pumpkin seeds and it even becomes a complete vegetarian meal.
Oven-roasted butternut squash recipe, step by step
This oven-baked butternut squash recipe is one of the simplest there is. You cut the squash into cubes, coat them in olive oil and spices, then let them roast for half an hour in a hot oven. The result: tender pieces, almost creamy inside, and nicely browned outside.
The only slightly tricky step is cutting it. With a large, sharp knife and a good method, though, it takes less than 10 minutes.
Preparing and cutting butternut squash for the oven
For perfect butternut squash in the oven, start by making it stable. Cut a thin slice off both ends so it sits flat, then separate the long neck from the round part, which holds the seeds. These two smaller pieces are much easier to handle.
Do you need to peel it? Not necessarily. Butternut skin is thin and turns tender when roasted: if your squash is organic, just wash it and keep the skin, which adds fibre and a nice contrast. Otherwise, a vegetable peeler removes it much more easily than a knife.
Then cut the round part in half, scoop it out with a spoon, and cut all the flesh into 2 to 3 cm cubes. What matters is that they are all the same size, so they cook at the same rate.
How to get roasted butternut squash just right
Perfect oven-roasted butternut squash comes down to three details. First, temperature: 210 °C conventional, or 190 °C fan. Next, space: spread the cubes in a single layer without touching. Crowded together, they release their water and steam instead of roasting. Use two trays if you need to. Finally, turn them once halfway through so they brown on several sides.
Allow 30 to 35 minutes. The squash is ready when the tip of a knife slides in without resistance and the edges are starting to caramelise.
Spiced roasted butternut squash: smoked paprika, garlic and thyme
Spice-roasted butternut squash shows its full potential with this simple trio. Smoked paprika gives a red-orange colour and a barbecue note. Crushed garlic adds depth, and thyme a Provençal touch that balances everything. Toss the cubes well with the oil and spices right on the tray: the oil helps the paprika’s flavour spread.
Why smoked paprika is so good with squash
Smoked paprika, or pimentón, is a paprika made from peppers dried slowly over an oak wood fire. The most famous is pimentón de la Vera, a Spanish protected designation of origin, which comes sweet, bittersweet or hot. Choose the sweet one for this smoked paprika recipe. Its smoky flavour offsets the naturally sweet butternut: it’s the same idea as sweet and savoury, but with wood smoke in place of salt. That is why smoked paprika turns up in so many recipes for roasted vegetables, chickpeas and soups.
How to season butternut squash: the best spices for it
Wondering how to season butternut squash differently? Its mild flesh takes almost any warm spice. Cumin and coriander seeds give it a Middle Eastern accent. Cinnamon and nutmeg, in small amounts, bring out its sweetness. Turmeric and ginger take it towards India, and Espelette pepper gives it a gentle warmth. As for herbs, sage and rosemary are its best friends.
Our roasted butternut variations
Crispy oven-baked butternut fries with paprika
For oven-baked butternut squash fries, use the neck of the squash, which has no seeds. Cut it into 1 cm thick sticks, then coat them in oil, smoked paprika and a tablespoon of cornflour: that’s what makes them crisp. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes at 220 °C, well spaced out, turning once. Salt only when they come out of the oven.
Butternut squash in the air fryer
Don’t want to turn on the big oven? Air fryer butternut squash is ready in 18 minutes. Prepare the cubes the same way, with a little less oil, and cook them at 190 °C, shaking the basket every 5 minutes. Don’t overfill it: better to cook in two batches than to pile the cubes up.
Honey and paprika roasted butternut squash
For a sweet and savoury twist, honey paprika roasted butternut squash is irresistible. Add a tablespoon of honey, or maple syrup, during the last 5 minutes of cooking, not before: it would burn. The honey caramelises on the cubes and pairs perfectly with the smoky paprika.
Smoked paprika butternut squash soup
Leftover roasted squash? Turn it into a smoked paprika butternut squash soup. Blend the roasted squash with 700 ml of hot vegetable stock and 100 ml of cream or coconut milk, then adjust the seasoning. Roasting gives the soup a much deeper flavour than simply boiled squash. Serve it with a pinch of smoked paprika and a drizzle of olive oil. For another autumn soup, try our red kuri squash and chestnut soup.
Butternut squash and feta in the oven: a winning pair
Roasted butternut squash with feta is a Mediterranean classic. The salt and tang of the feta answer the sweetness of the squash, and the toasted pumpkin seeds add crunch. Crumble the feta over the hot squash as it comes out of the oven: it softens slightly without drying out. Zero-waste tip: instead of buying seeds, rinse and dry the ones from your squash, then toast them on the tray with a drizzle of oil and a pinch of salt.
What to serve with smoked paprika butternut squash
As a butternut squash side dish, it goes with almost anything. Here are our favourite pairings:
- With poultry: a roast chicken, grilled chicken thighs or a guinea fowl.
- With fish: oven-baked salmon or cod.
- With grains: on a bed of quinoa, bulgur or lentils for a complete vegetarian meal.
- With other roasted vegetables, such as our honey and cumin roasted carrots or our turmeric roasted cauliflower.
A plate of roasted autumn vegetables
Butternut is the queen of roasted autumn vegetables. On the same tray you can add red onion wedges, drained chickpeas, mushrooms or chunks of sweet potato, which cook in the same time. Serve everything in a big bowl with a yoghurt sauce, a few rocket leaves and some seeds: you have a colourful, filling vegetarian bowl. For a pan-fried version, take inspiration from our sweet potato and courgette stir-fry.
Frequently asked questions
Can roasted butternut squash be made ahead?
Yes. It keeps for 3 days in the fridge in an airtight container. Reheat it for 10 minutes in the oven at 180 °C to bring back its crispness, or eat it cold in a salad. Add the feta only when serving.
Can I use another squash instead of butternut?
Yes. Red kuri squash works very well and doesn’t need peeling. Other pumpkins work too, but they release more water: cut them into slightly larger pieces and cook a few minutes longer.
My smoked paprika tastes bitter, why?
Paprika burns easily at very high temperatures. Don’t go above 210 °C and coat the cubes well in oil: it protects the spice. If your oven runs hot, sprinkle on part of the paprika only halfway through cooking.
