Roasted Whole Butternut Squash With Soy Sauce

Butternut squash's mild sweetness blends well with salty soy sauce.

Butternut squash gets its flavorful name from its smooth, buttery texture and nutty taste. Like other winter squashes, butternut squashes have an inedible tough exterior that differentiates them from summer squashes eaten with their skins. You can deal with this tough rind by roasting the vegetable whole and scooping the soft flesh away from the rind after cooking. This method produces plenty of nutritious squash to use in other dishes or to enjoy by itself drizzled with soy sauce and honey.

Things You'll Need

• Baking sheet
• Aluminum foil
• 1 medium butternut squash, about 2 pounds
• Fork
• Chef's knife
• Spoon
• Soy sauce
• Honey or maple syrup

Instructions

1. Cover a baking sheet with aluminum foil to catch any juices that may leave the squash during cooking.

2. Heat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Squash in its skin will not burn or dry at higher temperatures, so turning up the heat will cook the squash more quickly without reducing the quality of the food.

3. Prick the squash about a dozen times with a fork. The fork holes are too small to let too much liquid escape during cooking, but provide a means for steam to leave the squash.

4. Place the butternut squash on the baking dish and transfer it to the oven. Bake the squash for 2 hours, turning occasionally. Cooking times vary greatly, so test the squash for doneness with a knife inserted into its thick base; the knife should slide in with little resistance when the squash is thoroughly cooked.

5. Remove the squash from the oven and transfer it to a cutting board. Slice it lengthwise with a large knife such as a chef's knife.

6. Remove the seeds and the stringy pith surrounding them from the squash's belly with a spoon. This is easier once the squash has cooled somewhat. Scoop the edible flesh away from the rind.

7. Serve the roasted squash with a drizzle of two parts soy sauce to one part honey or maple syrup. You can omit the syrup or honey if you prefer a more savory dish or are limiting your sugar intake.

Tips & Warnings

• Butternut squash contains only 80 calories per cup, but fills a quarter of your daily need of vitamin C and gives you more than enough vitamin A for the day.

• Puree roasted squash with cooked onions, garlic, chicken stock, soy sauce and a dash of ginger for an elegant squash soup.

• A whole squash retains its heat for some time after it leaves the oven; handle it with care even when it's cool to the touch on the surface to avoid burns.

References

• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Vegetable of the Month - Winter Squash
• Pennsylvania Nutrition Education Network: Winter Squash