Hasselback Butternut Squash with Maple Herb Glaze

This vegan hasselback butternut squash with a maple herb glaze and a buttery pecan breadcrumb topping is a gorgeous addition to this year's Thanksgiving menu! Packed with fall flavors, it's one of my favorite ways to serve butternut squash as a side dish.

How to peel and prep butternut squash

Slice off each end of the squash with a sharp knife. The easiest way to peel butternut squash is with a heavy duty vegetable peel.

When you start peeling, you may seem light yellow flesh with green lines – keep peeling until you get rid of those (they tend to be tough and fibrous).

Alternatively, if your squash has a super thick skin that's too difficult to peel, you can (carefully) use a sharp knife to slice off the outer peel. Once you get past the first tough layer, you should be able to clean up the rest with a vegetable peeler.

Once your butternut squash is peeled, slice in half lengthwise and use a large spoon to scoop out the seeds. (If you so desired, you can clean off the seeds and roast them.)

How to hasselback butternut squash

The term "hasselback" refers to potatoes (or other items, like squash!) that are sliced very thinly, but not all the way through, so that there's more surface area to crisp up the exterior while leaving the interior soft and tender.

The key to hasselbacking squash (or anything, for that matter) is honestly patience (and a very sharp knife). Although the squash is pre-roasted for 20 minutes before cutting, it will still be very difficult to cut with a dull knife, so I highly suggest using your sharpest knife.

Place the halved squash flat on a cutting board. Place two chopsticks or butter knives on either length of the squash. This prevents you from slicing all the way down to the cutting board.

Carefully make thin cuts across the entire length of the squash, slicing down as far as possible without cutting all the way through. The thinner and deeper the cuts, the better the squash will soak up flavor and cook evenly.

If you accidentally cut through to the bottom, no problem. You can always serve the squash in a few separate pieces – it will still taste fantastic!

What else can you hasselback?

• Potatoes or sweet potatoes
• Apples (a fun way to rethink apple crisp!)
• Zucchini
• Onions
• Beets
• Other types of squash (acorn, delicata, etc)
• ...even tofu!

Ingredients

• Butternut squash
• Maple herb butter: vegan butter, maple syrup, fresh sage and thyme, Italian seasoning, salt, cinnamon and pepper make for a delicious marinade for the roasted squash.
• Breadcrumb topping: this simple nutty, crispy topping is made with finely chopped pecans, panko breadcrumbs, melted vegan butter, salt, pepper and cinnamon. Regular breadcrumbs will do in a pinch.

Instructions

Prep the squash: Peel the squash and carefully slice in half lengthwise. Use a spoon to scoop out the seeds. Rub ½ tablespoon of olive oil and ½ teaspoon of salt and pepper to taste onto each half.

Transfer to a baking sheet and roast for 20 minutes at 400˚F on the bottom rack of your oven.

Make herb butter: Meanwhile, whisk together all ingredients for the maple herb butter in a small bowl and set aside.

Hasselback the squash: After 20 minutes, remove from the oven and let cool slightly. Transfer to a cutting board.

Place two chopsticks or butter knives alongside each side of the squash to prevent you from slicing all the way through the squash. Using a sharp knife, make thin slices widthwise along the entire length of the squash.

Carefully return to the baking sheet (cut side up), brush with some herb butter and return to the oven for 20 minutes. 

Roast squash: Brush the squash with maple butter 2-3 more times during roasting (every 7 minutes or so). (Carefully!) try to get some of the butter between the slices. 

Make topping: melt butter and stir together with breadcrumbs, pecans, salt, cinnamon and pepper. After 20 minutes, use a spoon to spread the topping evenly over each squash and roast for an additional 10 minutes on the top rack of the oven.

Pierce the squash with a fork to test doneness. Remove from oven and let cool slightly before enjoying!

How to prep ahead of time

If you want to cut down the prep time for this recipe, you can start the cooking process ahead of time. Peel and pre-roast the squash for 20 minutes, hasselback the squash and store covered in the refrigerator.

When you're ready to finish it, simply brush with the maple butter and roast for remaining 30 minutes. This will definitely cut down on prep time, especially if you're making more than one batch for a large group.

You can also mix together the maple butter ingredients ahead of time and reheat to melt the butter when ready to use.

More vegan Thanksgiving side dish recipes

• Best Vegan Mashed Potatoes
• Sweet Potato Casserole with Maple Granola
• Shaved Brussels Sprout Salad with Cranberry Vinaigrette
• Scalloped Potatoes
• Harissa Roasted Carrots

If you make this vegan hasselback butternut squash, we’d love for you to leave a comment and rating below! We also love to see your creations on Instagram – tag us at @crowded_kitchen so we can see what you’ve been cooking.

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