• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Delightful Plate
  • Vietnamese Recipes
  • Recipe Index
    • Recipe Index
    • Recipe Filter
  • Cookbook
  • Pantry
  • About
  • Contact
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Vietnamese Recipes
  • Recipe Index
  • Recipe Filter
  • Cookbook
  • Pantry
  • About
  • Contact
    • YouTube
    • Facebook
    • Pinterest
    • Instagram
    • RSS
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Vietnamese Recipes
    • Recipe Index
    • Recipe Filter
    • Cookbook
    • Pantry
    • About
    • Contact
    • YouTube
    • Facebook
    • Pinterest
    • Instagram
    • RSS
  • ×

    Home » All Recipes » Main Dish » Roasted Butternut Squash Sandwich with Caramelized Onions and Pesto

    Roasted Butternut Squash Sandwich with Caramelized Onions and Pesto

    Published: Mar 3, 2023 Updated: Mar 16, 2023 by Sophie 4 Comments

    46 shares
    Jump to Recipe

    This roasted butternut squash sandwich with caramelized onion and pesto is a super easy recipe to make when winter squash is abundant. It is excellent for a healthy meatless lunch or dinner.

    a slice of roasted butter squash sandwich with caramelized onions and pesto

    This recipe is my version of the sandwich I used to love at a store near my old workplace. Nowadays, I enjoy making it at home (besides this pumpkin soup and pumpkin fritters with salted egg yolk sauce) when winter squash is in season. It is easy to make, and there are several ways to customize it to your liking.

    Ingredients

    Here are the main ingredients you’ll need for this recipe:

    • butternut squash: I haven’t tried making this sandwich with other types of cooking squash. If you try other squashes, please feel free to comment.
    • bread: I often use ciabatta. Baguette, hoagie roll or your other favorite bread for sandwich will work too.
    • caramelized onions: these are sliced onions that are cooked on the stove gradually until caramelized, soft and sweet.
    • pesto: it adds a pleasant herby fragrance to the sandwich. If you want to keep the sandwich vegetarian/vegan, please use vegetarian/vegan pesto.
    plates with sliced butternut squash and onions

    Optional Add-ins

    You can customize this roasted butternut squash sandwich by adding more filling, for example:

    • cheese
    • arugula
    • other roasted veggies such as zucchini or eggplant

    Main Cooking Steps

    The recipe has two main steps, which are not quick but fairly straightforward.

    1️⃣ Roasting the butternut squash: simply slice the squash thinly, and toss with salt, pepper and oil. You can also add some dried herbs if desired. Then bake in the oven until tender.

    a baking sheet with butternut squash slices
    roasted butternut squash slices on a baking sheet

    2️⃣ Caramelizing the onions: this step does require some time and patience. You will need to cook the onions gradually to deepen the color, flavor and sweetness. 

    I like to start with cooking the onions in olive oil over medium heat, and then reduce the heat as needed. Halfway through the process, time to add some butter and continue to cook until your desired level of caramelization is reached.

    adding onion slices to a skillet
    cooking onion slices in the skillet
    caramelizing onions in the skillet

    I don’t think it is necessary to cook them very dark. I prefer a lighter level of caramelization which ensures no unpleasant bitterness as well as saves up some cooking time.

    Once these two components are ready, you can assemble the sandwich pretty quickly. I like to have the bread toasted for some extra crunch. I look forward to hearing how you make this roasted butternut squash sandwich recipe.

    a tray of roasted butternut squash sandwiches with salad on the side

    Related Recipes

    • Easy Baked Shrimp Toast
    • Slow Cooker Vietnamese Pulled Pork Banh Mi
    • Vietnamese Pumpkin Soup (Canh Bi Do)
    • Crispy Pumpkin Fritters in Salted Egg Sauce

    ⭐️ I’d love to hear what you think about the dish, so please feel free to leave a comment and a rating if you have tried it. New recipes are added every week so let’s connect on Facebook, Youtube, Pinterest and Instagram for the latest updates. You can find my collection of Vietnamese recipes here.

    a plate of roasted butternut squash sandwiches with pesto

    Roasted Butternut Squash Sandwich with Caramelized Onions and Pesto

    This roasted butternut squash sandwich with caramelized onion and pesto is a super easy recipe to make when winter squash is abundant. It is excellent for a meatless lunch or dinner.
    5 from 2 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Appetizer, Main Dish
    Cuisine: American
    Keyword: butternut squash sandwich
    Prep Time: 10 minutes
    Cook Time: 50 minutes
    Total Time: 1 hour
    Servings: 2 people
    Calories: 332kcal
    Author: Sophie

    Ingredients

    US Customary – Grams
    • 18 oz peeled and thinly sliced butternut squash (no more than ¼ inch thick)
    • 1/2 plus 1/8 teaspoon salt, divided
    • 3/8 teaspoon black pepper, divided
    • olive oil
    • 2 yellow onions, peeled and thinly sliced (about 10.5 oz/300g)
    • 1 tablespoon butter
    • your choice of bread for sandwich
    • 2-4 tablespoons pesto

    Instructions

    • Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Toss the butternut squash slices with ⅜ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper and 2½ tablespoons olive oil. Arrange them in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
    • Roast the butternut squash in the preheated oven for about 20 minutes, then flip and roast until tender and browned to your liking, about 10 minutes more.
    • Place a skillet over medium heat and add oil to coat the bottom. Once the oil is hot, add the onion slices. Let them cook, stirring occasionally for about 15 minutes. Reduce the heat if needed.
    • Add the remaining salt and pepper to the onions, stir and cook for another 5 minutes. Increase the heat back to medium, then add butter. Continue to stir and cook for 20-30 minutes more until they are browned, soft and sweet. A light degree of caramelization will also work.
    • Toast the bread. Spread pesto on each cut side, then add the roasted butternut squash slices and caramelized onions. See Notes for optional add-ins. Serve right away.

    Notes

    You can customize this roasted butternut squash sandwich by adding more filling, such as:
    • cheese
    • arugula
    • other roasted veggies such as zucchini or eggplant
    You can use ciabatta, hoagie rolls, baguettes or your other favorite bread for sandwich.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 332kcal | Carbohydrates: 55g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 16mg | Sodium: 1064mg | Potassium: 1066mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 27604IU | Vitamin C: 62mg | Calcium: 176mg | Iron: 2mg
    Tried this recipe?Comment & Rate below or Tag @delightfulplate on Instagram
    Liked our videos?Subscribe to our Youtube channel and cook along with us
    Disclosure: Delightful Plate is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. As an Amazon associate, we earn from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you. We only recommend products we use and trust.
    Copyright: All content and photos on Delightful Plate are copyright protected. Please do not use them without our written permission. Thank you.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. LindaG

      March 19, 2023 at 2:49 am

      5 stars
      Really yummy! Especially with her idea of adding the option arugula!

      Reply
      • Sophie

        March 31, 2023 at 3:22 am

        Hi Linda,
        Thanks so much for the comment and rating! I’m happy to know you particularly loved it with arugula :)!

        Reply
    2. Bonny

      March 15, 2023 at 10:28 pm

      5 stars
      Love the flavors here, but next time I’m going to try with my homemade cranberry sauce for a bit of tart flavor!

      Reply
      • Sophie

        March 16, 2023 at 4:49 am

        Hi Bonny,
        Thank you so much for the positive feedback and rating! So glad you also love the flavors. Using cranberry sauce sounds like a great idea. I often add dried cranberries whenever I have roasted butternut squash salad. Please feel free to let me know how the sandwich tastes with cranberry sauce :).

        Reply

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    About

    Hi, I'm Sophie! Delightful Plate is where I share authentic Vietnamese recipes that have been cooked in my family for years, as well as other Asian recipes and recipes inspired by ingredients and flavors from other cuisines. Read More…

    Never Miss A Recipe!

    Sign up and receive emails with free recipes once a month.

    BUY OUR EBOOK!

    real vietnamese homecooking cookbook
    Buy Now!

    Popular Recipes

    a plate of Vietnamese summer rolls (goi cuon)

    Vietnamese Fresh Spring Rolls (Goi Cuon)

    This Asian Steak Bites and Potatoes recipe features seared beef cubes and potatoes in a garlicky butter and soy-based sauce. It comes together in under 30 minutes and everything is cooked in just one pan. Easy weeknight dinner!

    Asian Steak Bites and Potatoes

    This scallop shrimp pasta with burst cherry tomatoes is perfect for not only quick and simple weeknight meals but also fancy date night dinners. It is so flavorful with sweetness from fresh seafood and umami from burst tomatoes.

    Scallop Shrimp Pasta with Burst Cherry Tomatoes

    This Vietnamese Pulled Pork Banh Mi features crispy bread, tender and flavorful pork, crunchy pickled vegetables and yummy sriracha mayo sauce. With the help of a slow cooker, this banh mi sandwich recipe is super easy to make.

    Slow Cooker Vietnamese Pulled Pork Banh Mi

    This baked shrimp toast features flavorful shrimp mixture on top of crispy bread. It is a quick and easy appetizer for parties, holidays or any occasions.

    Easy Baked Shrimp Toast

    Footer

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • About Us
    • Privacy Policy

    Stay Connected

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates
    • Contact Form

    Other Contents

    • Google Web Stories