These roasted butternut squash slices are topped with sautéed mushrooms, Parmesan, and crispy breadcrumbs. The squash rounds are roasted first until almost tender, then topped and baked again until golden.
I've had this recipe for butternut squash slices on the blog for years, and it was time for new photos and a little refresh. I still make it the same way: the sweet squash, savory mushrooms, and cheesy topping are delicious together, and I like that the slices can be served as either a side dish or a light main meal.
And I do like butternut; I cook it a lot in fall and winter. One of my favorite recipes is the Butternut Squash and Lentil Lasagna - a must-try! Just like these amazing Roasted Pumpkin Wedges.
Ingredients: 9 + oil, salt & pepper | Prep Time: 30 minutes | Cook Time: 45 minutes | Servings: 2-4 | Difficulty: Easy
Recipe ingredients
Butternut squash: Choose a squash with a relatively long, straight neck. This gives you evenly sized rounds that are easy to slice and top. You can use the rest of the squash to make Pumpkin Orange Soup using butternut instead of pumpkin.
Mushrooms: Regular button or cremini mushrooms are both fine. Chop them fairly small, so they stay on top of the squash slices.
Shallots: You can replace them with a small onion if needed.
Parmesan: Freshly grated Parmesan melts and browns better than pre-grated cheese.
Breadcrumbs: I use panko for a crispier topping. Regular dry breadcrumbs are ok too.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to roast butternut squash slices
Step #1: Peel the butternut squash and cut the neck into thick, even slices. Place the butternut squash rounds on the prepared baking sheet, brush them with oil, and season.
Step #2: Bake the slices until they are almost tender (about 20 minutes). They should be easy to pierce but still firm enough to hold their shape.
Step #3: While the squash is roasting, finely chop the mushrooms and shallots.
Step #4: Cook them in a pan until softened and the moisture released by the mushrooms has evaporated. Season to taste.
Step #5: Spoon the mushroom mixture onto the roasted squash slices and sprinkle with Parmesan and panko.
Step #6: Return them to the oven and bake until the topping is golden and the squash is completely tender (about 8 minutes).
Tips
Cut the squash into even slices so they cook at roughly the same rate. Don't make them too thin; these are meant to be substantial squash rounds rather than thin roasted squash chips.
The straight neck of the butternut is best for this recipe. You can use the rounded bottom for soup, mash, curry, or another butternut squash recipe.
If the squash is tender but the topping isn't quite browned enough, you can broil the slices for a couple of minutes. Keep an eye on them because the breadcrumbs can brown quickly.
Storage
Refrigerate leftover roasted butternut squash slices in an airtight container for 2-3 days.
Reheat them in the oven or air fryer rather than the microwave if possible. The microwave works, but the breadcrumb topping will lose its crispness.
I wouldn't freeze the finished slices. The squash and mushroom topping are both much better freshly made.
How to serve it?
I often serve the slices as a light main dish with a simple salad with vinaigrette or Yogurt Dressing. They also work well as a fall side dish with Roasted Whole Chicken, Cast-Iron Pork Tenderloin, or other roasted meats.
They're also great as an appetizer with salad or as a side dish for a Thanksgiving-style meal.
You can also serve them at room temperature, either on a slice of rye bread or crispbread topped with cream cheese or hot pepper paste.
Roasted Butternut Squash Slices
Equipment
- Baking sheet
Ingredients
- 1 long butternut squash only the long seedless part of it, Note 1
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 3.5 oz mushrooms Note 2
- a few drops of lemon juice
- 3 shallots or 1 small onion
- 1 large garlic clove
- a small bunch of parsley
- 3 teaspoons butter
- a pinch of lemon zest
- 2 tablespoons Parmesan
- 2 tablespoons panko breadcrumbs
- fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F/ 200°C. Lightly oil the baking sheet.
- Cut butternut: Cut the long part of the butternut squash and remove the peel. Slice the squash into slices about 0.6 inches/1.5 cm thick. Place them on the prepared baking sheet. 1 long butternut squash
- Roast butternut slices: Brush the slices with olive oil, sprinkle them with salt and pepper, and bake them for about 20 minutes or until soft.1 tablespoon olive oil + fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Chop: In the meantime, clean the mushrooms and chop them finely. Mix them with a few drops of lemon juice. Chop the shallots and the garlic clove very finely as well. Add them to the mushrooms.3.5 oz mushrooms + a few drops of lemon juice; 3 shallots + 1 large garlic clove
- Cook: Melt 2 teaspoons of the butter and cook the mushroom-shallot mixture until softened, and the moisture from the mushrooms has evaporated. Remove from the heat and stir in the finely chopped parsley and the lemon zest. Add salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.2 teaspoons butter + mushroom mixture + a small bunch of parsley + a pinch of lemon zest
- Increase the heat of the oven to 440°F/ 220°C.
- Top the butternut squash slices with the mushroom-shallot mixture. Mix the freshly grated Parmesan with the panko breadcrumbs and divide this mixture on top of the squash slices. Top with tiny dots of the remaining teaspoon of butter.2 tablespoons Parmesan + 2 tablespoons panko breadcrumbs + 1 teaspoon butter
- Bake for about 8 minutes or until nicely golden.
Notes
- Butternut squash: You must choose a squash with a long, thick neck. The neck gives you plenty of evenly sized round slices that roast at the same rate and are large enough to hold the mushroom and Parmesan topping.
- Mushrooms: You can use white button, cremini, or shiitake mushrooms.
Liz says
Lovely way to prepare squash and the peel wasn't bad as I left it in long enough for the squash to be tender.
Adina says
Thank you,Liz.
Alex says
Pretty! I love this idea for a holiday party appetizer 🙂
Shiitake mushrooms just make everything better, don't they?
Brie says
What a cool way to enjoy butternut squash! I could see these making for a fun "pizza" night where everyone can choose their toppings and the kids actually want to eat their vegetables 🙂 I'd go for your buttery mushrooms, yum!
Chris Scheuer says
What a delicious and unique way to enjoy butternut squash!
Balvinder says
They look yummy and healthy, almost like mini pizza! 🙂
Anca says
It looks great! I never made squash slices, but it's something I would love to try after seeing yours. x
I hope you don't mind me saying, but Parmesan is not vegetarian, it uses animal rennet (calf rennet). A vegetarian alternative would be hard cheese, it's similar, but not Parmesan.
Adina says
Thank you, Anca. I added the vegetarian alternative. 🙂