Roasted Butternut Squash & Kale With Coconut Cream Sauce
This roasted butternut squash and kale recipe is paired with crunchy toasted almonds and a drizzle of spicy coconut cream sauce. It’s an easy, delicious, and healthy twist on a seasonal vegetable side dish! Recipe is vegan, gluten-free, and dairy-free.
I can’t tell you how obsessed I am with the flavour combination of this roasted butternut squash recipe!
Sweet squash cubes are paired with crispy kale, toasted almonds, and a lightly spiced coconut cream sauce. The flavours pair so beautifully, and you get both smooth and crunchy textures in every bite.
As a dietitian, I’m happy to share that both squash and kale are packed with nutrition benefits. The almonds and coconut cream add some healthy fats to this dish, to help make it super satisfying 🙂
This recipe is one of my favourite ways to enjoy butternut squash, and I hope it inspires you to try preparing it in a new way. Enjoy!
Want more side dish inspiration? Check out my roundup of 20+ easy, healthy vegetable side dish recipes for more ideas. I’ve also got roundups for winter squash recipes and kale recipes, if you want more of those too!
Recipe Ingredients Needed
All you need to make this roasted butternut squash recipe are 10 simple, healthy ingredients:
- butternut squash
- olive oil
- garlic
- curly kale
- raw almonds
- canned coconut cream
- red pepper flakes
- cornstarch
- salt
- pepper
Full ingredient measurements and detailed instructions are located in the recipe card at the bottom of this post!
Recipe Modifications
- If you can’t find canned coconut cream, feel free to swap with a canned coconut milk instead! It will be *slightly* thinner, but still taste the same.
- If you prefer no spice, you can omit the red pepper flakes (or reduce the amount for less spice).
- Instead of almonds, you could try using another nut like pecans. I will say that the crunchy almonds really add to this recipe though 😉
- If you don’t want to use butternut squash, you could try this with cubed sweet potatoes OR a similar squash like pumpkin, honeynut, or acorn squash.
How To Roast Butternut Squash
Roasting will forever be my favourite way to prepare most vegetables. And butternut squash is no different. I promise it’s super easy to do as well!
- Start by preheating your oven to 400F.
- Using a good vegetable peeler, remove the skin from the squash and cut off the hard ends with a sharp knife.
- The next step is cutting the squash into approximately 3/4-inch to 1-inch cubes.
- To do this, I like to first slice the squash in half (separating the long part from the bulbous part). I then slice these 2 parts in half lengthwise and remove the seeds. I find it easier to cut into chunks from these smaller pieces!
- Once your squash is cut up, toss the chunks in a large baking or casserole dish along with olive oil, salt, and (for this recipe) minced garlic. Stir everything together until well-combined.
- Then, pop the baking dish in the oven for about 30 minutes (depending on size of cubes), tossing once halfway through.
Butternut Squash Nutrition Benefits
Butternut squash is particularly high in micronutrients like vitamin A and vitamin C, with just one cup of cooked squash providing 457% and 52% of your daily needs, respectively!
It’s also a great source of other vitamins and minerals, such as:
- vitamin E
- magnesium
- potassium
- manganese
- multiple B-vitamins
It’s rich orange colour is thanks to the squash’s carotenoid content. Carotenoids (like beta-carotene) are plant pigments that have antioxidant properties, providing a host of health benefits. The vitamin C and E in this squash have antioxidant roles, too!
Butternut squash is also an excellent source of dietary fibre, with one cup of cooked squash providing 7 grams. As you can see, butternut squash is a great way to get you to those 30 grams of fibre a day!
Kale Nutrition Benefits
Just one cup of kale provides over 100% of your daily needs for:
- vitamin A (206%)
- vitamin K (684%)
- vitamin C (134%)
Kale is also a good source of other micronutrients like:
- manganese
- magnesium
- potassium
- calcium
- copper
- vitamin B6
That same cup provides 2 grams of dietary fibre, helping to keep your gut and heart happy.
In addition to micronutrients, kale is also loaded with antioxidants, which prevent cellular damage and provide a multitude of health benefits.
More Healthy Butternut Squash Recipes
- Kale Butternut Squash Breakfast Hash
- Cheesy Sautéed Butternut Squash
- Roasted Butternut Squash & Red Pepper Soup
- Roasted Butternut Squash & Pear Soup
- Kale Butternut Squash Salad With Farro
- Cheesy Butternut Squash Rice Bowl With Shrimp
Did you give this Roasted Butternut Squash & Kale With Coconut Cream Recipe a try? Let me know by leaving a comment and recipe rating below!
If you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram or Pinterest – seeing your creations always makes my day. You can also subscribe to my email list to never miss a new recipe or nutrition education post!
Get the Recipe: Roasted Butternut Squash & Kale With Coconut Cream Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 medium butternut squash
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- Salt, to taste
- Approx. 4 cups curly kale
- 1/2 cup almonds, chopped
Spicy Coconut Cream Sauce:
- 1 cup canned coconut cream
- 1 tsp red pepper flakes (increase or decrease depending on desired spice level!)
- 1 tsp cornstarch
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400F.
- Cut hard ends off squash and peel skin. Slice in half lengthwise and remove seeds. Cut squash into approximately 3/4-inch to 1-inch cubes.
- Place squash cubes in a large baking or casserole dish, and toss with olive oil, minced garlic, and salt. Place dish in the oven for 30 minutes, tossing once halfway through. Squash should be slightly browned and fork-tender.
- While squash roasts, prepare kale by washing, drying, and tearing into smaller pieces. Chop almonds and set aside.
- Next, prepare coconut cream sauce by adding coconut cream to a small saucepan and bringing to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer, and stir in red pepper flakes and cornstarch. Simmer for another 10-15 minutes, whisking occasionally. Remove from heat and set aside to allow the sauce to continue thickening.
- After 30 minutes in the oven, remove squash and gently stir in kale. Sprinkle chopped almonds overtop, and return to the oven for another 6 minutes. The kale should be browned and slightly crispy!
- Remove baking dish from the oven and pour coconut sauce overtop. Add additional salt as desired. Serve and enjoy immediately!
Notes
- If you can’t find canned coconut cream, feel free to swap with a canned coconut milk instead! It will be *slightly* thinner, but still taste the same.
- Instead of almonds, you could try using another nut like pecans. I will say that the crunchy almonds really add to this recipe though 😉
- If you don’t have or want to use butternut squash, I think you could try this with cubed sweet potatoes OR a similar squash like pumpkin, honeynut, or acorn squash.
Did you make this recipe?
Let me know by leaving a recipe rating below, or by tagging @walderwellness on Instagram. I love seeing your beautiful creations!
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20 Comments on “Roasted Butternut Squash & Kale With Coconut Cream Sauce”
Hello! This recipe look out of this world! Could I freeze leftovers?
Hi Cristina! Thank you so much!! That’s a great question – I personally haven’t tried freezing it, but I don’t see why it wouldn’t work! The kale won’t be crispy as when it’s fresh, but it should still hold up :). I’d love to know if it works for you!
Delicious! I am helping my neighbor, and myself, eat better and make healthy food more fun and this was such an interesting blend of flavors. The squash with all the garlic was already tasty but adding the kale and almonds to crisp up, then adding the coconut sauce just before serving was beyond tasty. And if you are hesitant to buy something like coconut cream due to fat content, I made what the recipe called for but did not need all the sauce, it was flavorful with just a little bit of the sauce. Served this with lemon chicken and a bean sprouts, carrot & cabbage salad w/ sesame ginger vinaigrette and it was a fantastic meal.
Hi Cindy! Thank you so much for leaving this kind review. I’m so happy to hear you enjoyed this recipe, and I hope your neighbor did too. That’s so sweet of to cook for them! The whole meal you served sounds delicious. I’d love to know if you give any of my other recipes a try in the future! Thanks so much again 🙂
Omg this was fantastic. I did add some leftover quinoa to the recipe. Added it in when I put the kale in… must say this was the most delicious recipe I have tried in such a longtime, I typically don’t like kale but I must say the entire dish was fantastic
Hi Kathy! Thank you so much for the kind comment!! Hearing this makes my day. I’m so happy to hear you enjoyed it and I love that you added some leftover quinoa to it. A perfect addition!! Thank you again 🙂
Delicious!
Thank you so much for sharing, Melinda! So happy to hear you enjoyed this one 🙂
Very special recipe, I added a few marinated artichoke hearts and a few dried cranberries……yummy!
Hi Kim! Thank you so much for sharing your experience! I’m so happy to hear you enjoyed this one. Your addition of artichoke hearts and cranberries sounds delicious!!!
Made it about a month ago! Loved the flavors and the end result!! Flavor combinations were the bomb. Had never used butternut squash before and did not realize how hard it is to cut! But ready to tackle the arthritis pain again to get those flavors!
Hi Lori! Thank you so much for sharing your experience – I’m so happy to hear you enjoyed this one 🙂
Butternut squash can definitely be a little tough to cut. If you can get your hands on a good vegetable peeler it can be a huge help! Otherwise – you can always purchase pre-cut butternut squash or even the frozen version!!
Absolutely love this recipe! Okay I hate it when people do this but I’m about to anyway.. do you know if there’s anything I could sub for the cornstarch? I’m doing a cleanse and cutting out corn so even though it’s a tiny little amount, I prefer to avoid it. Potato starch of arrowroot maybe?
Hi Jenalys! Thank you so much for sharing – so happy to hear you enjoyed this one 🙂
Yes the cornstarch is there to act as a thickener, so arrowroot or potato starch should work the same way!!
I followed the recipe exactly. It was amazing! It’s a new side in the rotation.
Hi Julia! I’m so happy to hear that you enjoyed this one and that it’s been added to the rotation :). Thank you for sharing your experience!!
I’m having a hard time finding the nutritional information
Hi Peggy! For both personal and professional reasons, I intentionally choose not to include the exact nutrition breakdown of my recipes. Ultimately, focusing on numbers goes against my nutrition philosophy as a dietitian and I much prefer to highlight the various health benefits of the whole food ingredients that I use! You can read more about my decision not to include them on my FAQ page if interested.
That said, if you would like to calculate the nutrition breakdown you can always enter the recipe into a nutrition calculator like MyFitnessPal!
Thank you so much for understanding.
Excellent flavor- and so easy to prepare! Only substitution was walnuts and coconut milk (vs cream) because that’s what I had….everyone loved it!
Thank you!
Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a review, Sherri! It’s so appreciated. I’m so happy to hear that everyone enjoyed this one 🙂