“The idea for this roasted butternut squash Parmesan occurred as I was making butternut squash schnitzel,” says cookbook author Raquel Pelzel. “Cut into planks, dipped in egg, dredged through panko, and fried, this was more or less the base layer for parm.” Here, the slices of tender butternut squash are roasted instead of fried, then layered with marinara and a blend of cheeses and finished with a savory breadcrumb topping.
Frequently Asked Questions
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What season is best for butternut squash?
In most parts of the U.S., butternut squash is ready for harvest in late summer and early fall. But it’s typically “cured” for a while after picking — stored in a warm place to harden the skin and allow some excess water to evaporate — which both improves the flavor and ensures it can be stored safely all winter long. That’s why you’ll sometimes see this and other squash varieties grouped into the category of “winter squash.”
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How do you tell if a butternut squash is ripe?
A ripe butternut squash will have a matte, evenly colored, tan or dark-beige skin, with no white or green patches. Both the skin and the woody stem should feel thick, not delicate. Once you cut into it, the flesh should be a vibrant orange; if parts of it are tinged with green, you can trim them away.
Notes from the Food & Wine Test Kitchen
This hearty vegetarian entrée gets its savory heft from plenty of strategically added umami. Pelzel says the addition of soy sauce to the tomato sauce was “a trick I discovered when I was working on my book, Umami Bomb.” Combined with the nutritional yeast in the cheesy, garlicky breadcrumb topping, you’ve got “a double-decker of squash–marinara–oozy cheese with main-dish gravitas.”
In this recipe, the squash is cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices before roasting rather than being cooked whole. Cutting raw squash can be difficult, since winter squash tends to have thick skin and the butternut’s distinctive shape can be unwieldy. If you’re having trouble, we have a trick for making things easier and safer: Microwave your squash before breaking it down.