Roasted Butternut Squash with Gochujang

Gochu what? Really, I’m not 100% sure how to pronounce gochujang, but I think it’s my new sriracha. I first tried the Korean Chile paste Gochujang in China 7 years ago! Since then my husband and I have been looking forward to recreating Bibimbap in our own kitchen, but it’s been a lengthy process! First came the stone bowl, and then the hunt for 100% gluten free gochujang paste. If gluten free is not a requirement for you, then check any well stocked grocery store with an Asian Food Aisle. Gochujang is easy to find at Wegman’s.

This is a really easy roasted squash recipe, with a few extra steps and ingredients. The flavor is unique, so you’ll be glad you tried it! Start by peeling and thinly slicing the squash. There are a lot of ways to peel and slice squash, here’s how I like to do it. I use a really sharp y-shaped peeler to peel the squash whole, then remove the top and bottom. Separate the long neck from the seed end, then slice the long neck in half. Slice into 1/4″ thick slices. Slice the seed end in half, and then scoop out the seeds. Slice into 1/4″ slices.

Toss everything with the sauce ingredients and roast. The thin slices of squash cook quickly. Drizzle the finished squash with toasted sesame oil if you like, for a stronger sesame flavor. I also forgot to mention – if you can’t find gochujang or don’t want to, just use sriracha!

Roasted Butternut Squash with Gochujang adapted from Bon Appetit

1 medium butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and thinly sliced
2 tablespoons neutral cooking oil, like canola
2 tablespoons tamari or soy sauce (gluten free if necessary)
2 tablespoons sesame seeds
1 tablespoon gochujang chile paste (gluten free if necessary)
toasted sesame oil for drizzling – optional

Preheat oven to 425°F. In a small bowl, mix together canola oil, tamari, sesame seeds, and gochujang paste. Place butternut squash slices into a large bowl and toss with the gochujang sauce.

Line two baking pans with parchment paper. Divide squash between 2 pans, spreading into an even layer. Bake for 25 – 3o minutes until edges of squash start to brown. Drizzle cooked squash with toasted sesame oil if desired.