Hasselback Butternut Squash with Maple Sage Butter, Red Chile, + Pumpkin Seeds (Vegan, Gluten Free)
Nov 09, 2021, Updated May 20, 2024
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If you’ve been here for a while, you know that I don’t tend to go heavy on the Thanksgiving food posts. This is not because I don’t love Thanksgiving, I do.
It is because, of all the holidays, I find Thanksgiving to be the one where most of us like to stick to tradition. Therefore, I post recipes like this Hasselback Butternut Squash with Maple Sage Butter, Red Chile, and Pumpkin Seeds where I show you how to think of classic foods in a new way.
Most of us are familiar with butternut squash, particularly in soup or mashed into a puree. Here are some reasons why I love this take on butternut squash for Thanksgiving, or any fall dinner.
- It’s quite beautiful. The hasselback cuts make for a lovely presentation that looks more impressive than it is complicated to make.
- It is so flavorful, and I find many butternut squash sides to be a bit bland. The maple syrup, butter, sage, and chile add a lot of depth and a bit of crunch to the humble squash.
- It’s easy! The most intimidating part for some is making the cuts, but I have a tip to use chopsticks or spoons on the outsides of the squash when cutting to keep your knife from going all the way through. I promise, it’s easy once you get the hang of it!
what else can i use?
- This method can also be used for acorn squash, just lower the cooking time a bit.
- The chiles don’t add a ton of spice, just a subtle hint, but feel free to leave them out.
- Feel free to swap in honey or brown sugar for the maple syrup in the butter.
- No fresh sage? You can use 1/2 teaspoon of dried sage, or fresh rosemary or thyme
If you want more inspiration for delicious Thanksgiving sides, make sure to check out these recipes here as well!
- Fall Roasted Vegetable Salad
- Sweet Potato Agrodolce
- Hashed Brussels Sprouts with Lemon + Poppy Seeds
- Three Ingredient Miso Butter Sweet Potatoes
If you make this Hasselback Butternut Squash, and I hope you do, please leave me a comment here or post to Instagram and tag me. I love to hear your feedback and share your creations!
Hasselback Butternut Squash with Maple Sage Butter, Red Chile, + Pumpkin Seeds
Equipment
- roasting pan
Ingredients
- 1 large butternut squash
- 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 6 tbsp unsalted butter
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
- 2 tsp fresh sage, chopped
- 2 red chiles, seeds removed and sliced thin
- 1/4 cup roasted pumpkin seeds
- 1 Tbsp Kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp Fresh cracked black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 Degrees F.
- Halve the squash lengthwise and scoop out the seeds with a large spoon.
- Using a peeler, remove the skin and rub with 2 Tbsp of the olive oil, salt, and pepper.
- Place in a baking dish, cut side down, and roast for 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, make the butter by combining butter, maple syrup, sage, vinegar, and one red chile in a small saucepan.
- Simmer for 5 minutes until it thickens a bit, and remove from heat.
- When squash is out of the oven, lay the halves on a cutting board, cut side down, and make inch wide cuts all the way down the squash, cutting almost all the way through but not completely. You can lay chopsticks on the outside of each squash half to help stop the knife from cutting to the board.
- Return squash to the baking dish and brush with the reserved maple butter, making sure to get it in the slices.
- Roast for 30 minutes.
- Remove squash, brush with maple butter in the roasting pan, and nestle the chiles under the squash if they are starting to get too dark.
- Roast for another 15-20 minutes under tender throughout.
- When cool enough to handle, transfer to a serving plate, brush any remaining maple butter on the squash and top with remaining red chile and pumpkin seeds.
- Enjoy!
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I’ve never had more compliments from the dinner table!
This is high praise, Sadie!
Thank you for giving it a try!
Kat.