Roasted butternut squash with cranberries and walnuts is the perfect complement to any holiday table. Squash is roasted with butter, sugar, and spices caramelizing as it bakes. The cranberries soften and the walnuts roast adding a delicious crunch to the casserole.
Roasted Butternut Squash with Cranberries and Walnuts might just be one of my new favorite holiday recipes. I could go on & on about the variety of flavors in this recipe. All you really need to know is that the favors are beyond delicious – you have to try this recipe ASAP. It is the ultimate roasted butternut squash recipe for the holiday season.
I know this recipe will definitely be making an appearance on Thanksgiving and Christmas. But, I also have a feeling my family will be enjoying this recipe throughout the fall and winter months. It is the perfect side dish to pair with any main entree to create a nutritious and delicious meal.
As a mom, I value the time spent around our family table sharing meals. I hope you and your family enjoy the holidays together this season sharing traditional dishes and making new recipes! This Roasted Butternut Squash with Cranberries and Walnuts is just one of the many holiday recipes you can find on the site to create this holiday season.
Equipment
- 9×13 baking pan
- cutting board
- chefs knife
- measuring cups
- measuring spoons
- stir spoon
Ingredients
- 1 medium butternut squash
- 1 cup fresh cranberries
- 1/2 cup walnuts
- 1/4 cup butter, cut into cubes
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Ingredient Substitutions
- Butternut squash. Use whole or precut fresh butternut squash. Swap in sweet potatoes or pumpkin.
- Fresh cranberries. Swap with dried cranberries or cherries, pomegranate arils or fresh Brussels sprouts.
- Walnuts. Swap with pecans or mix half pecans and half walnuts.
- Butter. Use 1/8 cup + 1 TBSP of olive oil or vegetable oil as a substitute.
- Brown sugar. Swap with 1/8 cup + 1 TBSP of honey or maple syrup.
- Cinnamon. Increase to 2 teaspoons to make the cinnamon flavor pop.
- Nutmeg. Increase to 1 teaspoon for an extra flavor boost.
How to Make
In three simple steps, this recipe is ready to be served.
Preheat the oven. Preheat the oven to 425°F. Spray a 9×13 inch baking pan with non-stick cooking spray.
Add ingredients to the pan. Add the butternut squash, cranberries, walnuts, butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt to the baking pan. Stir.
Bake. Bake for 45 minutes or until squash is fork-tender, stirring every 15 minutes. Serve hot.
FAQ
Butternut squashes come in many shapes and sizes. When selecting a butternut squash, look for one that is darker in color without blemishes, dents or green patches. Pick a butternut squash that is heavy for its size and sounds hollow inside.
Yes, you will need to peel the butternut squash for this recipe. After peeling, chop into pieces roughly the same size. This helps to ensure each piece cooks evenly. Watch how to cut a butternut squash here.
If you are cooking a whole butternut squash then you do not need to peel the squash. Simply, scoop the squash from the peel after cooking.
Start by placing the squash on a cutting board. Chop off each end of the squash. Next, grab a peeler in one hand while holding the squash in your other hand. Safety peel the squash. Rotate the squash as you remove the skin until it is completely peeled.
More Butternut Squash Recipes:
CKC Features both Gluten-Free Guidance and Kids Cooking Instructions: If you’re new to eating gluten-free we understand it’s overwhelming trying to figure out which foods may contain gluten and which ones don’t. All of our gluten-free recipes marked with this symbol ✅ represent foods that need to be checked for gluten or cross-contamination.
The ⭐️ symbol in the recipe below denotes the steps in which kid cooks may need a helper (depending on age). If there is no ⭐️ symbol, that step (or recipe) doesn’t require a helper.
Roasted Butternut Squash and Cranberry Casserole
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 medium butternut squash, diced about 5 cups
- 1 cup fresh cranberries
- 1/2 cup walnuts ✅
- 1/4 cup butter, cut into cubes
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon ✅
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg ✅
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven. Preheat the oven to 425°F. Spray a 9×13 inch baking pan with non-stick cooking spray.
- Add ingredients to the pan. Add the butternut squash, cranberries, walnuts, butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt to the baking pan. Stir.1 medium butternut squash, diced, 1 cup fresh cranberries, 1/2 cup walnuts, 1/4 cup butter, cut into cubes, 1/4 cup brown sugar, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg, 1/2 teaspoon salt
- ⭐️Bake. Bake for 45 minutes or until squash is fork-tender, stirring every 15 minutes. Serve hot.
Notes
Nutrition
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Suzi says
I tested this over the weekend. I mixed in a different bowl. It was delicious. It will be made again for Thanksgiving. Yum!
Tammi says
I made this dish for the 1st time last night and it was delicious. Added a small amount of peeled, cubed, honeycrisp apples (approx half of a medium apple) because I had leftover from fall apple picking. I was simply looking for something to do with extra squash. Glad I found your recipe.
Peggy says
Can this be made ahead of time and reheated?
Jodi Danen, RDN says
Hi Peggy! Yes, you could make it ahead of time. It won’t be quite as pretty but it will still taste amazing.