Maple & Sea Salt Butternut Squash with Sage Cashew Cream
on Nov 16, 2021, Updated Aug 25, 2024
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Roasted Butternut Squash with Sage Cashew Cream is the perfect side dish to serve this season! It starts with tender butternut squash, roasted with maple syrup and a sprinkle of sea salt. Then it’s tossed with tart dried cherries, toasted almonds, fresh parsley, and finished with a luxuriously silky Sage Cashew Cream Sauce.
This healthy vegetable side dish is a show stopper, and truly represents the best of Fall!
THIS POST IS A ROASTED BUTTERNUT SQUASH SIDE DISH RECIPE.
Roasted Butternut Squash
If you’re looking for butternut squash recipe ideas, look no further than this delicious Roasted Butternut Squash! It’s colorful, packed with vitamins and antioxidants, and it makes a great Thanksgiving side dish to serve to your friends and family!
What makes this recipe so special? The mix of textures! The squash is tender, the cherries are chewy, the almonds are crunchy, and the silky-smooth sage sauce ties it all together. Each bite is dynamic and interesting with contrasting textures and flavors. It’s sweet, salty, tart, and savory all in one!
This easy side dish is simply delicious, and tastes like all the best that Autumn has to offer. Happy Holidays Everyone!
Roasted Butternut Squash Recipe Ingredients
You only need a few simple ingredients to make this delicious butternut squash side dish recipe!
Butternut Squash – I look for one with a narrow “neck” so it’s thinner and easier to cut through.
Dried Cherries – adds a bright and punchy flavor to this side dish.
Almonds – toasted almonds add great texture to this recipe!
Parsley– adds freshness and a pretty pop of color.
Olive Oil – for roasting the squash and a little for the sauce.
Maple Syrup – enhances the natural sweet-and-savory flavor of this Autumn vegetable.
Nutmeg, Dried Sage, and Garlic Granules – simple pantry staples that take this recipe to the next level!
Cashews – this dairy-free sauce starts with cashews. Make sure to get raw cashews instead of roasted for best results.
Almond Milk – opt for unsweetened almond milk for this cashew sauce recipe.
How to Make Maple Roasted Butternut Squash
The full recipe can be found on the recipe card below, but here’s a quick overview to help give you an idea!
Step One
Start by soaking your cashews in some hot water so they soften up. This will ensure our cream sauce is super silky! Then pre-heat the oven and get to chopping up that squash!
Remove the seeds, and then add salt, pepper, nutmeg, olive oil and maple syrup to the bowl with the squash and toss to coat evenly. Transfer to a lined cookie sheet and bake.
Step Two
Make the sauce while the squash is roasting to save time. Simply drain the water from the cashews, and place the nuts in a blender along with almond milk, olive oil, sage, garlic, and salt. Blend until smooth and set aside.
Step 3
When the squash is tender, transfer it to a large plate or platter and drizzle generously with 3/4 of the sauce. Top with chopped parsley, sliced almonds, and dried cherries, and serve with the remaining sauce on the side. Enjoy!
How to Serve
Serve it hot, at room temperature, or chilled. And if you’d like more healthy butternut squash recipes, you may also enjoy this tasty Sheet-Pan Butternut Squash Soup or this Stuffed Acorn Squash with Cornbread and Sausage Stuffing!
How to Use Leftovers
If you have leftovers, it’s great served over mixed greens for a quick Fall inspired salad and to be honest, I’ve been known to eat the leftovers straight of the container because this dish is good cold too!
Maple & Sea Salt Butternut Squash with Sage Cashew Cream
Ingredients
- 2 medium butternut squashes
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt, I use Morton's
- 3/4 tsp nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
- 4 tbsp olive oil
Sage Cashew Cream Sauce
- 1 cup raw cashews, soaked
- 1 tsp kosher salt, I use Morton's
- 1/2 tsp dried sage
- 1/2 tsp onion granules
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 3/4 cup unsweetened almond milk
Toppings
- 2 handfuls sliced almonds
- 2 handfuls dried tart cherries
- 1 handful finely chopped parsley
Instructions
Prep
- Soak the cashews overnight, or pour boiling water over them and let them soak for 30 minutes while you prepare the remaining ingredients. Next preheat the oven to 400 degrees.Peel the squash, cut it in half and remove the seeds. Then slice into 3/4 inch half moon shapped slices. Place in a mixing bowl and set aside.
Roast
- Add salt, pepper, nutmeg, olive oil and maple syrup to the bowl with the squash and toss to coat evenly. Transfer to a lined cookie sheet and bake for 45 minutes or until fork tender.
Make the Sauce
- In the meantime, drain the water from the cashews and place the nuts in a blender along with the remaining sauce ingredients. Blend until smooth.Tip: Blend for a little longer than you think you need to. This helps to emulsify the sauce and make it extra smooth and creamy!
Plate
- Finely chop the parsley. Then, when the squash is tender, transfer to a large plate or platter and drizzle generously with 3/4 of the sauce. Top with the chopped parsley, sliced almonds, and dried cherries. Serve with the remaining sauce on the side and enjoy!
If you like this recipe please leave a comment and rate this post below! And if you’re on Instagram, tag me in a pic so I can see your recreation! @nikkivegan
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Made this tonight and it’s delicious. It received rave reviews at Friends Giving. It’s such a pretty dish as well!! I will definitely keep this as a fall favorite!