America's Test Kitchen LogoCook's Country LogoCook's Illustrated LogoAmerica's Test Kitchen LogoCook's Country LogoCook's Illustrated Logo

Winter Squash and Fennel Roast

By America's Test Kitchen

Published on November 13, 2011

Time

1½ hours

Yield

Serves 8

Winter Squash and Fennel Roast

Ingredients

1 butternut squash (about 2 ½ pounds), peeled, halved lengthwise, seeded, and chopped2 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and chopped2 fennel bulbs, halved lengthwise, cored, and chopped; plus 2 tablespoons chopped fennel fronds (optional)½ cup dried cranberries ¼ cup olive oil 1 ½ teaspoons salt ½ teaspoon pepper

Before You Begin

The feathery green tops (called fronds) of the fennel bulb have a mild licorice flavor.

Instructions

  1. Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and heat oven to 400 degrees. Toss squash, apples, fennel (and fronds, if using), cranberries, oil, salt, and pepper in large bowl until well coated. Arrange squash mixture on baking sheet and roast until vegetables are tender and lightly browned, about 1 hour. Serve.
Winter Squash and Fennel Roast

Winter Squash and Fennel Roast

Headshot of America's Test Kitchen
By America's Test Kitchen
Save

Time

1½ hours

Yield

Serves 8

Ingredients

1 butternut squash (about 2 ½ pounds), peeled, halved lengthwise, seeded, and chopped
2 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and chopped
2 fennel bulbs, halved lengthwise, cored, and chopped; plus 2 tablespoons chopped fennel fronds (optional)
½ cup dried cranberries
¼ cup olive oil
1 ½ teaspoons salt
½ teaspoon pepper

Ingredients

1 butternut squash (about 2 ½ pounds), peeled, halved lengthwise, seeded, and chopped
2 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and chopped
2 fennel bulbs, halved lengthwise, cored, and chopped; plus 2 tablespoons chopped fennel fronds (optional)
½ cup dried cranberries
¼ cup olive oil
1 ½ teaspoons salt
½ teaspoon pepper

Ingredients

1 butternut squash (about 2 ½ pounds), peeled, halved lengthwise, seeded, and chopped
2 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and chopped
2 fennel bulbs, halved lengthwise, cored, and chopped; plus 2 tablespoons chopped fennel fronds (optional)
½ cup dried cranberries
¼ cup olive oil
1 ½ teaspoons salt
½ teaspoon pepper

Why This Recipe Works

This Winter Squash and Fennel Roast recipe is a fresh take on typical roasted vegetables. Fennel lends the holiday side dish recipe a licorice bite and sweetness, and dried cranberries add concentrated tartness. To ensure even cooking, we chopped our squash, apples, and fennel as close to the same size as possible. We also found that if we had fennel bulbs with the fronds attached, they could be chopped and added to the roasted vegetables.

Before You Begin

The feathery green tops (called fronds) of the fennel bulb have a mild licorice flavor.

Instructions

  1. Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and heat oven to 400 degrees. Toss squash, apples, fennel (and fronds, if using), cranberries, oil, salt, and pepper in large bowl until well coated. Arrange squash mixture on baking sheet and roast until vegetables are tender and lightly browned, about 1 hour. Serve.

Gift This Recipe

Enjoyed this dish? Let others know by sharing it as a gift recipe.

Keep Exploring

This is a members' feature.