These roasted butternut squash cubes are sweet from being tossed in maple syrup and are paired with crunchy toasted pecans and salty pancetta.
Are you looking for the right side dish to serve with your Christmas dinner?
This side dish pairs perfectly with honey baked ham, roasted turkey or tenderloin beef. Butternut squash is in season and cooks up quickly making this the perfect vegetable side for your holiday dinner.
The addition of salty pancetta, crunchy toasted pecans, sweet maple syrup, savory sage, and the kick from a sprinkle of cayenne pepper makes this the most talked about dish at your holiday table.
Chop up butternut squash or purchase it already cubed. If you’re not a fan of pecans, pick up walnuts. They work just as deliciously. Can’t find pancetta? Substitute bacon in its place.
Now true maple syrup adds the right amount of sweetness to the already sweet butternut squash. But don’t overdo it. Also if you like it extra spicy, increase your cayenne pepper.
Be sure to remove the butternut squash from the oven when it is fork tender. Any longer and it will become mushy. As soon as it’s done serve it, even if it’s at room temperature. And do not cover it with tin foil. You don’t want mushy squash.
What flavors pair well with roasted butternut squash cubes
Fall spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, and brown sugar pair well when roasted with the naturally sweet squash. To add a heightened flavor add a dash of cayenne pepper to the dish to.
What is the texture of butternut squash?
Butternut squash has the texture of a roasted sweet potato. It’s soft and tasted nutty and sweet!
What holiday dishes go well with roasted butternut squash cubes
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Roasted Butternut Squash Cubes with Pancetta & Pecans
Ingredients
- 1 medium butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 1 inch cubes
- 3 tablespoons melted butter
- 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
- 4 ounces pancetta, diced
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1/2 cup toasted pecans
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 12 fresh sage leaves, chopped
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 °F. Toast the pecans on a baking sheet for about 3-5 minutes being careful to watch them closely so they don’t burn. Remove from the oven to cool. Allow the oven to preheat to 425°F.
- Fry the pancetta on the stovetop until crispy. Transfer the pancetta to a paper-towel lined plate.
- In a baking dish toss together the squash, maple syrup, cayenne pepper, melted butter and salt. Bake for 25 minutes or until the squash is fork soft. Mix in the pancetta, chopped sage and pecans.
Notes
If you make a recipe, be sure to snap a photo and hashtag it #homeandplate. I’d love to see what you cook!
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Love the combination of flavors and textures and especially that you added some spicy hot too! This would go great with the brussels/cauliflower/pomegranate side dish I posted today! Let’s have a party!
I totally agree! Love these fall veggie combos. So yummy!
What a fabulous flavor combination. I love the spice and sweetness paired with saly pancetta. Brilliant.
Thanks Kristen. I love the spicy and the sweet too. Changes the flavor of the dish.
Awesome photos!! Love that bowl!! And I just happen to have a half chunk of butternut squash in my fridge waiting for me to do something amazing with it – this is it!! All these flavours together – genius!
Thanks so much. It’s such an easy recipe and so tasty. I hope you enjoy it!
This looks like the perfect side dish!! The array of flavors sounds just wonderful, but I love that you added sage, too. It goes so well with squash.
It sure does. You could substitute for thyme in a pinch. Thanks Alisa.
I love that you used pancetta in this! Butternut squash is one of my favorites!
Bacon would work well to. It adds the right amount of salty flavor. Thanks Lauren.
Those flavors together sound amazing. I love the cayenne and the butternut squash. I bet the spicy/sweet combo works great.
Thanks Julia. The sweet, spicy, salty combo is always a hit. It’s a great side dish for the holidays.
I could eat buckets of this squash. It’s delightful. Spicy but sort of sweet, plus it has pancetta which always has me going back for seconds.
Thanks Kim. The spicy, salty and sweet combo is always a winner. Sure to make plenty so you can go back for seconds.
This is such a beautiful side dish , i love both the colors and the flavor combo you have going !
Thanks so much. Such an easy dish for the holidays. And perfectly complements the main dish.
What a fantastic combination of color, flavor, texture, and health! I love all of the components of this squash dish and will be trying it soon!
Thanks Dan. Hope you like it!
I am absolutely a sucker for all things butternut squash and this is no exception. Thanks for the inspiration.
Thanks Bintu. I hope you like it.
I love all the ingredients in this recipe, especially cayenne pepper!
Thanks Claudia. A little bit of heat really spices up this recipe.
I love, love, love spicy and sweet combination. The colors just invite you to dig in. Excellent recipe.
Thank you Marisa. It has become one of may new favorite recipes.
Yum! What a great alternative for butternut squash! I could see that on the table here soon!
Thanks Chris. It’s going on my Christmas table this year. 🙂
Such a delicious flavor combination! Saving this one to try it later
Thanks Oana. It’s salty and sweet with a hint of heat. Hope you like it.
Wow, I love everything you’ve got going on in this dish, it sounds delicious, I need to try it soon!
Thanks Joy. It goes great with so many things. Promise you’ll love it!
I love the sweet, salty, crunchy combination of flavors and textures. It looks delicious!
Thanks Razena…love the salty and sweet combo too.