Roasted Gochujang Butternut Squash

This easy 5-ingredient Gochujang Butternut Squash recipe is 1 of my favorite savory roast butternut squash oven half recipes. Bursting with flavor, it's a sweet and spicy Korean squash side dish (banchan) perfect for everything from Christmas or Thanksgiving to family dinner. (The original recipe involved cutting the squash into fries, but who has time for that!? I updated it to using butternut halves but the original fried recipe is still in the notes if you want it.) (No added sugar.)

This delicious butternut squash gochujang recipe only calls for 5 ingredients but tastes like it has a whole lot more things packed into it! You will need:

• Half a small butternut squash: If you can't get the squash, which is also known as butternut pumpkin, you can also use sweet potatoes, pumpkin, kabocha or carrots, which are also naturally sweet. (Just note that the cooking time/ temperature will be different.) For more Asian pumpkin recipes, click here.
• 2 Tablespoons gochujang: although there are many other sauces you can use to make delicious roasted Asian butternut squash recipes, gochujang isn't really something you can substitute, if you want to keep the essence of this recipe! (For the best alternatives to gochujang, click here or here if you want a quick and easy Gochujang Paste recipe.) If you're vegan, there are vegan gochujang brands available (and obviously skip the cheese or use plant-based cheese)
• 1.5 Tablespoon of light soy sauce: Not to be confused with dark soy or sweet soy sauce! As soy sauce is salty, I find no extra seasoning is needed for this Korean squash dish (besides the oyster sauce below which gives the dish more umami. You can also leave it out- I didn't use it in my original recipe.)
• 0.5 Tablespoon oyster sauce
• 0.5 Tablespoon sesame oil: Substitute: you can use other vegetable oils but sesame oil goes best with gochujang and is the most fragrant

Gochujang (고추장) is fermented and thus has a very complex taste: at once spicy, sweet and savoury. It is usually made from gochugaru (Korean chili powder), glutinous rice, meju (fermented soybean), yeotgireum (barley malt powder), and salt, although many traditional households have their own secret recipes.

Note: For more 5-ingredient, Asian recipes or more Korean side dishes, click here.

If you've cut your butternut squash but not had time to roast it with the gochujang sauce, you can keep the uncooked pieces in the fridge for 3-4 days (as long as it's properly stored and not gone bad.)

Tip #2: Many gochujang recipes call for garlic, but I find it's not really necessary in many recipes, such as this one and Gochujang Korean Salmon, as this Korean sauce is so strong in flavour. If you do want to add garlic, you can use minced garlic or garlic powder. (Mix the garlic powder well or it will end up clumping in the sauce.)

Tip #3: Shredded cheese, optional & to taste: The cheese isn't strictly necessary but it goes so well with gochujang. Moreover, it forms a nice contrast in texture! I used mozzarella, but you can use other types of cheese as well- if it's a salty type of cheese, you may need to reduce the soy sauce.

To make the original recipe, you will need:

• A small butternut squash, cut into smaller pieces (cubes or strips)
• ¼ cup gochujang
• ⅛ cup sesame oil
• ⅛ cup light soy sauce
• Shredded cheese, optional & to taste: The cheese isn't strictly necessary but it goes so well with gochujang. Moreover, it forms a nice contrast in texture! I used mozzarella, but you can use other types of cheese as well

Step-by Step Instructions

• Mix the gochujang, soy sauce and sesame oil well. Add the butternut squash slices and toss in the sauce till all the pieces are coated. 
• Leave for 15- 30 minutes. Water will have oozed out at the end of the marinating period. (You may want to start pre-heating the oven at 400F/ 198C fan at this stage.)
• Line baking trays with parchment paper and spread the slices of squash on them in 1 layer. Make sure they're not too close or they will steam in the oven and not become crisp.
• Sprinkle the cheese on top.
• Bake for 20-30 minutes, till edges are brown and squash is cooked.
• Remove from oven and garnish with the scallions, sesame seeds and chillies.

Making the sauce

• Whilst the butternut squash is in the oven, heat the remaining marinade in a pan.
• If you want it to be thicker, add some cornstarch or potato starch, stirring well to make sure it doesn't clump.
• This sauce can be a dipping sauce for the squash fries or chicken tenders, or used to cook pasta or fried rice.

Other Korean Recipes

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