Sauteed butternut squash with garlic and parsley is a simple and delicious way to enjoy this colorful fall vegetable.
Sauteed Butternut Squash With Garlic and Parsley
Butternut squash is a handsome fall vegetable native to the Americas. It can be a bit challenging to prepare as it is physically a hard vegetable. But once peeled and deseeded, the inside reveals an attractive orange color reminiscent of autumn. The flavor is mildly sweet and nutty. Adding additional browning and caramelization to the surface of the squash during cooking will amp up the flavor, texture, and presentation of your squash.
How to Peel Butternut Squash
The first order of business for prep is peeling the butternut squash. You can use a vegetable peeler or a knife. Either way, make sure you get off the skin AND the whitish layer beneath the skin, until you get to the nice orange meat underneath.
Butternut squash is hard. You need a large sharp knife (like a chef knife) that you feel comfortable using.
First, cut off the tips of the squash, so that the top and bottom are flat. If you are using a knife to peel, make sure you stabilize the squash well on the cutting board before peeling. You will need to cut the whole squash into two or more pieces. Make the cut(s) through the squash flat, so that you can use the flat surface to stabilize it on the cutting board before you peel the squash.
To remove the seeds, cut through the squash lengthwise. Use a spoon to scoop the seeds out of the cavity inside. You can reserve the seeds for another recipe (maybe roast them); butternut squash seeds are edible and nutritious.
Now that seeds and skin are removed, only the hard orange flesh remains. In this recipe, I cut the squash into butternut squash cubes about 0.5″ per side.
Sautéed Butternut Squash
To cook the butternut squash, heat some olive oil in a large saute pan. Lightly smash two garlic cloves, and toss them in the oil. This will flavor the oil, and consequently the squash as well. It is ok if the garlic gets some color, but you do not want it to get too dark or it will ruin the dish. Remove the garlic if it begins to get too dark.
Add the butternut squash cubes to the pan, and saute until golden brown. Turn the cubes to another side and repeat. The squash is cooked when it is soft all the way through.
Remove the garlic cloves if you have not done so already. Throw in fresh chopped parsley and season with salt. Serve immediately.
Sauteed Butternut Squash with Garlic and Parsley
Ingredients
- 1 lb butternut squash, cubed to about 0.5" per side
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2-3 cloves garlic, lightly smashed
- 0.25 cup fresh parsley, chopped
- salt to taste
Instructions
- Heat oil on medium heat. Put in smashed garlic cloves to flavor the oil. If garlic begins to get too dark, remove from the pan. Add butternut squash to pan. Saute squash until color is golden brown, and then turn to another side. Butternut squash is finished cooking when it is soft throughout.
- If you haven't already, remove garlic cloves from the pan. Add salt and parsley to squash and mix together. Serve immediately.
Other Butternut Squash Recipes
Roasted Whole Butternut Squash
