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Hasselback butternut squash, roasted with sage-honey butter and topped with crunchy candied pecans, will become your new favorite holiday side dish! Perfect for Thanksgiving and Christmas, it will make a beautiful veggie centerpiece - savory, sweet, and deeply caramelized.
Show-Stopping Hasselback Squash: The Ultimate Holiday Side Dish
Every year as Thanksgiving approaches, I get inspired to share a fresh butternut squash recipe with my readers - it's practically a tradition on my blog! My fan-favorite roasted butternut squash and brussels sprouts side dish from back in 2015 still gets rave reviews, and more recently, my sausage stuffed butternut squash and butternut squash pasta salad have become absolute hits for holiday entertaining and comforting weeknight dinners. This Hasselback Butternut Squash with Candied Pecans is my newest creation and it fits seamlessly into my Thanksgiving Menu, offering restaurant-quality presentation and flavor that easily wow guests. I've always had a bit of an obsession with orange-hued comfort foods - there's something so cozy, vibrant, and festive about them, especially when fall rolls in and squash season peaks. If you love colorful side dishes for entertaining or just crave easy, crowd-pleasing autumn recipes, this winter squash will make a visually stunning and delicious addition to your holiday table on Thanksgiving and Christmas!
How to Make Hasselback Butternut Squash (Step-By-Step Photos)
- Gather all your ingredients. This photo conveniently shows everything you need:
- Heat oven to 400ºF and line a sheet pan with parchment.
- Prepare squash: Peel, halve, and seed squash; set cut-side down. Use a wooden spoon as a guard and slice thinly without cutting through.
- Let me show you in photos how to safely slice the squash: Set the squash cut-side down and place a wooden spoon along both sides (or along the "top" side) as "guard rails." Make thin crosswise cuts down to the rails (but not through the base) so the squash stays intact and fans beautifully.
- Roast: Rub with olive oil, salt, and pepper; cover tightly with foil and roast 35-45 min until mostly tender.
- Make the honey butter: Stir together melted butter, honey, and chopped sage.
- Brush with honey-butter and roast some more: Uncover the squash; brush most of the honey butter into the cuts and roast 25-30 min more, basting once or twice, until golden and tender. Remove from oven.
- Brush with remaining honey butter; tuck in sage leaves and scatter thyme.
How to Make Candied Pecans
- Coat the pecans with sauce: Simmer sugar, water, cinnamon, and salt until bubbling (about 1 minute) in a medium sauce pan. Add pecans and stir 1-2 minutes to coat.
- Let the pecans cool: Spread in a single layer on a parchment lined tray or sheet pan to cool until crisp.
- Serve: Top the hasselback butternut squash with candied pecans and serve.
Serving Ideas
- Classic Thanksgiving Pairings: Serve alongside turkey or roast duck, gravy, Italian sausage stuffing, and my healthier green beans for a complete feast.
- Fancy Vegetarian Mains: Top with goat cheese or feta and serve with quinoa for a hearty veggie entrée. Or serve it alongside my other popular vegetarian main courses like butternut squash spinach lasagna or butternut squash black bean enchilada casserole. For more ideas, see my Meatless Thanksgiving Menu.
- Autumnal Salads: Pair with my roasted sweet potato and kale salad or with apple spinach salad. Also, see my 30 Best Thanksgiving Salads for more ideas.
- Entertaining Side for Roast: Excellent with braised short ribs, my pork tenderloin, alongside my pan-seared steak (with the best marinade ever), apple cider braised pork shoulder, roast chicken, or glazed ham.
Storage, Reheating, Freezing, Make-Ahead
- Storage: Cool fully; refrigerate in an airtight container up to 4 days. Keep pecans separate so they stay crisp.
- Reheating: 300°F oven, 10-15 minutes, tented with foil until warm; uncover the last 3 minutes to re-crisp edges. Drizzle a teaspoon of melted butter or olive oil if it looks dry.
- Freezing: Not ideal (texture turns watery). If you must, freeze in slices (not whole) up to 2 months and reheat from frozen at 325°F; finish with fresh herbs and a touch of honey butter.
- Make-ahead: Roast covered (first 30 minutes of roasting) up to 1 day ahead. Chill (in the fridge). Before serving, brush with honey butter and finish the uncovered roast; top with pecans and herbs right before bringing to the table.
More Butternut Squash Recipes
- Stuffed Butternut Squash with Spinach, Bacon, and Cheese
- Butternut Squash Pasta Salad with Brussels Sprouts, Pecans, and Cranberries
- Creamy Butternut Squash Pasta with Sausage and Spinach
- Roasted Brussels Sprouts Salad with Maple Butternut Squash, Pumpkin Seeds, and Cranberries
- Creamy Butternut Squash Gnocchi with Sausage
- Butternut Squash Ravioli with Brown Butter Sauce and Pecans
- Fall Spinach Salad with Roasted Butternut Squash and Maple-Lime Dressing
Hasselback Butternut Squash with Candied Pecans
Thinly sliced, roasted butternut squash brushed with honey-sage butter and finished with candied pecans for a savory-sweet, caramelized holiday showpiece. One of my best holiday side dishes for Thanksgiving and Christmas!
Ingredients
Roasted Butternut Squash
- 2 medium butternut squash
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- salt and freshly ground pepper
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage plus small leaves for garnish
- fresh thyme sprigs for garnish
- ½ cup homemade candied pecans (you can also use store-bought)
How to Make Candied Pecans:
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon water
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- 1 ½ cups raw pecan halves
Instructions
How to Roast Butternut Squash
- Preheat the oven to 400ºF and line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
- Peel the squash then cut it in half and scoop out the seeds. Place each squash cut-side down on a chopping board. Place a wooden spoon or similar along the length of the squash. Being very careful not to cut all the way through, slice the squash thinly widthways.
- Drizzle the squash with extra-virgin olive oil and season generously with salt and pepper then use your hands to rub the oil and seasoning in.
- Cover tightly with foil and roast for 35-45 minutes, until mostly tender but not collapsing.
- Meanwhile, make the honey butter: In a small bowl, mix together the melted butter, honey, and chopped sage.
- Remove the squash from the oven and brush or spoon most of the honey butter evenly over the top, making sure it seeps into the cuts. Return to the oven and roast uncovered for 25-30 minutes, basting once or twice, until the squash is tender and starting to go golden around its edges.
- Remove from the oven and brush with the remaining honey butter.
- Poke some sage leaves in-between the cuts on the squash, then scatter over the thyme sprigs and candied pecans.
- Serve immediately.
How to Make Candied Pecans
- Line a tray (or a sheet pan) with parchment.
- Warm sugar, water, cinnamon, and salt in a skillet until bubbling (about 1 min).
- Add pecans and stir to coat for another 1-2 mins.
- Spread in a single layer on a parchment lined tray / sheet pan to cool and crisp completely.
- Keep separate until after squash is roasted, then use to finish and garnish.
Notes
- Do I have to peel butternut squash? I definitely recommend peeling. A Y-peeler works best-peel until the deep orange flesh is exposed.
- How to slice squash safely: Set a wooden spoon along both sides of the squash as guard rails. Slice down to them; the base stays intact. This will prevent you slicing all the way through. See step-by-step photos above this recipe card.
- Salt: Don't hold back on final flaky sea salt. It makes the dish by balancing the honey.
- Makey hot honey: You could add a pinch of cayenne or chili flakes to the honey butter.
- The foil-covered roast at the start ensures a tender interior before the glaze caramelizes.
Storage:
- Room Temperature: Best served immediately after roasting. The squash can rest loosely tented for up to 1 hour before serving - re-glaze before presenting if needed. Refrigerate after 1 hour.
- Refrigerator: Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat in a 350°F (175°C) oven until warmed through and re-caramelized.
- Freezer: Not recommended.
Frequently Asked Questions
- How do I make this nut-free? Skip the candied pecans and replace with toasted pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, or just fresh herbs for garnish.
- Is this recipe gluten-free? It is! All the ingredients are naturally gluten-free-just double-check your candied pecans or substitute homemade to be safe.
- Can I make it dairy-free? Yes-use vegan butter or olive oil. I still include honey for shine (use maple for vegan). Flavor is different but still excellent.
- Why roast covered first? Foil traps steam so the interior softens before the sugars caramelize. Then you remove the foil to brown and crisp the ridges.
- My squash isn't browning-what now? Crank the oven to 425°F for the last 5-8 minutes or move it up a rack. Brush on a thin film of honey butter right before that final blast.
Nutrition
Nutrition Information
Hasselback Butternut Squash with Candied Pecans
Amount per Serving
Calories
549
% Daily Value*
Fat
40
g
62
%
Saturated Fat
12
g
75
%
Trans Fat
1
g
Polyunsaturated Fat
7
g
Monounsaturated Fat
19
g
Cholesterol
40
mg
13
%
Sodium
112
mg
5
%
Potassium
1013
mg
29
%
Carbohydrates
51
g
17
%
Fiber
8
g
33
%
Sugar
24
g
27
%
Protein
5
g
10
%
Vitamin A
27056
IU
541
%
Vitamin C
53
mg
64
%
Calcium
164
mg
16
%
Iron
3
mg
17
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Nutrition Disclaimer:
The nutritional information on this website is only an estimate and is provided for convenience and as a courtesy only. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed. It should not be used as a substitute for a professional nutritionist's advice.
I've made this for Thanksgiving - it was a hit with everybody. I should've made a double batch, lol. I'm making it for Christmas, too!
Thank you so much, Heidi, for your lovely review! Glad it was a hit at Thanksgiving! Wishing you a very Merry Christmas! 🙂
I made it for a Friendsgiving party this week, it was well-received. Will be making it for my family next Thursday. Keep up great work!
I’m so happy it was a hit at Friendsgiving, Clare!! That’s the best kind of feedback. Hope your family loves it just as much next Thursday. 🙂
I just did a trial run of this recipe because I plan to serve it for Thanksgiving, and, boy, was it good! I did microwave a butternut squash before peeling and slicing because - I just always do that. First, I sliced the butternut squash in half. Then I used a fork to poke several holes all over on the outside of the squash otherwise the squash might burst in a microwave. Then, I placed the squash in the microwave and cooked on high for about 3 minutes. I let it cool, peeled it, and sliced it (using 2 wooden spoons on both ends of the squash). Then I just followed your recipe. SO GOOD!
Thank you for sharing your tips, Haley! 🙂 I'm so glad this recipe turned well for you. Have a wonderful Thanksgiving celebration!
Looks delicious and the presentation is perfect! I can’t wait to make it as a centerpiece for our family Thanksgiving.
It's so good! I'm glad you're making it for Thanksgiving - let me know how it turns out! 🙂