As I was flipping through my Nigella Express cookbook recently, this recipe for butternut squash with pecans and blue cheese stood out. I’d never made butternut squash before, but there’s always a first and it’s hard to resist anything that has cheese and nuts involved.

Once I cut into the squash I was sad I hadn’t made it sooner, it was such a lovely vegetable. After I’d admired it for awhile, I cut it up into 1 inch cubes, sprinkled some thyme over top, drizzled a little olive oil over top and popped it in the oven. I let it cook up for awhile and pulled it out after the squash was tender to the touch.

That’s when the magic happens. I tossed a nice sprinkling of cheese and pecans over the squash and got ready to taste my first homemade butternut squash. Are you ready? Yum! It was tasty stuff! I liked the slightly sweet flavor of the squash paired with the tangy blue cheese and crunch of the pecan. This would make a great side dish for Thanksgiving, Nigella even reccomends it as a turkey alternative for vegetarians.

butternut squash with pecans & blue cheese
from Nigella Express
serves 6-8

4 1/2 cups butternut squash
2 tablespoons olive oil
6 stalks fresh thyme
1 cups pecans
1 cup blue cheese

1
preheat oven 425° F
2
Halve the squash, leave the skin on and scoop out the seeds. Cut the squash into 1-inch pieces.
3
Put the squash into a roasting pan with oil and strip about 4 stalks of thyme of their leaves and sprinkle over the butternut squash. Roast for about 30-45 minutes or until tender.
4
Once out of the oven, remove the squash to a bowl and scatter the pecans and crumble the cheese over top, tossing everything together gently.
5
Check the seasonings and add the last couple stalks of thyme, torn into small sprigs to decorate.