Roast Squash with Sage & Hazelnuts

Name: Roast Squash with Sage & Hazelnuts
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 55 min
Yield: About 6 cups
Ingredients: 1 butternut squash (about 3 lb), peeled, seeded and cut in 1-inch cubes (1360 g); 3 tbsp olive oil, divided; ¾ tsp kosher salt; ¼ tsp black pepper; 12 fresh sage leaves; ⅓ cup hazelnuts, chopped (45 g); 1 tsp cider vinegar

The Hedge Witch's Lanterns

Butternut squash roasted until the edges caramelize, then tossed with crisp sage leaves, toasted hazelnuts and a splash of cider vinegar.

Fork or mugMake-aheadVegetarianVegan

New World ingredient. Squash came to Europe from the Americas after 1492. The notes have an old-world swap.

Prep15 min

Cook40 min

Total55 min

YieldAbout 6 cups

At the table: Warm or at room temperature through a meal.

Not yet table-tested. This recipe is written from standard, well-known methods and has not been through our test tables yet. The badge changes when it has.

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As written: roasted cubes with crisp sage.
Sear thick squash slices in a cast-iron pan until caramelized, and finish with brown butter and the sage.
Roast the seeds too, and pound a sage and hazelnut sauce by hand in a mortar.
Fan roasted half-moons over a smear of whipped soft cheese, with the sage, the nuts and pomegranate seeds.

Cooking at Hearth. The dish as written. Simple, honest, done well.

Stock your pantry to see what you are missing.

Hero sheet

Why nowSage and hazelnuts are as old-world as it gets. The squash is the one guest from the New World, and it earns its place.

Roast Squash with Sage & Hazelnuts — Illustration generated with AI, not a photo of this recipe.

Ingredients

Party size

As written: About 6 cups.

1 butternut squash (about 3 lb), peeled, seeded and cut in 1-inch cubes (1360 g)
3 tbsp olive oil, divided
¾ tsp kosher salt
¼ tsp black pepper
12 fresh sage leaves
⅓ cup hazelnuts, chopped (45 g)
1 tsp cider vinegar

Kosher salt means Diamond Crystal. With Morton kosher salt, use about half.

Method

Heat the oven to 425°F. Peel the squash, halve it lengthwise, scoop out the seeds, and cut it into 1-inch cubes.
Look forCut a slice off the bottom first so it sits flat and can't roll.
Toss the squash with 2 tablespoons of the oil, the salt and pepper on a rimmed sheet pan, in one layer.
Roast 30 to 35 minutes, turning once.
Look forBrowned at the edges and soft all the way through.
Meanwhile, toast the hazelnuts in a dry skillet over medium heat for 4 to 5 minutes and tip them into a bowl. Add the last tablespoon of oil to the pan and fry the sage leaves 30 to 60 seconds, until crisp.
Look forThe sage darkens slightly and stops sizzling. It spits, so stand back.
Toss the squash with the vinegar and scatter the hazelnuts and sage over the top.

Make ahead

Roast the squash up to 2 days ahead and rewarm at 400°F. Fry the sage and toast the nuts on the day.

Holding

Warm or at room temperature through a meal.

Allergens

Contains tree nuts (hazelnuts). Always check labels on packaged ingredients.

Notes

New World: squash came to Europe from the Americas after 1492. For a strictly medieval table, roast carrots, parsnips or turnips the same way.

Nut-free: use toasted pumpkin seeds.

Tavern Night

This dish's twist table (d6)

1–2	The classic stands. No twist. Cook it as written.
3	Herb swap. Swap the sage for rosemary
4	Acid strike. Pomegranate seeds scattered over the top
5	Plating challenge. Pile into a hollowed roasted squash half
6	Host's boon. The Host picks any twist above, or the table invents one. The safety rule still applies.

Roll before you start cooking. No twist ever changes a time, a temperature or how done something must be.