Learning how to roast a butternut and red kuri squash is very simple. No matter what squash or pumpkin you use, it will only take just a few ingredients, and then you can use them in any recipe you want. They are really versatile and have a neutral taste, so I like using them in savory and sweet recipes.
For a really long time, I couldn’t get to learn the difference between pumpkin and squash. Maybe it’s because I’m not a native English speaker, and in my native language – Serbian/Bosnian – they are all called by the same – “tikva” for the big ones and “tikvica” for the small.
I’ve really wanted to know the difference, and I’ve finally learned it. Here is the simple explanation. Pumpkin is a type of winter squash that has orange skin. That means that not every squash is a pumpkin, but every pumpkin is a type of squash. This means that butternut and red kuri are pumpkins. Well, red kuri is also called Hokkaido pumpkin, so that solved my problem. 🙂
Since the Pumpkin season has come with all of its’ wonderful colors, I have decided to share this simple tutorial with you. After this, you will be able to make any recipe that calls for pumpkin/squash, and not buying canned stuff.
How to roast squash
Roasting any type of squash is always the same. I chose to use butternut and red kuri because they are the most popular ones out there. But you can apply the same principles to spaghetti squash, acorn squash, zucchini, and so on.
There are a few ways to roast a butternut and red kuri squash. You can roast them whole in the oven until they are tender since their skin softens while baking. I find this to be the easiest way to roast the squash/pumpkin.
I actually love roasting butternut squash cut in half and don’t even bother taking the seeds out. Call me crazy on this, but I really love the look of the butternut halves when they come out of the oven. The skin is really soft and thin, the flesh is tender and juicy, and the seeds are much easier to scoop out. Also, I never season the butternut squash because I use it in sweet and savory dishes. Have you tried my Pumpkin Apple Muffins with Streusel Topping? They’re made with roasted butternut squash and are really delicious.
For the red kuri on the other hand, I prefer cutting it into wedges, remove seeds and roast it like that. It is much more delicate and less sweet than the butternut. I usually use it in savory dishes, so I’ll season it with salt and pepper before roasting.
I never peel any of them before roasting, because the skin is really tough, even though it is thin. After roasting the skin becomes so delicate and soft, and you can peel it off with your hand. I love using butternut squash skin in salads and stir-frys. Just thinly slice it and add to your dishes. And on the other hand, I always discard the skin of the red kuri because I find it to be too chewy for my taste. But I know people eat it as well, so give it a try if you haven’t already.
Let me know if you have any questions about roasting a squash/pumpkin. Leave them in the comments below, and I would be glad to leave a reply.
Recipes you might also like:
- Easy Baked Potato Fries
- Oven Baked BBQ Chicken Wings
- Quick and Easy Oven Baked Pork Chops
- Green Kale and Cauliflower Casserole
- Fresh Tomato and Collard Omelette Wrap
Anchy
A simple step-by-step tutorial for roasting any kind of pumpkin to use them in your delicious recipes.
5 minPrep Time
1 hrCook Time
1 hr, 5 Total Time
Save RecipeIngredients
- 1 butternut squash
- 1 Hokkaido pumpkin (red kuri squash)
- Sea salt, ground black pepper, and other spices of your choice (optional)
Directions
- Preheat your oven to 225°C (440°F) and line baking sheet with parchment paper.
- FOR THE BUTTERNUT SQUASH: Half the butternut squash and place it on the prepared baking sheet.
- Optionally, season with sea salt, ground black pepper, or any other spices of your choice. I personally like to roast the butternut squash unflavored, so I can use it in savory and sweet recipes.
- Roast the butternut squash in the preheated oven for 1 hour, or until the juices start to drain beneath the squash, and it is very soft.
- Let it cool down completely, and then store it in the airtight container in the fridge for up to a week.
- To use in recipes, just spoon it as much as you need and mash with fork. You can also add the meat to the food processor and process into puree and store it like that in a fridge for up to a week, or freeze it!
- FOR THE HOKKAIDO PUMPKIN: Cut the Hokkaido pumpkin into 8 wedges - first half it, then cut every half into half again. Remove the seeds out of every quarter, and cut them into half again to have 8 wedges.
- Place the wedges on the prepared baking sheet and sprinkle with sea salt and ground black pepper + additional spices if you want. I use Hokkaido pumpkin only in savory dishes like soups and curries, so I always season it. Again, this step is totally optional.
- Roast in preheated oven for 25-30 minutes, or until the pumpkin meat and skin are really soft.
- Let the roasted wedges cool down completely, then store in the airtight container in the fridge to use in recipes throughout the week.
- Enjoy!
Notes
*After roasting and cooling the butternut squash, I like to peel the skin off (that is now really soft) and spoon out the seeds. You can use thinly sliced skin in salads, stir-frys, stews and curries, to add a little bit more of fiber. I usually discard the seeds since they’re really small, but if you like eating them, you can do so by all means.
**I always discard the skin of Hokkaido pumpkin because I find it to be too chewy for using in dishes. The seeds are bigger and meatier so you can roast them in the oven and use as healthy seed snack.
Did you enjoy this post? I would like to hear what you think in the comments below. If you make it don’t forget to post it on Instagram and tag me @simply.anchy or use hashtag #simplyanchyrecipe, because I love to see all of your kitchen creations. Also be sure to follow me on Instagram, Pinterest and Facebook, so that you never miss any of my recipes and posts.
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