Baked Butternut Squash Rounds with Szechuan Pepper

This super easy and delicious side dish is melt-in-your-mouth tender and packed with flavor!

Butternut Squash Rounds with Szechuan Pepper

This super easy and delicious side dish is melt-in-your-mouth tender and packed with flavor!

The squash rounds are drizzled with melted butter, then roasted in the oven with smashed garlic, fresh thyme, spiked with mouth-numbing Szechuan peppercorns, and well balanced with a zesty squeeze of lemon juice right before serving.

The Szechuan peppers aren't peppers at all. They actually belong in the citrus family. It has a sharp, bright flavour, which is known to enliven food. It is also known for its numbing feature. If you ever tried Szechuan food, you know that tingling sensation. So don't overdo the peppercorns.

1 Large butternut squash with a long and thick neck
3 tbsp Unsalted butter, melted
Fresh thyme
4 Garlic cloves, crushed
1/2 tsp Coarse salt
1/2 tsp Freshly ground black pepper
1-2 tsp Szechuan peppercorns, toasted and crushed plus a few whole berries
1 tbsp Fresh lemon juice

Preheat your oven to 210C/425F. Cut the neck off of the butternut squash and keep the base for another use. Cut the stem from the end and peel. Cut the squash in slices crosswise, about 1/2 inch thick.
Transfer the butternut squash rounds to a lightly oiled baking pan. Arrange garlic around the butternut squash slices. Drizzle the melted butter over the squash slices. Finally, sprinkle each round with some chopped thyme leaves, a pinch of salt, black pepper and Szechuan peppers.
Roast the butternut squash in the oven for 30-35 minutes, depending on the thickness of your butternut slices, until tender and golden on the edges.
Remove from the oven, drizzle the baked butternut squash slices with lemon juice, then transfer to a serving platter with garlic. Garnish with fresh thyme if you like. Serve immediately!