How to Make Easy Baked Butternut Squash

This is an easy vegan way of preparing butternut squash that emphasizes its sweetness. Baked butternut squash is a great dish for Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350.

2. Wash and cut a butternut squash in half lengthwise. If you don't have a heavy, sharp knife with which to do this, you can ask someone at the supermarket to do it for you. Do not remove the seeds and pulp.

3. Put a sheet of parchment paper on a cookie sheet or the bottom of a glass dish. Put the two halves of the butternut squash cut side up on the parchment paper. Coat the top of each half with a thin layer of light (not toasted) sesame oil.

4. When the oven is hot, put the squash in the oven.

5. After 40 minutes, check on the squash and see if it is drying out. If it is, sprinkle the tops of the squash halves with a little water. A little dryness on top is normal , but if it looks very dry, add just a few drops of water.

6. After 20 more minutes (60 minutes total cooking time), sprinkle some cinnamon on top of each half and bake 10 minutes more.

7. Check the squash to see if it is soft and seems done. Stick a fork all the way in. The top will be a little dry, but the inside should be very soft. Butternut squashes vary a lot in size, so if it's not done, keep checking every 10 or 15 minutes until it is. It may take up to 2 hours total. Enjoy!

Tips & Warnings

• Baking butternut squash gives a much sweeter and more intensely-flavored dish than boiling or steaming it
• There is no need to put water in the bottom of the dish
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Resources

• Easy Onion Soup
• Easy 10 MInute Chestnut Dessert

[harrietcat]

on 12/12/2008 Butternut squash is so good, it doesn't need much "attention" does it. Check out my article on Butternut squash/Parmesan bread pudding.

[GreenGardenChic]

on 11/23/2008 Sounds good and easy. Just what I was looking for.