If you are a lover of butternut squash, you have to try this Hasselback Butternut Squash. Thinly sliced Hassleback-style squash is seasoned with butter, honey, thyme, cinnamon, and more. This is a delicious sweet and savory side dish—or main dish—to serve up!
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This squash makes the perfect addition to your holiday feast! It looks stunning and tastes divine. Enjoy this fun and different way to cook up your favorite squash this fall and winter.
This Hasselback Butternut Squash recipe is...
- Gluten-free
- Elegant
- Prepped in 10 minutes
- An easy side dish
- Warm and buttery
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How to Make Hasselback Butternut Squash
- Preheat oven and slice squash in half lengthwise.
- Scoop out seeds and discard, then peel squash.
- Place on baking sheet cut side up, drizzle and season.
- Bake.
- While baking, prep herbed honey butter.
- Once squash is softened, use a knife to slice the Hasselback pattern.
- Brush with butter, and return to the oven to finish baking.
- Remove and serve warm.
Full directions for how to make Hasselback Butternut Squash are in the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post.
Tips & Tricks for Hasselback Butternut Squash
Remove Seeds and Peel
Make sure to use a spoon to scrape away the seeds in the center of the squash. You'll also need a peeler to remove the whitish colored flesh. You want to make sure that your squash is a deep orange color on both sides.
Bake Before Slicing
You will want to allow your squash to bake for around 20 minutes before attempting to slice it. The initial baking will soften your squash and help you make nice clean cuts. Without baking first, the squash may be a bit hard to slice.
Variations to Hasselback Butternut Squash
Seasoning Squash
You can season your squash any way you want. I went with a sweet and savory flavor, but feel free to change it up. Use different savory herbs or go sweet with honey and cinnamon.
Alternative to Honey
If you don't want to use honey, swap it out with maple syrup or even agave. You can stick to the exact amount in the recipe, or add as little or much as you'd like to reach your desired level of sweetness.
Hasselback Butternut Squash FAQs
Does this recipe double well?
This recipe can be easily doubled. Just grab a large enough baking dish, then bake the squash halves for the same amount of time.
How do you know when butternut squash is done cooking?
Butternut squash is fully cooked when it is fork tender. This means that you can stick a fork in and out of the flesh of the squash easily. It's also the same method you would use to check the doneness of a baked potato or sweet potato.
How should you store squash leftovers?
If you don't eat all your squash right away, you can store it in the fridge for 1–3 days. However, you will find that this squash is best served warm and fresh. To give your leftover squash some new life, you can use the leftovers to meal prep sandwiches, grain dishes, and salads for easy lunches.
Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 butternut squash medium, halved
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- 8 tbsp butter
- 2 tbsp honey
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp thyme
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- Slice the squash in half lengthwise. Use a spoon to scoop out the seeds and discard them. With the help of a peeler, peel the squash, removing the skin and the whitish flesh below it.
- Place the squash on a baking sheet, cut side up. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake for 20 minutes.
- Meanwhile, combine the butter with the honey, cinnamon, thyme, salt, and pepper in a small bowl.
- Mix until well combined.
- Once the squash is softened, take it out of the oven. With a sharp knife, slice the butternut squash in a hasselback pattern. (Look at the images for an example!)
- Brush the squash generously with the honey butter mixture and sprinkle with more salt and pepper, to taste. Return squash to the oven and bake for 40 more minutes or until tender and slightly caramelized.
- Serve with additional herbed honey butter on the side.
Notes
- You can use maple syrup or agave syrup instead of honey, if you prefer.
- You can also make a double batch of this honey butter to spread on top after baking. It’s tasty with bread too!
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