Golden Honey Roasted Butternut (Printable)

A nourishing bowl with caramelized squash, quinoa, fresh vegetables, and honey-lime drizzle, perfect for any meal.

# What You Need:

→ Roasted Butternut Squash

01 - 1 large butternut squash (approximately 2 pounds), peeled, seeded, and cubed
02 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
03 - 2 tablespoons honey
04 - ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
05 - ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
06 - ½ teaspoon salt
07 - ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

→ Quinoa

08 - 1 cup quinoa, rinsed
09 - 2 cups vegetable broth or water
10 - ¼ teaspoon salt

→ Bowl Assembly

11 - 2 cups baby spinach or kale, chopped
12 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
13 - ½ cup thinly sliced red onion
14 - ⅓ cup roasted pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
15 - ¼ cup crumbled feta cheese (optional)

→ Honey-Lime Drizzle

16 - 2 tablespoons honey
17 - 2 tablespoons lime juice (approx. 1 lime)
18 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
19 - ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
20 - Pinch of salt and ground black pepper

# How To Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
02 - In a large bowl, combine cubed butternut squash with olive oil, honey, cinnamon, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper. Toss until evenly coated.
03 - Spread the squash in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet. Roast for 25 to 30 minutes, flipping halfway through, until golden and caramelized.
04 - While the squash roasts, bring quinoa, vegetable broth, and salt to a boil in a saucepan. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat, let stand 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork.
05 - Whisk together honey, lime juice, olive oil, Dijon mustard, salt, and black pepper in a small bowl until smooth.
06 - Divide cooked quinoa evenly among four bowls. Top with roasted butternut squash, chopped greens, cherry tomatoes, red onion, and pumpkin seeds. Sprinkle feta cheese on top if desired.
07 - Drizzle the honey-lime dressing over each bowl just before serving.

# Helpful Tips:

01 -
  • The squash gets crispy, sweet edges that taste like they took way more effort than they actually did.
  • It's filling enough to be dinner but light enough that you don't feel heavy afterward.
  • Everything can be prepped ahead and tossed together in minutes when you're ready to eat.
02 -
  • If you crowd the baking sheet, the squash steams instead of caramelizing, and you lose all that sweet, crispy goodness.
  • Don't skip flipping the squash halfway through; the bottoms will burn while the tops stay pale and sad.
  • Taste your quinoa after cooking; if it's still crunchy, add a splash of water, cover, and let it sit another few minutes off the heat.
03 -
  • Peel the butternut squash with a sharp vegetable peeler, not a knife; it's faster and safer, especially around the curves.
  • If your oven runs hot, check the squash at 20 minutes to avoid burning the edges.
  • Make a double batch of the honey-lime drizzle and keep it in a jar in the fridge; it's incredible on salads, grilled vegetables, or even as a marinade for tofu.
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