Roasted Butternut Squash with Goat Cheese, Hazelnuts + Lime

Sweet roasted butternut squash is set off by tangy lime juice, caramelized onions, creamy goat cheese, crunchy hazelnuts and a slew of fresh herbs. So good!

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It's back to reality for me this week after spending a good 8(ish) days abroad in the fine country of Spain. Chaser and I hadn't gone away together since our trip to Italy last September, so it was a much-needed vacation. Only, I wouldn't exactly say it was relaxing. Eating and drinking all day can be exhausting, you guys. {sigh}

You're rolling your eyes right now. I know. I get it. No one feels sympathy for the girl who just got back from a sweet, sweet vacation abroad. But after 8 days of constant walking on cobblestones, non-stop wine/cheese/cured meat consumption, and a grueling travel day, my body is beat-up and begging for some rest. 

But the good thing is, while my body may have taken a beating, my mind was able to fully relax and recharge. That's important. My body will recover, but my mind really needed that time off. My head is now full of ideas and inspiration to take me through this holiday season and into the new year. I'm pumped for the future. Are you??

The beautiful thing about a vacation full of eating and drinking in excess is that when it's all said and done, I seriously crave exercise and healthy eating. My body is begging for vegetables and clean, home cooked foods. I actually made this recipe the week prior to our vacation, but now that we're back home I can't wait to make it again. Thanks to the abundance of butternut squash I found lurking in my garden yesterday, that should be no problem. Having a garden is THE BEST, you guys.

Whether you're just coming back from vacation or just, well, existing in regular life, having a garden and a well-stocked pantry is EVERYTHING. This entire recipe can actually made with what's currently hanging out around my house. Squash + herbs from the garden and everything else from the pantry. I'm quite proud of that. This is what we call a "humble brag."

But really, my point is that - garden aside - having a well-stocked pantry is so, so, so important. If you don't cook very often, it's tough to keep a pantry stocked with perishables like cheeses, apples, lemons, onions and winter squash. But most of these foods can last for weeks or even months at a time. So if you cook even just a few times a week, you'll be amazed at what you can whip up with what you have on hand.

After a good 10 days away from home, I was able to make a really nice meal yesterday with what we had in the house, no trip to the grocery store required.  I cooked up some sweet potato gnocchi that I had stored in the freezer and tossed them with brown butter, grated parm, herbs and mustard greens from the garden. I served it with a variation of this salad, also made with kale, carrots, and beets from the garden. Still humble bragging over here (bear with me, I'm still jet-lagged).

This butternut squash recipe is one that I stumbled upon last year in Bon Appetit and fell in love with it after the first time I made it. It was interesting and unique and had such a lovely variety of contrasting textures and flavors. Sweet and caramelized roasted squash. Tangy and spicy sautéed onions spiked with lime and chile. Crunchy toasted hazelnuts, creamy goat cheese and tons of fresh herbs. It's a party in your mouth, and just so happens to be loaded with nutrition. Score!

It's filling enough to be a solid vegetarian main, and if you leave out the goat cheese, it's totally vegan, too. But it really shines as a side, and would be pretty awesome to serve at this year's Thanksgiving feast right next to the perfectly carved turkey... Which, good God, is only a few weeks away, which means we'd better get to planning. If you buy all the ingredients for this recipe now, they'll easily keep in your fridge/pantry until it's time to roast the turkey.

Okay, maybe not the herbs, but hey, that's what the garden's for.

One Year Ago: How to Make Pie Crust From Scratch

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Roasted Butternut Squash with Goat Cheese, Hazelnuts + Lime

Adapted from Bon Appetit. Sweet roasted butternut squash is set off by tangy lime juice, caramelized onions, creamy goat cheese, crunchy hazelnuts and a slew of fresh herbs. So good! Original recipe serves 8, but I cut it in half to serve 4. Recipe could easily be scaled up to serve a larger crowd.

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 35 minutes minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes minutes

Servings: 4 servings

Calories: 358kcal

Author: Nicole Gaffney

Ingredients

For the Onions

• 1 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 small red onion sliced
• ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes half or omit for less heat
• ½ teaspoon lime zest from about ½ lime
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice from about 1 lime
• 1 teaspoon honey

For the Squash and Assembly

• ½ cup raw hazelnuts
• 1 large butternut squash about 2 lbs, peeled, seeded, sliced ¼ inch thick
• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil divided
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• ¼ cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• ¼ cup chopped fresh mint
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh marjoram if unavailable substitute fresh oregano or thyme
• 2 ounces fresh goat cheese

Instructions

Make the Onions

1. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat the oil then add the onions. Sauté until they're tender, but not mushy, and browned, about 5 minutes. Add the crushed red pepper and cook for an additional minute. Turn off the heat and stir in the lime zest, juice, honey, and season with salt and pepper. (Onions can be made up to 3 days ahead covered and stored in the refrigerator.)

Make the Squash and Assemble

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place hazelnuts on a small baking sheet and toast until they're golden brown and smell nutty, about 5-10 minutes. Allow them to cool down, then coarsely chop and set aside.
2. Turn the oven up to 425 degrees. Line a sheet pan with parchment to prevent sticking (optional), then toss the squash with 2 tablespoons olive oil, salt, and pepper. Spread out into an even layer on the baking sheet and roast, undisturbed, until tender and caramelized, about 20 minutes.
3. Transfer squash to a serving platter. Top with spicy onions, crumbled goat cheese, fresh herbs and toasted hazelnuts. Drizzle with the remaining tablespoon of olive oil and serve.

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Notes

• This recipe is great served warm, room temperature or cold.

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Nutrition

Calories: 358kcal | Carbohydrates: 29g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 26g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 18g | Cholesterol: 7mg | Sodium: 61mg | Potassium: 816mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 20085IU | Vitamin C: 45mg | Calcium: 135mg | Iron: 2mg