Butternut Squash Roses with Creamy Herb Goat Cheese Sauce

Golden spirals of roasted squash nestled under a blanket of caramelized onion, fresh garden herbs, and tangy goat cheese cream sauce.

Ingredients

For the Roses

• 1 medium butternut squash

• 2–3 tbsp ghee (or butter)

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

For the Creamy Herb Sauce

• 3 large onions, thinly sliced

• 2 tbsp ghee (or butter)

• Fresh oregano — 2–3 sprigs

• Fresh basil — 2–3 sprigs

• Fresh thyme — 2–3 sprigs

• Fresh sage — 1 sprig

• Fresh rosemary — 1 sprig

• 6–8 oz goat cheese

• 1 cup plain, unsweetened high-protein Greek yogurt (Maple Hill brand recommended)

• Salt, to taste

Instructions

1. Prep the Squash

   
   

   • Peel the butternut squash, then use a vegetable peeler to shave long, thin ribbons.

   • For fuller roses: stack 2–3 ribbons and roll tightly. For bigger, layered roses: start with one ribbon and wrap additional ribbons around it in a spiral until you reach your desired size.

   • Arrange the roses snugly in an 8×8 glass baking dish.

   
   

2. Garlic Ghee Drizzle

   
   

   • Melt ghee in a small pan over medium-low heat, stir in minced garlic, and cook for about 1 minute until fragrant.

   • Drizzle over the squash roses.

   • Bake at 375°F (190°C) for 25–30 minutes, or until squash is tender and edges are just beginning to caramelize.

   
   

3. Make the Sauce

   
   

   • In a large skillet, melt ghee and add sliced onions.

   • Cook slowly over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until onions are deep golden and sweet (about 25–30 minutes).

   • Finely chop all fresh herbs and stir them into the onions, cooking for 1–2 minutes until aromatic.

   • Lower the heat, add goat cheese, and stir until melted into the onions.

   • Stir in Greek yogurt until smooth and creamy. Taste and season with salt.

   
   

4. Assemble

   
   

   • Pour or spoon the creamy herb sauce over the baked squash roses.

   • Optional: return to oven for 10–15 minutes to get a golden top before serving.

Tip: The key to perfect roses is thin, flexible ribbons—if they crack when rolling, steam them for 1–2 minutes first to soften.

This recipe was birthed when I was hanging out with my friend Grace at her new apartment in Charleston. We had bought a butternut squash for a pot luck gathering but realized we had no knives in the house as she had just moved in. The one thing that she did have was a peeler so I sat on the couch and peeled the butternut creating this delicious experience.