If you're looking for an easy dinner recipe or vegetarian Thanksgiving main dish, I think you'll love this sheet pan butternut squash with ricotta! It's packed with veggies, fresh cheese and a flavorful herb oil and is so simple to make.
Do check out my stuffed gem squash for another fun veggie idea!
Sheet pan dinner ideas are always a go-to in my home for when time is tight! This sheet pan butternut squash joins my sheet pan pesto chicken and my sheet pan maple chicken and squash as easy family dinner ideas.
Looking for more vegetarian main dish options? Why not check out my quinoa stuffed zucchini boats and butternut squash pasta bake? Both perfect comfort food dishes for all the family.
Making this roasted butternut squash and ricotta is super simple and just requires a bit of chopping of veggies, then the oven does the work for you! It's so good as a fall dinner idea!
This recipe was updated on 23 October 2023 with slight amendments to the recipe, new tips and photos.
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⭐ Why this recipe is so good
- Gooey fresh cheese. There's just *something* about baked cheese that feels indulgent. Warm ricotta and honey is so tasty, very slightly gooey and perfect with sweet butternut squash.
- Enjoy year-round. While this does make a lovely holiday vegetarian main meal, it is equally lovely for a weekend dinner.
- Easy to make. Simply grab your sheet pan for this recipe, it's so easy!
🧀 Ingredients
All the ingredients and their quantities are set out in the recipe card below.
Some notes on a few of them:
- Ricotta cheese - this fresh and creamy cheese is perfect for baking as it doesn't really fall apart or melt too much. You want a tub of ricotta (the type that holds its shape).
- Butternut squash - I like to peel my squash, but the skins are edible when roasted in the oven, so up to you whether you peel or not!
- Honey - you want to use runny honey and not set honey.
- Herbs - these are the star of the show for flavor in this traybake. Fresh thyme and rosemary give a depth of flavor that brings out the taste of the cheese and vegetables.
📖 Swaps and variations
Swap red bell pepper or broccoli for other veggies. You can also use yellow or green bell peppers, add another type of squash or perhaps diced parsnips or carrots.
Use other herbs. A small amount of fresh sage would be nice!
🔪 Step by step instructions
Making this sheet pan butternut squash and ricotta is very simple, with all easy steps and no fancy kitchen equipment required.
All the instructions are in the recipe card below, but these photos should help guide you.
Step 1: Add the veggies to the sheet pan
After peeling and dicing the butternut squash, add to a sheet pan along with the red bell pepper and broccoli florets (image 1). Drizzle over the olive oil and toss to coat the veggies, then arrange in an even layer.
Step 2: Add the ricotta
Nestle the ricotta in between the vegetables. Drizzle over the honey, a little olive oil and season with salt and black pepper (if using). Add the sprigs of rosemary between the vegetables. Drizzle a little honey over the vegetables (image 2).
Step 3: Make the herb oil dressing
Combine olive oil, fresh thyme, salt and black pepper (if using) and stir well (image 3).
Step 4: Roast the butternut squash
Roast the butternut squash and ricotta for about 40 minutes, until the vegetables are fork tender and the cheese has very slight browning. Remove from the oven and drizzle over the herb oil (image 4).
💭 Recipe tips and notes
- Choose all butternut squash, or have a combination of squashes such as dumpling squash or pumpkin.
- Remove any excess liquid from the tub of ricotta before placing it on the sheet pan.
- Keep an eye on the butternut squash sheet pan in the last few minutes of cook time - we want browning but not burning!
📋 Frequently asked questions
Drain any excess liquid from the tub, then simply place on the baking tray and drizzle with the honey and add the herbs. It doesn't need any preparation before that.
Ricotta doesn't melt as such when baked in the oven, and will hold its shape. It will go very slightly soft and a tiny bit gooey.
Yes, of course. You can use different types of squash or increase (or decrease) quantities of bell peppers or broccoli.
Roasted butternut squash doesn't have to be peeled as the skin is edible, but you may prefer to do so.
🍽 How to serve
If you're making this sheet pan butternut squash and ricotta as a main dish, then I suggest to serve with some sides:
- A crusty roll is always popular in my home!
- Rice, couscous or quinoa work well as a side dish. My frozen cauliflower rice recipe is a lighter option if you like!
- Serve with an array of side dishes if you're making a holiday dinner such as my honey roasted vegetables, potato cauliflower mash and my pesto Brussels sprouts.
🥣 More dinner ideas
There are dozens of delicious dinner ideas to try here, including my artichoke pesto pasta, turkey rissoles and my green spaghetti sauce, as well as these recent recipes:
I’m always in the kitchen, so come join me on Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest to be the first to hear of new recipes! And please do leave a star rating ⭐ if you've tried the recipe!
📖 Recipe
Sheet Pan Butternut Squash and Ricotta
Ingredients
- 1 medium butternut squash peeled and sliced into large pieces
- 6 broccoli florets
- 1 red bell pepper cut into large pieces
- 1 tub fresh ricotta
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 3-4 rosemary sprigs
- pinch salt
- pinch black pepper optional
For the herb oil
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- small handful fresh thyme
- salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 390F / 200C.
- Add the butternut squash, bell pepper and broccoli to a sheet pan. Drizzle 1 tablespoon of olive oil over the vegetables, toss to coat, then arrange in an even layer.
- Place the ricotta in between the vegetables, drizzle over 1 teaspoon of olive oil and the honey. Drizzle a little honey over the vegetables and nestle the rosemary sprigs in between the vegetables. Season with salt and black pepper (if using). Bake for 40 minutes or until the vegetables are fork tender and the ricotta has a little browning.
- Make a herb oil by adding a small handful of thyme with 2 tablespoon of olive oil, salt and black pepper (if using) to a pestle and mortar or small bowl. Bruise the thyme and mix into the olive oil.
- Remove the sheet pan from the oven once the ricotta has started to lightly brown. Drizzle over the herb oil, and serve immediately.
Notes
- It's down to preference whether you peel the butternut squash. Roasted butternut squash doesn't have to be peeled, but many prefer to do so.
- If your ricotta is in some liquid, carefully drain before adding it to the sheet pan.
- Please note that nutritional information is offered as a courtesy. It is auto-generated and should be understood to be an estimate.
Katie Clark says
Such beautiful colors and shapes. I can tell you are a foodie because of this presentation!
throughthefibrofog says
I love a colourful traybake!
Shruti Chopra says
Firstly Claire, I had to pause at reading "peppa pig" and go into nostalgia mode. I loved the peppa pig spongy pink sweets - I can still taste it! 😀
But then I knew I needed to get out of that mode and go through this recipe of yours. What I love is the combination and balance of flavours - the sweetness, the slight bitterness that bell peppers give and then the creaminess of the ricotta. Oh! and I love the addition of broccoli too - a favourite vegetable of mine for sure. It's so versatile - great for such dishes and even raw in salads.
Again, love the flavour you bring through simplicity.
throughthefibrofog says
Haha! My nieces are obsessed with peppa pig, but I seem to have missed out because I don't remember spongy sweets!
Glad you like the sound of this recipe - it's so simple but always feels a bit special. I had it last year on Christmas day. Enjoy it if you have a go at making! 🙂