Baked Butternut Squash with Apples and Figs is warm, sweet, and buttery. It tastes like it’s loaded with fat and calories, but neither one is welcomed in this dish. This meal is perfect for a casual dinner or dressed for the holidays because it’s easy to put together and everyone will love it.
My kitchen is the hub for holidays and celebrations. These holidays and celebrations were always excuses to eat a heck of a lot more than humans are supposed to. Our favorite dishes were made without any limitation on fat or calories. That was until I made this Baked Butternut Squash with Apples and Figs.
My husband never used to like sweet potatoes or squash of any kind until he ate them loaded in brown sugar and butter. These dishes actually masked the flavor of the sweet potatoes and squash. What he was really enjoying was the flavor of the brown sugar and butter. What’s not to love right?
Baked Butternut Squash with Apples and Figs
In more recent years, we’ve concentrated on making food delicious and nutritious. I’ve also shifted from using a lot of processed food in our meals. The holidays will be here before you know it, so I decided now was a great time to come up with a side dish that tasted sinfully delicious without all of the fat, calories, and guilt. I wanted a dish that I was proud to feed my family.
Roasting squash brings out its natural sweetness and adding apples ups that natural sweetness even more. I created a sauce that tasted like brown sugar and butter which took the flavor of this dish to a whole new level. Tossing the whole thing with a shower of fresh thyme gives this dish a nice, savory contrast that works perfectly.
Ingredients
- 1 medium butternut squash (2-1/2 cups)
- 2 green apples (2 cups)
- 6 dried mission figs, sliced (1/4 cup)
- 1/2 cup maple syrup
- 1 cup vegetable stock
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon cardamom
- 2 tablespoons canola oil
- 2 teaspoons fresh thyme
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
- In a small sauce pan, combine maple syrup, figs, and vegetable stock. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer. Allow mixture to cook while you prepare squash and apples.
- Microwave the butternut squash for 3-1/2 minutes. Allow to cool slightly or hold with a paper towel. Slice off the top and the bottom. Using a vegetable peeler, remove the peel. Cut in half lengthwise and scrape out the seeds. Cube the squash into 1/2-inch cubes. Put into a large bowl.
- Peel and core the apples. Cut into 1-inch chunks and place in the bowl with the squash.
- Drizzle squash and apples with canola oil. Stir in salt, pepper, cardamom, and thyme.
- Oil a dish large enough to hold the squash and apples in a single layer.
- Put the squash and apples in the prepared dish. Pour maple syrup/fig mixture over the squash. Bake 45-55 minutes stirring occasionally, until squash is fork tender.
- Serve warm immediately and store leftovers covered in the refrigerator.
Notes
Home Chef Tip: Cutting the squash in smaller sizes than the apple assures that they will cook at the same rate and have the same texture.
The results were even better than I could have imagined. The beautiful colors of this Baked Butternut Squash with Apples and Figs make this dish perfect for a fall or winter day and the holidays. Dishes like this will assure that your New Year doesn’t start out with an extra five pounds.
Need more healthy inspiration for your holiday side dishes? Try my Baked Sweet Potatoes with Rosemary too!
We hope you love this recipe for Baked Butternut Squash with Apples and Figs from SoFabFood Contributor, Julie from Hostess at Heart, as much as we do. If you love this recipe, be sure to check out our other Side Dishes so that you’re always ready for the upcoming holidays and weeknight meals. For daily recipe inspiration, like us on Facebook, follow us on Pinterest, and stop by our Google+ Community to see all of the amazing recipes our community members are sharing. Enjoy!
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