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Maple Mustard Roasted Butternut Squash with Pecans and Goat Cheese

closeup of roasted butternut squash with goat cheese and pecans in a white bowl.
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Maple mustard roasted butternut squash with pecans and goat cheese is a delicious, sweet, slightly tangy fall side dish that's easy enough for weeknight dinners, but pretty enough for a Thanksgiving side. (gluten-free, vegetarian)

Ingredients

Scale
  • 4 cups butternut squash, cut into half inch cubes (about 1 small squash or half a large)
  • 3 tbsp pure maple syrup
  • 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tbsp grainy mustard (I used Maille old fashioned mustard)
  • 1/4 tsp coarse sea salt
  • 1/4 tsp freshly cracked black pepper
  • 1/2 cup pecan halves
  • 1/2 oz plain goat cheese, crumbled

Instructions

  1. Heat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. In a small bowl, whisk together maple syrup, apple cider vinegar, olive oil, mustard, salt and pepper.
  3. In a large bowl, toss butternut squash with maple syrup mixture to evenly coat. Spread onto the prepared baking sheet so that the cubes don't touch. (This will help them roast better and not steam.)
  4. Roast 20 minutes.
  5. Remove from oven and flip squash with a spatula. Sprinkle pecans onto the baking sheet with the squash and return to the oven for an additional 10-15 minutes, or until squash is golden and pecans are toasted.
  6. Place in a serving dish and sprinkle with crumbled goat cheese just before serving.

Notes

  • Make sure your squash is cut into uniform sized pieces so that it roasts evenly. I cut mine into about 1/2-inch pieces.
  • Spread out the butternut squash on the baking sheet. You want space between the cubes so that the squash roasts instead of steams. This way you get that nice crisp, caramelized exterior.
  • While I usually like my silicone baking mats for roasting veggies, this recipe is really much better with parchment paper - and much easier to clean up - because the natural sugars in the maple syrup get very sticky.
  • Don't skip the stirring step. I use a spatula to flip the squash over halfway through so that all of the sides of the squash get evenly browned.
  • To make this recipe vegan and dairy-free, omit the goat cheese.
  • If you can't find old fashioned whole grain mustard, use another grainy type, such as stone ground spicy mustard or dijon mustard.
  • You can use honey in place of maple syrup.
  • Toasted walnuts or pepitas are delicious in place of the pecans.
  • Try adding fresh thyme leaves or fresh chopped rosemary to the sauce before tossing with the butternut squash.

Keywords: roasted butternut squash cubes, maple mustard butternut squash, butternut squash with pecans

Find it online: https://livelytable.com/maple-mustard-roasted-butternut-squash/