Roasted Butternut Squash Is 10x More Flavorful When Paired With This Spice Blend

Rich in fiber, potassium, vitamin A, and a host of other benefits, butternut squash is one of the tastiest ways to pack more nutrition into your diet. This bright orange winter gourd is not only visually striking, but also sweet and nutty, with a velvety smooth texture and tender bite once it's roasted. There's a reason simple roasted butternut squash soup is so popular; it doesn't take much to make this veggie taste indulgently delicious, especially when it's seasoned properly.

Since butternut squash easily leans sweet, savory, and spicy, it makes sense to elevate it with a beautiful blend of Moroccan spices. While blends vary among households and regions, they usually contain a combination of cumin, coriander, cinnamon, ginger, cayenne, and black pepper. The aromatic complexity mingles perfectly with butternut squash's bright sweetness and earthy nuttiness, and each spice represents a flavor profile that this gourd pairs with beautifully. Bonus points if you toss the squash in a good Moroccan olive oil before seasoning; the earthy richness bridges any small flavor gaps between the spices and squash.

The best part is this dish has a ridiculously easy preparation, with a big, flavorful payoff. As mentioned, cubed butternut squash gets tossed in oil and the spices, then roasted on a baking sheet at 450 degrees Fahrenheit for about 25 minutes to get the perfect, crisp, caramelized exterior. Heating also blooms the spices for deeper flavor (and makes your kitchen smell amazing).

Moroccan-spiced roasted butternut squash is the perfect, simple-yet-flavorful side dish for everything from cinnamon-spiced roasted chicken to buttery poached fish and turmeric rice, adding texture and color to your plate along with a sophisticated burst of flavor. However, this combination is simple enough that you can get creative with it as well. For instance, you might try turning those roasted cubes into a butternut squash bisque seasoned with North African flavors, or using butternut squash instead of sweet potatoes for a new take on french fries.

Making Moroccan-spiced squash fries presents an opportunity to explore more flavors from the region by making a cool, delicious yogurt dipping sauce infused with fresh mint, cilantro, cumin, and tangy lime. This could make a delicious appetizer or an accompaniment to spicy lentil burgers. You could also stuff the roasted cubes or spiced squash fries, then pop them into flatbreads with seasoned strips of seared lamb, pickled onions, and julienned red bell peppers.

Speaking of stuffing things, this is the perfect pairing to inspire a take on stuffed butternut squash. Instead of sweet potatoes stuffed with ras el hanout beef, swap in roasted whole butternut squash, mashing it in the shell with seasonings before topping with the spiced beef. Garnish the whole thing with lemony yogurt dressing, or an equally tangy and rich tahini sauce, fresh herbs, and slivered almonds, for an unforgettable meal.