Maple Butternut Squash, roasted with pecans and cranberries and drizzled with maple syrup is a fantastic, delicious veggie side dish for 4!
- 4 cups cubed butternut squash
- 1 Tablespoon vegetable oil or other neutral oil
- 1½ Tablespoons pure maple syrup
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ½ cup pecan halves
- ⅓ cup dried cranberries
- 1½ Tablespoons pure maple syrup
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Preheat oven to 400°F.. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
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Use vegetable peeler to remove peel from squash. Cut thin slices from both ends, then slice squash in half lengthwise. Scoop out/discard seeds. Turn squash over (seed hole face down). Slice squash into 1" wide pieces across width, then cut into bite sized cubes (about 1" each).
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Place 4 cups of cubes (or 20 oz. bagged cubes) into a large bowl. Drizzle with oil, maple syrup, ground cinnamon, sea salt and cayenne pepper. Stir well, to ensure squash cubes are well-coated with oil, syrup and spices.
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Transfer squash to prepared baking sheet. Spread them out, so they're in a single layer for baking. Bake squash at 400°F for 15 minutes; remove pan from oven.
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Immediately add pecans and cranberries. Toss to combine, then spread in single layer; place pan back into oven. Continue baking 12-15 more minutes. Squash is done when a knife can be easily inserted (soft inside), and squash is slightly caramelized on the outside. Remove from oven.
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Transfer roasted maple butternut squash, pecans and cranberries onto a serving platter or into a serving bowl. Drizzle squash with remaining maple syrup, if desired. Serve hot, and enjoy!