By Two weeks until Thanksgiving and the preparations have begun. I have my list, I have my timeline, I have the turkey already ordered from the specialty butcher. This is the sixth Thanksgiving dinner I have made at Gloria's, which means it is the sixth brined turkey and the sixth mac and cheese and the sixth sweet potato pie and I am better at all of them than I was the year before, each time, which is the only direction I want to be going.
Tyler is helping this year in a new way: he is bringing a dessert from Debbie. Not one she made, one he made under her supervision, her pecan pie. He practiced it at his house on Saturday and brought me a slice and it was close. I told him what I noticed, which was that his salt was a little light. He said Debbie said the same thing. I said: we are right. He said: you two are terrifying. I said: your mother taught you well. He said: you both did.
I have been thinking about what the table will look like at Gloria's this year. Tyler across from me, James at the head, Gloria at my right. The same table I have been sitting at since I was fourteen, the same kitchen, the same ritual of holding hands before the prayer. And Tyler is part of it now in a way that is fully natural, fully assumed, the way the right things become assumed when they have been right long enough. I am looking forward to Thursday.
With the turkey ordered, the mac and cheese perfected over six years, and Tyler’s pecan pie almost exactly right, I have been thinking about the things on the table that hold everything else together — the quiet sides that don’t ask for attention but make every plate feel complete. Roasted butternut squash is one of those. It is golden and a little sweet and it takes almost no effort compared to the rest of the day, which is exactly what I need from it. I make it every year now, and every year it disappears before I expect it to.
Roasted Butternut Squash (Cubes or Halves)
Prep Time: 15 min | Cook Time: 35 min | Total Time: 50 min | Servings: 6
Ingredients
- 1 large butternut squash (about 3 lbs), peeled, seeded, and cut into 1-inch cubes (or halved lengthwise for roasted halves)
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika (optional)
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup or honey (optional, for finishing)
- Fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven. Set your oven to 425°F (220°C). Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper for easy cleanup.
- Prepare the squash. If making cubes, peel the squash, halve it lengthwise, scoop out the seeds, and cut the flesh into 1-inch pieces. If roasting halves, simply cut the squash lengthwise and scoop out the seeds — no peeling needed.
- Season generously. Toss the cubes in a large bowl with olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic powder, paprika, and thyme until every piece is evenly coated. For halves, brush the cut surfaces with the seasoned oil mixture.
- Arrange on the baking sheet. Spread cubes in a single layer with space between them — crowding causes steaming instead of caramelizing. For halves, place cut-side down on the prepared sheet.
- Roast until golden. Roast cubes for 30–35 minutes, flipping once halfway through, until the edges are deep golden and caramelized and the centers are fork-tender. Halves will take 40–45 minutes. Do not rush this step — the caramelization is the whole point.
- Finish and serve. If using, drizzle lightly with maple syrup in the last 5 minutes of roasting. Transfer to a serving platter, scatter fresh parsley over the top, and serve warm.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 130 | Protein: 2g | Fat: 7g | Carbs: 19g | Fiber: 3g | Sodium: 310mg