Gluten-Free Vegan Roasted Butternut Squash With Apples And Onions

Are you looking for a new side dish that everyone can enjoy? Want to spice up your Thanksgiving meal with a squash dish people will actually eat, and not just push around on their plate? Then you have to try our delicious recipe for gluten-free vegan roasted butternut squash with apples and onions.

I know what you’re thinking, apples and onions with squash, have you lost your mind? No, I assure you I have not. For too long the squash has been an overlooked and often a forgotten item on many Thanksgiving tables. This recipe will not only have people asking for seconds at Thanksgiving, but you will be making it regularly, year round.

The biggest complaints about squash are that they are hard to cook and there is a distinct flavour that not many people enjoy. When you roast squash along with apples and onions you get a little bit of the sweetness from the apple and a little bit of the tanginess from the onion, and it perfectly complements the squash and elevates it to a level you’ve never had before.

Gluten-Free Vegan Roasted Butternut Squash With Apples And Onions

Ingredients:

• 1 medium butternut squash
• 3 medium apples (I prefer gala apples)
• 1 medium onion
• 1/2 c cooking oil- I like to use PurOlivia a canola and olive oil blend, but any cooking oil will do.
• 1 1/2 tsp each of salt and granulated onion
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1/4 cup pure Maple Syrup

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 375°.
• Wash and dry butternut squash.

• Cut off the very top and bottom of the squash.
• Remove peel from the squash.
• Cut the bulbous bottom (the round part) away from the long top part of the squash.

• Cut the round end in half.
• Using a spoon, remove the seeds and the stringy layer from the inside of the squash.

Tip: I like to use a serrated grapefruit spoon, to do this, as it makes scrapping the insides of the squash much easier to clean.

• Dice all of the squash into bite-sized pieces and place them in a large bowl.

• Wash and dry the Gala apples.

• We are leaving the skin on, so cut or peel away any blemishes in the skin.
• Remove the core from the apples.
• Chop the apples into pieces that are the same size as the squash.

• Add to the bowl with the squash.
• Peel the onion and then chop it into pieces the same size as the squash and the apples.

• Add the onions to the bowl with the squash and the apples.

• Pour the cooking oil into the bowl with the squash, onions, and apples – mix well.

Tip: I used 1/2C of oil however you may need more if your squash is larger, or you added more apples. Basically, you want everything lightly covered in oil, but you don’t want the oil pooling in the bottom of the bowl.

• Once your mixture is well coated in oil, add in the salt, granulated onion, and pepper. Mix well.

Tip: As for the seasonings, it should be to “season to taste”, as it all depends on the size of the vegetables that you use. So prior to serving, taste to ensure that the seasoning is balanced.

• Cover a rimmed cookie sheet with foil and parchment paper.

Tip: Covering the pan in foil and then parchment paper, means that nothing will stick to the pan and it makes clean-up a breeze.

• Put the onion, apple, and butternut squash mixture onto the pan, in an even layer.

Tip: If your mixture looks dry, drizzle with a little extra oil- it should just be lightly glossy with oil, you don’t want the oil pooling.

• Place the pan in the 375° oven for 15 minutes.
• After 15 minutes, remove the pan from the oven.

• Stir the mixture and put it back in the oven for 15 more minutes. You want everything to be fork tender and soft, but not mushy
• When the second 15-minute interval has elapsed, remove the pan from the oven, once again.
• Drizzle the quarter cup of maple syrup onto the mixture, then stir it well, so it’s all well coated, and return to the oven for 5 to 10 minutes, until it’s finished cooking and a little sticky.

Tip: If you aren't a fan of maple syrup (though the flavour it actually adds is mild) and aren't looking for a vegan dish, honey works just as well in this recipe.

Tip: You can let the squash cook for the first 30 min and then remove it from the oven and set it aside, if you need the oven space. When you are ready to serve, pop it back into the oven for the final 5-10 minutes.

This is a dish that everyone will love. It’s complex flavour profile, with pops of sweetness from the apple, will have your guests asking for your squash preparation secrets and looking for seconds. If you do manage to have leftovers, they reheat very well.

This recipe is not only perfect for Thanksgiving but also for any special occasion, or Sunday dinner. While it pairs well with turkey, it also would be delicious alongside roast chicken, beef, or even our pork chops with pan sauce.

So be adventurous, and mix flavours for a gluten-free, vegan side-dish that is so tasty that no one will suspect it’s also satisfying everyone’s dietary needs too!

Gluten-Free Vegan Roasted Butternut Squash With Apples And Onions

Print Recipe/Tips

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Ingredients

• 1 medium butternut squash
• 3 medium apples (I prefer gala apples)
• 1 medium onion
• 1/2 c cooking oil
• 1 1/2 tsp each of salt and granulated onion
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1/4 cup pure Maple Syrup

INSTRUCTIONS/NOTES/TIPS

• Preheat oven to 375°.
• Wash and dry butternut squash.
• Cut off the very top and bottom of the squash.
• Remove peel from the squash.
• Cut the bulbous bottom (the round part) away from the long top part of the squash.
• Cut the round end in half.
• Using a spoon, remove the seeds and the stringy layer from the inside of the squash. I like to use a serrated grapefruit spoon to scrape the insides of the squash as it is much easier to clean.
• Dice all of the squash into bite-sized pieces and place them in a large bowl.
• Wash and dry the Gala apples.
• We are leaving the skin on, so cut or peel away any blemishes in the skin.
• Remove the core from the apples.
• Chop the apples into pieces that are the same size as the squash.
• Add to the bowl with the squash.
• Peel the onion and then chop it into pieces the same size as the squash and the apples.
• Add the onions to the bowl with the squash and the apples.
• Pour the cooking oil into the bowl with the squash, onions, and apples - mix well. I used 1/2C of oil however you may need more if your squash is larger, or you added more apples. Basically, you want everything lightly covered in oil, but you don’t want the oil pooling in the bottom of the bowl.
• Once your mixture is well coated in oil, add in the salt, granulated onion, and pepper. Mix well. As for the seasonings, it should be to “season to taste”, as it all depends on the size of the vegetables that you use. So prior to serving, taste to ensure that the seasoning is balanced.
• Put the onion, apple, and butternut squash mixture onto the pan, in an even layer. If your mixture looks dry, drizzle with a little extra oil- it should just be lightly glossy with oil, you don’t want the oil pooling.
• Cover a rimmed cookie sheet with foil and parchment paper. Covering the pan in foil and then parchment paper, means that nothing will stick to the pan and it makes clean-up a breeze.
• Place the pan in the 375° oven for 15 minutes.
• After 15 minutes, remove the pan from the oven.
• Stir the mixture and put it back in the oven for 15 more minutes. You want everything to be fork tender and soft, but not mushy
• When the second 15-minute interval has elapsed, remove the pan from the oven, once again.
• Drizzle the quarter cup of maple syrup onto the mixture, then stir it well, so it’s all well coated, and return to the oven for 5 to 10 minutes, until it’s finished cooking and a little sticky.

NOTES/TIPS

• If you aren't a fan of maple syrup (though the flavour it adds is mild), you can substitute with honey. Keep in mind that if honey is used, the dish will no longer be considered vegan.
• You can let the squash cook for the first 30 min and then remove it from the oven and set it aside, if you need the oven space; then when you are ready to serve, pop it back into the oven for the final 5-10 minutes.

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