Roasted Butternut Squash combined with goat cheese, pomegranates, and rosemary makes an absolutely delicious, simple, and flavorful dish. It makes a healthy Thanksgiving and holiday side dish or is perfect for weeknight meals for fall and winter. Gluten-free and vegetarian.
Last updated on November 12, 2020.
This recipe screams fall and holidays. The butternut squash, the rosemary, the pomegranates, I mean what more can do you want?!
I don’t want to brag, but this roasted butternut squash is so, so good. Maybe one of my favorite side dishes I’ve made. That’s a bold statement, but I just love it.
It’s sweet and savory, has a little zip from the citrus and balsamic vinegar, and different textures from the goat cheese to the pomegranates. The best part is, it is SO SIMPLE to make. And it will be the star of your Thanksgiving side dishes.
Because we all know it’s all about the side dishes!
This roasted butternut squash can actually be enjoyed all fall and winter long though, no holidays needed. It makes the perfect side dish to just about any meal – turkey, pork, chicken, beef, salmon – and is easy to prepare. To save some time, you can use precut butternut squash and prepackaged pomegranate arils from the grocery store.
How to cut butternut squash
There are a few different ways to cut butternut squash, but I find this the easiest way for chopping.
- First, chop off both ends of your butternut squash. Then, using a vegetable peeler, peel about the skin. You may need to do it a couple of times over similar areas as the skin is thick.
- Then, lay the squash down on its curvy side and slice widthwise into 1 inch thick rounds. When you get to the bulb, stand it up and cut it in half lengthwise. Scoop out the seeds.
- Lay a couple of rounds on top of each other and cut into 1-inch pieces. Chop the bulb into the same size pieces.
Make sure you use a sharp knife as it makes a huge difference.
How to cut a pomegranate
Pomegranates are so pretty, but how on earth do you cut them? They can look a little intimating because of the hard shell and all the membrane on the inside once you cut it open, getting out the arils is quite simple.
There are a few ways to do it, but this is the easiest way for me.
- Start by slicing it in half width-wise. Some juice will come out, so make sure you are on a surface that won’t stain. Then, over a bowl filled with water (I like to do this in the sink), break apart the halves into a few pieces with your hands. The seeds will fall down into the bowl.
- Hold the pieces just above or under the water in the bowl and free the arils from the membrane. The white membrane will float to the top while the arils sink, making it easy to separate the two.
You can also cut it this way, but I find that is too many steps with slicing and cutting. But if you like that way better, go for it!
And you can always buy pomegranate arils at the grocery store!
How to make roasted butternut squash
Just 7 simple ingredients to make this flavor-packed roasted butternut squash with goat cheese and pomegranates. Easy to make and an absolutely delicious side dish that goes with any entree, holidays or not!
Here is what you need:
- butternut squash
- goat cheese
- pomegranates
- fresh rosemary
- lemon juice
- balsamic vinegar
- garlic powder
- salt and pepper
First, start by prepping your butternut squash. See above for how to chop the butternut squash. Add to a large baking sheet (you may need two depending on how big they are) lined with parchment paper, add your coconut oil, garlic powder, and salt and pepper, and mix well to combine.
I like to mix it up on the baking sheet as it saves me dirtying another dish. Roast butternut squash for 35-40 minutes at 375 degrees Fahrenheit until fork-tender.
Then, while the squash bakes, prepare your dressing by mixing together the lemon juice, balsamic, rosemary, salt, and pepper. Next prep your pomegranate seeds (see above for how to cut a pomegranate).
When the butternut squash is done, add to a large bowl and pour the dressing overtop. Mix well to combine. Then add your goat cheese and pomegranates and carefully mix well to combine. Top with a little more rosemary if you like.
Substitutions for roasted butternut squash with goat cheese & pomegranates
While this roasted butternut squash is pretty simple and doesn’t call for much, there are a couple of substitutions you could do:
- squash – you could also substitute another kind of winter squash (everything except spaghetti squash), pumpkin, or sweet potatoes if you don’t have butternut squash.
- cheese – any kind of cheese will work. I would suggest a soft cheese like feta or gorgonzola as a good alternative.
- oil – I used coconut oil, but any kind of cooking oil will work.
Additions to this recipe
Here are some things you could add to this dish:
- nuts – pecans or walnuts would be good! Even better if they were a little bit candied!
- dried fruit – if you like dried fruit in dishes, I think dried cranberries or raisins would work.
- herbs – you could also add more herbs like thyme, sage, or parsley.
More healthy holiday side dishes
- Whole30 Mashed Potatoes
- Green Beans with Mushrooms and Bacon
- Balsamic Roasted Mushrooms
- Rosemary Roasted Radishes
- Homemade Cranberry Sauce
Roasted Butternut Squash with Goat Cheese & Pomegranates
Ingredients
For the Butternut Squash
- 10 heaping cups chopped butternut squash (1 large/1360 grams)
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil (melted)
- 1/2 heaping cup pomegranate arils
- 2 ounces goat cheese, crumbled (about 1/2 cup)
- salt and pepper, to taste
Dressing
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice (about 1 lemon)
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 2 tablespoons fresh rosemary, roughly chopped
- salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit and line 1-2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Toss the butternut squash with coconut oil, garlic powder, salt, and pepper and mix well to combine. I like to do this on the baking sheet to save dirtying another dish. Spread out evenly on the baking sheets and bake for 30-40 minutes or until fork-tender, stirring once around 20 minutes.
- While the squash bakes, make the dressing by whisking together the lemon juice, balsamic, rosemary, and salt and pepper.
- Once squash is done, transfer to a baking dish or serving bowl. Stir in the dressing until combined. Add pomegranates and goat cheese and mix carefully to combine. Serve immediately and enjoy!
Nutrition
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Beverley @ sweaty&fit
December 21, 2015 at 5:37 pmYum!!! This looks amazing. I love how you combined sweet and savoury in one dish. I also just found out how to easily get all the seeds out of pomegranates easily, so thats a plus!
Kelly
December 21, 2015 at 8:29 pmThank you! I love combining sweet and savory! What is the trick to get out the seeds?! I just spent another 15 minutes getting them out of another one lol.
Amy
November 20, 2016 at 11:24 amWhat do you suggest substituting for the coconut oil I have him an allergy and can’t use it to cook with
Kelly
November 20, 2016 at 12:57 pmHi Amy! You can use whatever oil you usually cool with. I find avocado oil works well but you can also use olive oil too. Hope that helps.
Megan
November 22, 2016 at 4:16 pmThis looks ah-mazing! Definitely making it for our 2nd thanksgiving on Friday!
How far ahead of time can this be made? Would you recommend re-heating just the squash and then adding the dressing/cheese/arils?
Thanks in advance!
Kelly
November 23, 2016 at 1:38 pmOhh 2 thanksgivings?! That sounds fabulous! Yes, I would do exactly that. Just leave off the dressing, goat cheese, and poms and then add them once the squash warms up. Hope you enjoy it Megan!
Megan
November 26, 2016 at 12:02 pmOh my goodness!! This was truly a fantastic dish! It was the star of the show! Plus, I found an easy way to get the pomegranate seeds out…delegate it to my niece who thought it was the coolest job ever! Ha!
And we have decided that 2 thanksgivings work perfect bc our family is too big and our house too small, so we do one day with my husband’s family and one day with mine. Plus, thanksgiving is my favorite seasonal food, so I luck out!
Thanks so much for sharing this recipe Kelly, it will definitely be made over and over and over again!
Kelly
November 26, 2016 at 2:11 pmThank you so much Megan! So glad you loved it!! I love that you gave your niece that job, I’ll have to see if my bf will go for it lol. Hope both of your thanksgivings were amazing!
Deep Web
March 27, 2017 at 5:24 amYUMMY!!!!! Thanks for sharing your recipe! I’ve heard about your blog a couple of times and will now spend my afternoon reading 🙂
Kelly
April 2, 2017 at 6:41 pmThanks for the kind words! I hope you like some of the recipes 🙂
Gloria Jean
April 18, 2017 at 10:12 amHello! I stumbled across your blog some time ago and enjoy all the recipes! The Spaghetti Squash Bake looks yummy! Several in our family are on the GAPS diet right now and we are always looking for new recipe ideas! Thanks for sharing!
Kelly
April 26, 2017 at 11:30 amHappy to help!
Tamara
October 13, 2018 at 9:26 amI made this butternut squash recipe last night. My husband loved it.
Kelly
October 15, 2018 at 12:17 pmHi Tamara! So glad to hear it, it’s one of my holiday favorites. Thanks for trying!
Kathleen P, Los Angeles
February 10, 2019 at 11:52 amMy daughter made this for Thanksgiving dinner and everyone raved and requested the recipe.. She was inspired to add pecans, which we all applauded.
Kelly
February 11, 2019 at 4:08 pmI love the addition of pecans!! So glad everyone liked it, thanks for trying it Kathleen!
Ranjeet Sharma
March 24, 2019 at 2:15 amHi,
Great stuff buddy.
Great post, I have read this post here I got very useful information. This is a very useful article for online review readers. Keep it up such a nice posting like this. I started a Blog and Hopefully, it will be successful like you.
Thanks for the share.
Ranjeet Sharma
March 24, 2019 at 2:16 amHi,
Great post, I have read this post here I got very useful information. This is a very useful article for online review readers. Keep it up such a nice posting like this.
Thanks for the share.
Kelly
March 31, 2019 at 12:37 pmThanks, glad you enjoyed!
Ankita
August 25, 2019 at 9:49 amHi!!
Love your post. It’s really amazing & helpful too. Being foodie i keep trying new dishes i tried this recipe & it turned out to be really tasty . Keep sharing 🙂
Thank You & Regards
Ankita
Kelly
September 3, 2019 at 12:16 pmSo glad you enjoyed it Ankita! Thank you for trying it!!
Ranjeet sharma
October 10, 2019 at 7:48 amHi,
Great stuff buddy.
Great post, I have read this post here I got very useful information. This is a very useful article for online review readers. Keep it up such a nice posting like this. I started a Blog and Hopefully, it will be successful like you.
Thanks for the share.
Ranjeet Sharma
Kelly
October 15, 2019 at 1:20 pmThank you so much!
Ravi Tiwari
November 19, 2019 at 4:35 amHi,
Amazing Recipe!! Keep posting such articles it will be grateful for foodies.
Thanks for the share.
Kelly
November 23, 2019 at 2:52 pmThank you Ravi!
Dan
November 12, 2020 at 11:05 amLooks d lish have to try it
Kelly
December 8, 2020 at 1:19 pmHope you enjoy!
Joni
November 19, 2020 at 12:27 pmWe had this last night and it was amazing! Very easy to make.
Kelly
December 8, 2020 at 1:23 pmSo glad to hear that Joni! Thanks for trying it!
David
November 26, 2020 at 4:35 pmThis is delicious! A beautiful addition to our Thanksgiving dinner today. Thank you for sharing!
Kelly
December 8, 2020 at 1:30 pmSo glad you enjoyed it David – thank you for trying!
Theresa
November 27, 2020 at 4:36 pmSo yummy. And super simple. Thanks for sharing. Will be making it again!!!
Kelly
December 8, 2020 at 1:31 pmHappy to hear that Theresa, thanks for trying!
Jean Miller
December 2, 2020 at 1:06 pmThis is soooo good. Made it for Thanksgiving with a combination of sweet potatoes and butternut squash. My mother-in-law and I both thought it was the best thing on the plate. 🙂
Kelly
December 8, 2020 at 1:36 pmOh yum! Love that combo. Glad you enjoyed it Jean – thank you for trying it!
Terra
May 19, 2021 at 11:04 pmI made this recipe tonight with beef Wellington. Only thing everyone talked about was the squash! Everyone asked for the recipe and went back for seconds. My friend said she could eat this all day. Some thought it didn’t need the pomegranates but I liked the texture. Great recipe. I love getting a ton of praise. Will make it for a holiday feast next time.
Kelly
May 27, 2021 at 5:20 pmSo glad everyone enjoyed it Terra! We love it during the holidays! Thank you for trying it!