Roasted Garlic-Butter Butternut Squash

• This recipe transforms butternut squash into a rich, flavorful side to pair with meat, fish and more.
• This dish contains immune-boosting ingredients to help you fight off disease and illness.
• For a different spin on the recipe, try it with chopped pumpkin instead of butternut squash.

This Garlic-Butter Butternut Squash is the perfect side for your favorite protein. Antioxidant-rich butternut squash becomes sweet and slightly caramelized from roasting, while the garlic mellows out and gains a creamy texture before being whisked into melted butter and drizzled over the squash. Italian seasoning adds its classic flavors, which meld wonderfully with the roasted garlic. Fresh herbs add the final finishing flair. Keep reading for our expert tips, including why the garlic may need to go into the oven before the squash. 

Tips from the EatingWell Test Kitchen

These are the key tips we learned while developing and testing this recipe in our Test Kitchen to make sure it works, tastes great and is good for you too! 

• We suggest giving the garlic a head start in the oven, as it needs about 15 minutes more roasting time than the squash.
• There’s no need to worry about the garlic being overly pungent; the oven heat mellows it, making the garlic very sweet.
• For a tasty substitute, swap out the butternut squash for chopped pumpkin.
• We highly recommend adding a sprinkle of finishing salt at the end of cooking, as it enhances the flavor of the squash. And adding a shower of chopped parsley and basil provides a pop of herbal freshness.

Nutrition Notes

• Butternut squash is rich in fiber, antioxidants and vitamins A and C, which will help boost your immune system and are great for your skin. The potassium in butternut squash is good for healthy blood pressure. 
• Garlic has been shown to support healthy blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol levels when eaten regularly. Garlic may also provide a boost to your immune system. So make this dish a regular in your dinner lineup, especially during cold and flu season.

Photographer: Morgan Hunt Ward, Prop Stylist: Phoebe Hauser, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall.