Make this roasted frozen butternut squash in about 30 minutes. It's much easier and faster than prepping fresh butternut squash. Try this simple seasoning, or make sage squash, Italian seasoned, or cinnamon sugar.
Table of contents
Roasted frozen butternut squash is the perfect side dish for fall. Save your fingers and time by using precut and frozen squash. It cooks up quickly, and with a few smart tricks, comes out tender inside with crispy edges.
Add simple seasonings for a basic side, or try other seasoning ideas that I share for a more flavorful side dish.
Cinnamon sugar butternut squash cubes is a good substitute for more time-intensive sweet potato casserole. It's not the same, but has similar flavors and is delicious too.
This roasted frozen butternut squash recipe makes one cup of squash, so it's easy to adjust the amount you make, just add one recipe's seasonings for each cup of squash you use.
Make in the oven, air fryer, or stovetop. Whatever is easiest or already in use.
I prefer to cook sides with main dishes, if baking. It saves time, energy, and is easy!
Ingredients
Scroll down to the roasted frozen butternut squash recipe card for the amounts of each ingredient, but here's a quick visual + description of what's in this recipe.
- Frozen Butternut Squash: Do not thaw before baking, prepare just before baking it. The squash I bought was in about ½ inch cubes, ½ to 1-inch cubes will cook the quickest, without getting too mushy.
- Olive Oil or vegetable oil or avocado oil.
- Kosher Salt
- Black Pepper
Instructions
Scroll down to the roasted frozen butternut squash recipe card for more detailed instructions. Here's a quick overview + photos to see how to make this recipe in general.
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Place baking dish on bottom rack to preheat.
Break apart frozen butternut squash, remove excess ice crystals.
Add squash, olive oil, kosher salt, and black pepper to mixing bowl. Toss.
Spray hot baking sheet. Spread out squash in a single layer. Bake for 20-25 minutes, tossing half way through baking time. It will get very soft, then crisp up.
Adjust cooking time based on squash cube size, like if you have one-inch cubes.
Add garnishes, serve your golden brown roasted frozen butternut squash immediately.
Different Ways of Seasoning the Squash
Simple roast butternut squash is delicious, but here are a couple other seasoning options for this roasted frozen butternut squash and other vegetable recipes. These delicious flavors would be great Thanksgiving side dishes.
- Sage Butter topping: 3-4 leaves fresh sage (or about 1 teaspoon dried), 1 Tablespoon melted butter, ¼ teaspoon kosher salt. Optional garnishes: lemon juice, parmesan cheese.
- Italian Seasoning: 2 teaspoons olive oil, 1 ½ teaspoons Italian seasoning, ¼ teaspoon kosher salt. Optional garnishes: lemon juice, parmesan cheese.
- Cinnamon Sugar: 1 Tablespoon melted butter, 1-2 teaspoons brown sugar, ¼ teaspoon cinnamon, pinch of salt. This cinnamon sugar roasted frozen butternut squash is an easy Thanksgiving side dish.
Air Fryer Instructions
You can make this roasted frozen butternut squash in the air fryer too. Line air fryer basket with foil and cook squash for about 20 minutes at 400 degrees F. Preheat Air Fryer for about 5 minutes, and toss 1-2 times while cooking.
Storage/Reheating Tips
Store leftover roasted frozen butternut squash in an airtight container for about a week. Reheat in the microwave, or in an air fryer or toaster oven for crispy edges. It's also good cold, over a salad or on it's own.
You can also re-freeze this roasted frozen butternut squash since it's been cooked. Just add it to a freezer bag or freezer-safe container. Since it's been roasted the texture should be good after reheating.
Substitutions/Tips
- Squash will get very soft, then crisp up, so give it some time for extra crispiness. You can also spray frozen butternut squash with more cooking spray while it's roasting. Using frozen squash is the easiest way.
- Easily scale this recipe, it makes one cup of squash. Roasted frozen butternut squash is a great side for one or a side for a holiday dinner.
- Adjust cooking time depending on butternut squash cube sizes. The cubes I used are about ½ inch. Cook longer for larger cubes.
- You can use this recipe for fresh squash, you might want to start by baking the squash for about 20-30 minutes, Toss frequently, and cook until tender inside and crispy on the edges.
- Use these seasoning options for sweet potatoes or even whole squash halves. Adjust cooking time for different vegetables and squashes.
- Optional Toppings: maple syrup, red pepper flakes, lemon juice, fresh rosemary, parmesan cheese, chopped nuts, nutritional yeast, etc are all tasty on roasted frozen butternut squash.
FAQ
No, many roasted frozen butternut squash recipes call for frozen squash, this recipe included. Just break apart squash, and remove excess ice crystals.
What to do with leftover ingredients
When you're cooking for one, you often have leftover produce, cans of whatever ingredient, etc. Here are a couple ideas on how to use up the leftover ingredients. It'll help you save money by wasting fewer ingredients.
- Butternut Squash: Butternut Squash Lasagna Rolls, Swap for delicata squash in Delicata Squash Soup, swap for other squash in Vegetarian Harvest Bowl, or One Dish Kitchen's Instant Pot Butternut Squash Soup.
Did you make this roasted frozen butternut squash? Leave me a comment & rating to share how it turned out!
Roasted Frozen Butternut Squash
Equipment
- Mixing bowl
- Measuring cups, spoons
- baking sheet
- spatula
Ingredients
- 1 cup frozen cubed butternut squash do not thaw
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- cooking spray
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Place baking sheet on bottom rack.
- Break up frozen cubed butternut squash, remove excess ice from squash. Add 1 cup frozen butternut squash to mixing bowl.
- Add 2 teaspoons olive oil, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. Toss squash and seasonings. Additional seasoning suggestions in notes section below.
- Spray baking sheet with cooking spray.
- Transfer to hot baking sheet, spread out into one layer. Cook 15-20 minutes, gently turn, then cook another 5-10 minutes, until tender on the inside and crispy on the outside. (cooking time will vary depending on size of squash cubes). Note- squash will get very soft, then crisp up. Give it some time. You can spray it once or a couple times with cooking spray to crisp up edges more.
Notes
- Easily scale this recipe as it makes one cup of squash. It's great as a side for one or a side for a holiday dinner.
- Adjust cooking time depending on butternut squash cube sizes. The cubes I used are about ½ inch. Cook longer for larger cubes.
- You can use this recipe for fresh squash, you might want to start by baking the squash for about 20-30 minutes, Toss frequently, and cook until tender inside and crispy on the edges.
- Sage and Butter topping: 3-4 leaves fresh sage (or about 1 teaspoon dried), 1 Tablespoon melted butter, ¼ teaspoon kosher salt. Optional garnishes: lemon juice, parmesan cheese
- Italian Seasoning topping: 2 teaspoons olive oil, 1 ½ teaspoons Italian seasoning, ¼ teaspoon kosher salt. Optional garnishes: lemon juice, parmesan cheese.
- Cinnamon Sugar topping: 1 Tablespoon melted butter, 1-2 teaspoons brown sugar, ¼ teaspoon cinnamon, pinch of salt.
- Optional Toppings: red pepper flakes, lemon juice, parmesan cheese, etc.
Rebecca Hite says
Really great flavor and yes you have to watch them so they don’t burn especially with the brown sugar! Added this to my favorite rotation!
Rebecca Clyde MS, RDN, CD says
yes definitely watch it! glad it turned out well for you 🙂
glork says
Burned and soggy. Won't use this recipe again, sorry.
Rebecca Clyde MS, RDN, CD says
hmm Im sorry that happened when you made it. I'm happy to walk through the recipe with you to see if something went wrong when making it.
Liza says
Love this oven roasted butternut squash! It's so great to know how to cook it when it's frozen - no more defrosting!
Rebecca Clyde MS, RDN, CD says
it's a game changer!
Shadi Hasanzadenemati says
This is a great side dish for fall gathering and thanksgiving too. Thank you for sharing that.
Justine says
Delicious and easy! Thank you so much!
Rebecca Clyde MS, RDN, CD says
glad you liked it!
Andrea says
I can't wait to try this method of cooking frozen butternut squash. I always have a problem getting it to crisp on the outside. Thanks for this.
Rebecca Clyde MS, RDN, CD says
agreed! just make sure to cook it long enough because it crisps up after softening.
veenaazmanov says
Thanks for al the detailing to making this simple yet delicious Roasted Frozen Butternut Squash. Love the optional topping idea too. Sounds like a perfect side dish option.
Rebecca Clyde MS, RDN, CD says
so good!