This Roasted Butternut Squash with Burrata and spicy Basil Oil is a plate of beautifully contrasting flavours and textures: sweet, spicy, tangy and creamy.
Estimated reading time: 3 minutes
I just love the sweet nature of butternut squash, and my favourite way with it is when it’s roasted. Any crispy edges just add a further caramelised flavour.
To this sweet flavour from the butternut, we add creamy in the form of burrata and spicy from the chilli, basil and olive oil.
I’m using a robust, peppery olive oil here, so we’re already off to a good start, before we even add the basil and chilli.
What is Burrata?
Burrata is a cheese pouch, to put it simply! It hails from Puglia (in Italy) and has been around since the early 20th century.
Burrata, which means buttery, is a pouch made of stretchy cheese much like mozzarella. This pouch holds a combination of fresh cream (panna in Italian) and leftover cheese scraps from making mozzarella. These cheese scraps are called stracciatella, meaning small rags.
Burrata with Roasted Butternut Squash
I love burrata, it’s cheese and cream in one! What’s not to love? Given its creamy and super mild constitution, it’s just begging for contrast.
So in this roasted butternut squash recipe, we get that first, from the spicy basil oil, then the balsamic vinegar, added after the roasting.
Roasted Butternut Squash Recipe
This is such an easy recipe, there’s hardly any thinking going on! All we do is:
- Make the spicy basil oil, only takes about 3 minutes.
- Cut up the butternut squash.
- Then we rub the squash wedges with the oil then roast it in the oven.
- Serve up with the burrata and rest of the oil.
Easy, right?
If you want to save a few minutes, you could even buy those ready sliced or diced butternut squash sold in supermarkets. You’ll have to cut the cooking time down to about 20 – 25 minutes, if you do.
How to serve Roasted Butternut Squash?
- It is a great side dish, perfect with any meal, vegetarian or otherwise.
- As above, it will make a great Thanksgiving or Christmas recipe.
- Roasted butternut squash also makes a great starter at a sit down meal. For this, it’s probably best to pinch out your burrata and scatter over your plate. Ya don’t want your guests to full up for the main, do you?
- Makes a great vegetarian lunch with some fresh bread.
- Oh yes, always have some bread for all that cheesy, sweet and spicy goodness!
Shall we get our aprons on?
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Head on over to the Autumn page more recipes that’s just perfect for these cooler, darker months.
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Lin xx
Roasted Butternut Squash with Burrata and Spicy Basil Oil
Ingredients
- 1 large butternut squash
- 1 burrata
Spicy Basil Oil
- 5 sprigs basil leaves
- 1 clove garlic
- 1-2 red chillies
- ¼ tsp salt
- 5 Tbsp EV olive oil
- 1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar to be added after roasting
To Finish
- some basil leaves torn
- 2 Tbsp toasted pine nuts
Instructions
The Spicy Basil Oil
- Using a pestle and mortar (or the back of a spoon), crush the garlic, chilli and basil leaves, along with the salt to aid the crushing.
- Pour in the olive oil and stir thoroughly. Set aside.
Roasting the Butternut Squash
- Preheat the oven to 220°C (425°F.
- Halve the squash, leaving the skin on.
- Slice the squash into wedges, about an inch (2.5cm) thick and place in a roasting pan.
- Drizzle with 3 Tbsp of the spicy basil oil and coat the wedges thoroughly with the oil.
- Roast in the oven for 35-40 minutes, by which time, your squash will be very soft with slight crispy edges. You could flip them over halfway, if you can be bothered to brown evenly, but be careful, they will be soft and may fall apart if handled roughly.
To Serve
- The “Octopus Look”
- Add the balsamic vinegar to the spicy basil oil and stir to mix well.
- Place the burrata in the middle of your serving plate and arrange the squash wedges all around.
- Drizzle the oil all over the burrata and wedges, being generous on the cheese.
- Finish with the torn basil leaves and pine nuts with lots of fresh bread.
- The Rustic Look
- Leave the wedges in the baking tin.
- Tear up the burrata into pieces and scatter all over the wedges.
- Drizzle the spicy oil all over your cheese and squash.
- Finish with the basil leaves and pine nuts with lots of fresh bread.
A perfect starter for sure. I am loving those slices as well as that burrata or the cheese…..not sure if I can share this with someone 😀 😀
Haha, yes, I know that feeling. Thank you, Renu!
Absolutely love this recipe! Looking forward to trying it out with my family over the weekend. Thanks a lot!
A pleasure, Josh, thank you.
So simple and yet sounds so delicious! Love all the contrasting flavours and textures. I’m hoping I can find burrata here.
Thank you, Maria.
I saw this on fb and had to see if it’s as easy as you say, lol! Glad to see it is! Planning to make it over the weekend, off to hunt down that burrata!
Haha, good to know! Hope it went well, Gordon.
Love it! This has just been selected by the family for our Thanksgiving side. It’ll make such a nice change from the usual mash. Thanks Azlin.
Awesome, I think it’s perfect for Thanksgiving!
This is such a great meatfree recipe! Can I use other cheese, not sure I can find burrata here.
Hi Sydney, you absolutely can, whether it’s the usual suspects like feta and cheddar, or something different. Smoky cheese will go well here too.