A sauteed butternut squash recipe that's equal parts sweet and savory. It's simple, easy to make, and ready in under 15 minutes.
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the best easy butternut squash recipe
Butternut squash has a similar flavor to sweet potatoes. It can be made into a sweet or savory dish.
Take the stress out of the side dish portion of dinner. This is so simple and easy to make. A majority of the cooking time is just getting the butternut squash softened.
It can sometimes be difficult to find Fall side dishes that are in season. Butternut squash makes an excellent quick and easy side dish. The mix of sweet and savory will have your family asking for seconds.
Ingredients for Butternut Squash Sauteed
- butternut squash
- butter
- cinnamon
- nutmeg
- salt
- thyme
How to Peel Butternut Squash
To peel butternut squash, I like to trim both the top and bottom from the squash and use a standard vegetable peeler to peel off the skin.
How to Saute Butternut Squash on Stove
Detailed instructions and measurements to make sauteed butternut squash are listed in the recipe card at the bottom of this page.
- Add the butter to the skillet over medium high heat and let it melt.
- Once it has melted, add in the chopped butternut squash and stir until the butter fully coats the squash pieces.
- Place a lid on the skillet and allow the butternut squash to cook down, about 10 minutes.
- Remove the lid and sprinkle in the cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Stir to combine.
- Sprinkle with fresh thyme, mix and serve!
How Long to Saute Butternut Squash
You will want to saute butternut squash covered for about 10 minutes.
Tips, Tricks and FAQs for Butternut Squash on Stove
You can buy butternut squash already peeled and chopped in the produce section of most stores. Save yourself time by buying these and just throw them in the pan.
If you aren't used to nutmeg, go easy. Don't add too much because it can be overpowering in a dish.
Yes. You will need to peel the squash and chop it before placing it in the skillet.
The squash should be softened, but not mushy.
If you chop the squash into ½-1 inch squares, it should only need about 10 minutes to soften with the lid on the skillet.
Butternut squash is full of vitamins and nutrients like vitamin A, vitamin C, magnesium, and potassium.
Butternut squash pairs really well with flavors like cinnamon, nutmeg, and thyme.
substitutions
You can actually substitute the butternut squash in this recipe with sweet potato. They have similar flavors. You will need to peel and cube the sweet potato in the same way as the squash.
How to Serve Sweet and Savory Sauteed Butternut Squash
Sauteed butternut squash is an excellent side dish for chicken and seafood.
How to Store Butternut Squash
Allow it to cool completely and then store it in an airtight container up to 3 days in the refrigerator.
How long does butternut squash last?
Uncooked, unpeeled butternut squash will last 2-3 months when stored properly.
Once cooked, it needs to be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container. It will last up to 3 days when stored properly.
How can you tell if butternut squash has gone bad?
Uncooked, uncut butternut squash should not have any soft spots or strong odor. If it has either of these, it has gone bad.
How to Reheat Sauteed Butternut Squash
When you're ready to reheat, I recommend placing it in the microwave, covered for 1 minute at a time.
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Sauteed Butternut Squash
Ingredients
- 1 whole butternut squash
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½-1 teaspoon coarse kosher or sea salt (do not use table salt - it does not measure the same)
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme
Instructions
- Take the butternut squash and cut the bulb part away from the long part. Then, cut the long part and the bulb part in half. Scoop out any of the seeds and as much of the stringy texture as possible. Peel the skin off of the squash with a vegetable peeler and cut the squash into ½ - 1 inch cubes.
- Add the butter to the skillet over medium high heat and let it melt.
- Once it has melted, add in the chopped butternut squash and stir until the butter fully coats the squash pieces.
- Place a lid on the skillet and allow the butternut squash to cook down, about 10 minutes.
- Remove the lid and sprinkle in the cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Stir to combine.
- Sprinkle with fresh thyme, mix and serve!
Nutrition
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy. It should only be used for estimation purposes and is not a guarantee of any kind. Nutritional information varies widely between brands and types of ingredients used. It is recommended that you calculate the nutritional information based on your own ingredients and brands used. Sweetly Splendid, LLC makes no guarantees as to the exact nutrition information.
Caren
Followed recipe exactly for my first time. I thought 2 teaspoons of salt was a misprint but followed it anyway. Too much salt, even for us huge salt lovers.
I’ll try it again but cut back on salt
kara
Hi Caren, Thank you for pointing that out! That was a typo. It should be 1/2, not 2. I appreciate you pointing that out so that I could correct it. I hope you enjoy it when you make it again!