Garlicky Butternut Squash with Orange and Chili (plus 4 amazing uses for the sauce)

Oh hello, Garlicky Butternut Squash with Orange and Chili. I’ve got a perfect fall side dish here for you today, one that Lucas (my husband) called “insane.” That means delicious. And I second that emotion – this is one of the best squash dishes to come out of my kitchen this fall, or ANY fall for that matter. I can’t wait to see what you guys think of this one …

We’re talking soft, thoroughly caramelized butternut squash + a GOLD STAR sauce of butter, vegetable stock, lots of garlic, orange juice, hot crushed chilis, and some chopped sage. There’s absolutely nothing not to love about this entire situation.

Tips & Tricks for Total Butternut Squash Domination

1. Pre-roast. This is something I tout ad nauseam, as I find it an indispensable step in simple squash preparation. I really loathe cutting big, tough, hard squash, but I’ve found that you can almost always give any squash a little pre-roast in a 350-degree oven and this will soften them tremendously. You could microwave, too, but I just think roasting is a superior method here, and no harder.
2. There is some decent sugar content going on in butternut squash, their inherent sweetness giving them a wonderfully sweet-savory applicability in so many recipes. This same sweetness, however, increases their chance of going all burnt on you. So, I like to encourage people to keep an extra eye on these squash while they cook. We’re really trying to nail that brown, crusty coating here but things can go from gorgeously brown to horrendously black real quick.
3. If you’re just plain sick of butternut, you can swap in many other squash for it in this recipe, no harm/no foul. Kabocha is my favorite squash of them all and delicata or acorn would be killer as well. You do YOU, squash fans.

How to Perfectly Cut a Butternut Squash

Pre-roast. This softens the squash so that you actually can go about cutting it without fear or risk of impailing yourself. I’ve mentioned this enough now, I think.

Peel. Start by slicing off the top and the very bottom, so the squash can stand in a very flat and sturdy way for you. Using a big, very sharp knife, slice just beneath the peel, going down in long, even cuts. Work your way around the squash until the entire peel has been removed. Compost or discard.

Slice. For this recipe, we’re leaving the squash in big, fry-able pieces. So, start by just cutting the neck into 1/2-inch thick rounds. Once you’ve made it down to the bigger, seed-filled part of the squash, slice it in half and scoop out the seeds (a spoon works best for this). You can wash those and roast them for snacking, if you like. Slice the seeded halves into half-moons.

Other Uses for this Orange Chili-Garlic Sauce

This sauce is a perfect match for some cooked butternut squash, yes. But it is also pretty perfect when served in some other ways as well. It’s versatile, flexible, and really just plays very well with others. If you want, you could skip the squash portion of the program (I wouldn’t, but you could) and make a batch of the sauce by itself – and then do any one (or all) of the following with it:

1. Serve it with some goat cheese (or any cheese) ravioli – really any pasta would drink up this sauce so happily. But I think this stuff over ravioli would be truly perfect.
2. Use it as a sauce for some big, meaty, pan-seared, pork chops.
3. It would make a killer orange scampi-esque sauce for some roasted or quickly pan-seared shrimp + linguini.
4. Swap in some beef broth for the veggie broth, reduce it down even further, and serve it alongside a fancy steak or cut of beef.

How to make this Garlicky Orange Chili Squash with Sage

1. As I like to do any time I’m preparing a recipe with butternut squash, I like to pop the entire squash (minus the sticker) into a 350-degree oven for about 30 to 40 minutes to really get the cooking started. This will soften the flesh and skin dramatically, making the peeling and cutting process SO much easier and safer for you.
2. Truth: I don’t love cutting big hard-skinned squash, and this pre-roasting step is truly what makes it all A-Okay for me. It’s worth it and literally is nothing more than putting the squash in a hot oven for half an hour. Easy and it doesn’t require a single dish. Winning!
3. Once we’ve peeled, seeded, and sliced the squash into discs and half-moons, it will get a dusting of salt and pepper and then will go into a hot pan with some cooking oil (use whatever neutral-flavored/high-heat oil you like). Pan-sear the squash on both sides until nice and crusty. We’re looking for a deeply browned color on both sides, as this will ensure that the squash has cooked long enough and will soft/edible upon serving.
4. After the squash is cooked, transfer it to a tray and then prepare the sauce. Don’t wipe out the pan! We’ll deglaze with some orange juice and veggie stock, along with some minced garlic and crushed red chili flakes. We’ll let this bubble and reduce down for about 5 to 6 minutes. Once that is all done, in goes the chopped sage and a good amount of butter. Best. Sauce. Ever.

What You’ll Need to Make this Pan-Seared Butternut Squash Recipe

This recipe is simple and pretty straightforward. It’s all about finding the best way to highlight the lovely, glowing squash. The squash brings the sweetness to the table here, so we’ll complement that with some spice and some tartness. Some orange juice (either fresh or bottled is fine) and a hit of crushed chili flakes does the trick. Lastly, a big heap pf freshly minced garlic will complete the scene beautifully. It’s addictive is all I can say.

INGREDIENTS

• One 2 to 2.5-lb. butternut squash
• Salt and pepper, as needed
• Vegetable, avocado, grapeseed, ghee, or coconut oil for cooking
• 1/2 cup vegetable stock
• 1/2 cup orange juice
• 1 teaspoon crushed red chili flakes (1/2 teaspoon if you just want a hint of spice)
• 4 cloves minced garlic
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped sage
• 2.5 tablespoons butter

If you like the looks of this Butternut Squash with Orange and Chili, you might also enjoy:

Easy Sautéed Squash with Hot Honey Fried Feta

Feta and Butternut Squash Galette with Sage Pastry

Pulled BBQ Spaghetti Squash Sandwiches

Creamy Cacio e Pepe Spaghetti Squash Boats

Lemon Cream Spaghetti with Hard Roasted Vegetables

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