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    Home » Recipes » Side Dish

    Roasted Butternut Squash with Za’atar and Honey

    Published: Oct 9, 2023 · Modified: Sep 15, 2024 by Sonila · This post may contain affiliate links · Leave a Comment

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    This roasted Butternut Squash with Za’atar and Honey is such a treat for the taste buds. I love serving this side dish during Fall season and sometimes as a side for Thanksgiving too.

    Roasted butternut squash with za'atar and honey shown served in a blue bowl, garnished with green herbs.
    Roasted Butternut Squash with Za’atar and Honey

    You can choose to peel and cut a butternut squash from scratch. That’s the cheapest method but it can be a bit cumbersome. I do it occasionally as I love to cook with butternut squash.

    But in the past couple of years, my local Costco sells cut, fresh butternut squash in the refrigerated section and I couldn’t be happier. I can use those golden chunks in soups, roasted or even in salads.

    Some of my other Butternut Squash recipes include: Leeks Soup with Butternut Squash, Butternut Squash Salad with Cranberries, Shell Pasta in Butternut Squash Sauce, Red Lentil Soup with Butternut Squash etc.

    Packaged butternut squash, peeled and cut from the refrigerated Costco produce section.
    Packaged fresh butternut squash from Costco’s refrigerated section

    Ingredients

    Well, this is a very simple list of ingredients. I tend to use what I have available in terms of herbs or seasonings so the recipe is very forgiving and you can adjust to your taste.

    • Butternut Squash – about 2 lbs butternut squash cut in cube shapes.
    • Olive Oil – I use extra virgin olive oil
    • Honey – you can use maple syrup instead. Both help caramelize the exterior of the butternut squash when roasted.
    • Za’atar – I love za’atar spice because it elevates the flavors of any vegetable.
    • Sea Salt – sea salt is the salt I love to use in most of my cooking, you can swap for Kosher salt or other types of salt, just adjust for taste accordingly.
    • Black Pepper – you won’t regret using freshly grated back pepper.
    • Fresh thyme or parsley for garnish – a little fresh herbs in the end make this side dish look restaurant quality and so pretty.
    A mixing glass bowl showing freshly cut butternut squash in cube, bite size pieces.
    Freshly cut butternut squash

    How to roast butternut squash?

    I start by cutting butternut squash in bite size pieces, cube shaped. I only season with freshly grated black pepper to start with and place the butternut squash on a medium mixing glass bowl.

    Then I prepare the marinade. I add extra virgin olive oil, honey, za’atar and sea salt on a mason jar. Cover the jar and shake to incorporate or use a spoon to mix well since honey will sink to the bottom.

    Pour the marinate over the butternut squash, mix well and set aside. You want all the pieces of the squash to be coated with the marinade.

    Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees F (about 200 degrees C). Pour the content of the mixing bowl to a baking dish. Once finished pre-heating, roast for about 25 minutes. If you like a crisp exterior, you can broil for 2-3 minutes at the end.

    Use a slotted spoon to remove the butternut squash from the baking dish and place on a serving dish. If you leave the squash in the baking dish, it might get soggy. Garnish with fresh thyme or fresh parsley. Serve warm:).

    A baking dish showing marinated chunk of butternut squash, right before roasting them.
    Butternut Squash Ready to Bake

    Sonila’s Tips and Notes

    Here are some additional tips for this recipe.

    • Use a shallow dish for a more crisp exterior on butternut squash or a deep dish for a softer squash.
    • You can replace honey with maple syrup.
    • You can add other ingredients for added flavor like garlic, cinnamon, nutmeg and dry herbs to your taste.
    • Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for 2-3 days.
    A bowl showing cubed butternut squash, roasted with herbs.

    Roasted Butternut Squash with Za’atar and Honey

    Sonila
    This roasted Butternut Squash with Za'atar and Honey is an excellent Fall side dish. We love serving it for Thankgiving too.
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 5 minutes mins
    Cook Time 25 minutes mins
    Total Time 30 minutes mins
    Course Side Dish
    Cuisine American
    Servings 4 servings
    Calories 233 kcal

    Equipment

    • 1 glass mixing bowl
    • 1 mason jar
    • 1 mixing spoon
    • 1 Porcelain baking dish

    Ingredients
      

    • 2 lbs butternut squash
    • 3 tbsp olive oil extra virgin
    • 2 tbsp honey or maple syrup
    • 1 tbsp za'atar
    • 1 tbsp sea salt
    • 1 tsp black pepper
    • 1 tbsp fresh thyme or parsley for garnish optional

    Instructions
     

    • Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees F.
    • Cut butternut squash in bite size cube shaped pieces, add to the mixing bowl. Season with freshly grated black pepper.
    • Pour olive oil and honey in a mason jar. Add za'atar and sea salt. Mix well with a spoon or shake the jar to incorporate the marinade.
    • Pour marinade over butternut squash, mix well to coat all pieces then add everything to the baking dish. Roast for about 25 minutes until butternut squash is easily pierced with a fork.
    • Use a slotted spoon to remove butternut squash from the baking dish onto a serving platter. This will prevent the squash from getting soggy.
    • Garnish with fresh thyme or fresh flat leaf parsley. Enjoy!

    Notes

    • Prep time will vary vastly if you buy the pre-cut butternut squash vs the whole one you peel and clean yourself. 
    • If you use frozen butternut squash you’ll have to do some testing based on the brand and the size of the butternut squash you’re buying. I’ve noticed a large variation in roasting time for the frozen ones. So that’s why I prefer freshly cut butternut squash. 
    • Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. 

    Nutrition Label

    Nutrition Facts
    Roasted Butternut Squash with Za'atar and Honey
    Amount Per Serving
    Calories 233 Calories from Fat 99
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 11g17%
    Saturated Fat 2g13%
    Monounsaturated Fat 8g
    Sodium 1755mg76%
    Potassium 830mg24%
    Carbohydrates 37g12%
    Fiber 5g21%
    Sugar 14g16%
    Protein 3g6%
    Vitamin A 24232IU485%
    Vitamin C 51mg62%
    Calcium 139mg14%
    Iron 3mg17%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 233kcalCarbohydrates: 37gProtein: 3gFat: 11gSaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 8gSodium: 1755mgPotassium: 830mgFiber: 5gSugar: 14gVitamin A: 24232IUVitamin C: 51mgCalcium: 139mgIron: 3mg
    Keyword roasted butternut squash
    Tried this recipe?Mention @mediterranean_latin_love or tag #mediterraneanlatinloveaffair!

    If you would like to save this recipe for later, please save the below picture to your boards in Pinterest. Let me know in comment if you have any questions or feedback. Thank you for reading my blog:).

    Roasted butternut squash with za'atar and honey shown in a blue bowl, over a kitchen towel.
    Roasted Butternut Squash with Za’atar with Honey

    Additional Side Dishes for Fall or Thanksgiving

    Feel free to check out some of my other side dish recipes.

    • Roasted Potatoes with Rosemary and Sage
    • Sauteed Broccolini with Almonds
    • Roasted Acorn Squash
    • Mediterranean Potato Salad
    • Roasted Brussel Sprouts with Bacon

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    Filed Under: Recipes, Side Dish Tagged With: Thanksgiving

    About Sonila

    Mom of 2, wife, engineer, food blogger & recipe creator! Sonila was born in Albania, her heritage inspires her Mediterranean recipes while that of her husband the Latin ones. Sonila has 2 degrees in Engineering from University of Miami.

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    Sonila Zarate
    Sonila Zarate

    Mom of 2, wife, engineer, food blogger & recipe creator! Sonila was born in Albania, her heritage inspires her Mediterranean recipes while that of her husband the Latin ones. Sonila has 2 degrees in Engineering from University of Miami.

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