Baked Butternut Squash with Feta

This easy baked butternut squash, topped with feta and drizzled with a fresh lemon-herb dressing is honestly one of my favourite things to eat through the autumn. Think warm autumnal salad.

It’s really just a simple two-step recipe. You will halve the butternut squash, brush it with oil and bake for 45 minutes. In the meantime, make your lemon, parsley and coriander (cilantro) dressing. It’s bright acidity will balance the sweetness of the butternut squash perfectly. Once your butternut squash is baked, crumble over the feta and drizzle over the dressing. I recommend serving it with toasted pitta but you can serve it with your favourite bread if you prefer.

EATING WITH KIDS 

If you have younger kids and you think they won’t like the butternut squash with the dressing, or maybe they aren’t fans of feta - there’s a super easy fix for that! Baked butternut squash is also great simply topped with melted cheddar cheese. Just sprinkle over grated cheddar once it’s cooked, and continue to bake for 5 minutes until melted. If you have a toddler or weaning baby and are wondering how to adapt this recipe for your family, see here >

FAQ’s For My Baked Butternut Squash with Feta

Can I prepare this Baked Butternut Squash with Feta in advance?

This Baked Butternut Squash with Feta is best prepared at time of cooking. If you make the herb dressing too far in advance, the herbs will go limp and lack lustre. The perfect time to make the dressing is once the butternut squash is in the oven.

Can I feed more people with this recipe?

Most definitely! The recipe is just for 2 adults but go by the rule of a ½ a butternut squash per person. For babies, toddlers and younger children ¼ butternut squash should be fine each. The dressing is also easily scaled up, just use the buttons to the top right of the ingredients list to do so.

Can I eat this with cold butternut squash?

You can certainly eat it with cooled down butternut squash, so it’s warm, not hot. However, I wouldn’t recommend it with cold butternut squash.

How can younger children help make it?

If you are doing them a cheesy baked butternut squash, they can sprinkle over their grated cheese. 

Can I Store Baked Butternut Squash with Feta leftovers?

Any plain baked butternut squash leftover can be stored in an air-tight container or resealable food bag in the fridge for up to 3 days (cook day + 2). To reheat leftovers, you can just pop them in the microwave until steaming hot all the way through. Because of the fresh herbs, the dressing is only good for the day it’s made, and really should be eaten within an hour or two of making it as the parsley and coriander will go limp and dull if left much longer.

More on safe food storage and reheating.

What diets is this recipe suitable for?

My Baked Butternut Squash with Feta is suitable for vegetarians and gluten, egg and nut-free diets. 

Adapting My Baked Butternut Squash with Feta For Your Family

Eating together is beneficial for families of all ages and stages, for a multitude of reasons; nutritional, behavioural, psychological and for healthy family functioning. This section will show you how to tweak this Baked Butternut Squash with Feta recipe for sharing with a weaning baby, toddler or a fussy eater, which will help make it easier to eat together as a family.

Keeping Younger Children & Picky Eaters Happy

This recipe based on 2 adults, but if you are want the kids to eat with you, and aren’t sure if they will eat the butternut squash with the feta and dressing on, you can do them a cheesy baked butternut squash version instead. Go by the rule of ½ a butternut squash per older child. For babies, toddlers and younger children ¼ butternut squash should be fine each. 

Once their butternut squash is baked, sprinkle over grated cheese and pop it back in the oven to melt for a 5 minutes.

Making My Baked Butternut Squash with Feta Suitable for Baby Weaning  

For younger weaning babies, serve them plain baked butternut squash, mashed. If you are eating with an older baby or a toddler, you can introduce them to feta and salad dressing or you can serve them the simple version. For babies and toddlers, allow for an extra ¼ butternut squash each (recipe is just for 2 adults).

You can serve it in two different ways:

• You can mash their butternut squash, leave it to cool off a little, then stir in some grated cheddar
• Or you can sprinkle grated cheddar cheese over it and continue to cook it for 5 minutes, giving you a melted cheese layer on top. 

I’ve also added these notes to the bottom of the recipe so you have them to hand when you come to cook.

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