Smoked Butternut Squash Halves with Ancho Chili Glaze

Squash smoked on the grill until fork tender is a beautiful thing! Now listen my fellow soul food flavor this one’s comin’ straight from your guy's smoke and soul kitchen. We takin’ sweet butternut squash halves, givin’ ‘em low-and-slow smoke love ‘til they’re tender like a Sunday groove—about 90 minutes at 250°F, my friends.

With a sharp knife cut squash in half lengthwise, the squash gets rubbed down with a nice blend of ancho chili powder, brown sugar, garlic powder, and maple syrup for that deep, earthy heat with just the right amount of sweetness. That maple syrup ties it all together—sticky, smoky, smooth, just like Amy Winehouse layin' it down in “Addicted.” Her beat pairs perfect with the recipe’s swagger: slow, sensual, and unapologetically bold.

Beats and Eats (music to pair with butternut squash)

“Addicted” pairs beautifully with smoked butternut squash because both deliver unexpected depth with a rebellious edge. The song, with its jazzy backbone and cheeky lyrics, mirrors the dish’s soulful complexity—where sweet maple and brown sugar flirt with earthy ancho chili and deep smokey flavor.

Just like Amy’s vocals—raw, rich, and unapologetically bold—the smoked squash isn’t trying to be subtle. It’s flavor-forward, a little sultry, and leaves you wanting another bite, just like the hook of the song.

This smoked winter squash is a soul food melody where every note counts—the ancho chili's mild heat, brown sugar's caramel bassline, and garlic powder’s savory hum.

Want to push the flavor higher? Add a touch of smoked paprika or swap in chipotle powder for a bolder finish. Don't forget that olive oil step to optimize flavor, color, and texture. Whether using a pellet grill or ceramic smoker, the results are stupendous!

Serve this smoked butternut squash recipe alongside Southern fried black-eyed peas, braised collard greens with smoked turkey, and crispy Baja fish tacos. You ain’t just makin’ a side dish—you’re layin’ down flavor tracks for the people. You can also used leftovers to make a smoked butternut squash soup.

Keep up with my food exploits on Instagram and YouTube. If you like any of the music you find on the site, visit me at Spotify to find curated playlists.

Smoked Butternut Squash with Ancho Chile Rub

Author: Marwin Brown

89kcal

5 from 1 vote

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Prep 5 minutes mins

Cook 1 hour hr 30 minutes mins

Total 1 hour hr 35 minutes mins

Whole smoked butternut squash rubbed with an ancho chile spice mix and smoked over indirect heat for a sweet, smokey, flavor with a subtle light heat from the ancho.

Servings 4 people

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American, Modern Soul Food

Ingredients

1x2x3x

• ▢ 1 butternut squash peeled cut in half lengthwise and seeds removed
• ▢ 2 tablespoons olive oil
• ▢ 1 teaspoon salt
• ▢ 1 teaspoon black pepper
• ▢ ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ▢ 1 teaspoon ancho chili powder or more to taste substitute regular chili powder or cayenne is ancho unavailable
• ▢ 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• ▢ 1 tablespoon maple syrup

Method

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1. Prepare smoker for about 325-350 temperature (F).
2. Cut the butternut squash in half lengthwise end of the butternut squash.
   
3. Cut criss-crossing diagonal lines into the flesh of the squash.
4. Mix olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic, brown sugar, maple syrup, and chili powder in a mixing bowl
5. Brush olive oil mixture on top of each half of butternut squash.
   
6. Place on smoker and cook until soft all they way through about 90 minutes. If not to desired softness, finish in the oven roasting for 15-30 minutes at 350 degrees.
7. During the last 30 minutes of cooking add more of the olive oil mixture.

Nutrition

Calories89kcalCarbohydrates6gProtein0gFat7gSaturated Fat0gCholesterol0mgSodium583mgPotassium11mgFiber0gSugar5gCalcium5mgIron0.1mg

Notes

• Use woods like apple, oak or pecan that impart a mild sweetness and pair well with vegetables. Stronger woods like hickory and mesquite will overpower the squash
• To reduce the amount of smoke flavor, cut the smoking time in half and finish the squash off in the oven.
• For a sweeter profile cook at lower temperatures (225-250) for a longer period (2-3 hours). Higher heat increases savoriness. Alternatively, you can adjust the spice rub to be a bit more sweet with additional brown sugar, honey, or cinnamon.
• I eliminated butter from the recipe to keep this a vegan butternut squash dish, but works fine with it if you prefer adding a bit more fat. Honestly, I don't think it's needed.

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