Roasted delicata squash is the PERFECT fall time side dish. So easy to prepare with this minimalist recipe with 4 different flavor combinations to choose from.
I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again. There really is no RIGHT way of eating, just the right way of eating FOR YOU. I encourage folks to tune into their bodies to figure out what works for them in this particular season of life. The one thing I do know is that we can all use more vegetables in our diets. So here’s one of my go-to side dishes during the cold fall and winter months.
Delicata squash is a smallish winter squash with a sweet flavor and a creamy, smooth texture. It’s loaded with fiber, iron, calcium, vitamin A, and vitamin C. It’s super easy to cook because of it’s soft skin. You don’t have to risk cutting off a finger trying to hack the thing open like with some bigger, tougher winter squash.
Because of it’s soft skin, the skin is actually edible, which is nice since peeling winter squash is pretty much my least favorite thing about winter squash. Who’s with me on this?
Never tried delicata squash? Well, my friend, you are truly missing out. It really is a simple and delicious way to get nutrient dense vegetable goodness into your diet. Like I said, it’s creamy, smooth, and lightly sweet. I love how warm, cozy, and caramelized it gets when roasted. It fits into almost all of the food eating styles. It’s gluten free, grain free, vegan, paleo, and whole30 compliant.
This unfussy recipe requires about 5 minutes of prep time total. Scrub your squash well (since you’ll be eating the skin,) trim the ends, cut down the center the long way, scrape out seeds, and cut into pretty little half moons. Drizzle with whatever melted fat you like and a bit of salt. Then add your desired flavor spices. Roast until golden and tender. YUM!!
Because I love the flavor of delicata squash, I often stick to ghee and salt when roasting, but I’ve included some other flavor combos that you might enjoy:
- Maple Spice
- Savory Spice
- Curry Spice
My best cooking tip is to roast your squash pieces until they are nice and tender. That’s where the magic happens, that yummy caramelized golden flavor. Enjoy!
xo,
Katja
LOVE WINTER SQUAH? Check out my post on How to Make Butternut Squash Noodles.
How to Cook Delicata Squash (with 4 Flavor Combinations)
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Sides
- Method: bake
- Cuisine: American, gluten free
Ingredients
FOR BASIC RECIPE
- 2 delicata squash
- 1 tbsp butter, ghee, or coconut oil
- salt, to taste
FOR MAPLE SPICE
- 1–2 tbsp maple syrup
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon OR chili powder
FOR SAVORY SPICE
FOR CURRY SPICE
- 1/4 – 1/2 tsp curry powder (like this)
- 1/8 tsp cinnamon powder
- ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400’F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Wash and scrub delicate squash. Cut off both ends, cut down the center (the long way) and scoop out seeds and stringy bits. Then slice squash into half circles about 1/4 – 1/2 inches thick.
- For basic recipe, in a large bowl, drizzle in 1 tablespoons of fat of choice and salt to taste. If going for a flavored version, add whatever flavor combo ingredients that you like to the fat and salt. Mix to thoroughly coat.
- Spread squash pieces in a single layer on prepared baking sheet and roast for 20 minutes. Flip squash with a spatula and roast another 15-20 minutes, until fork tender and golden brown. Serve and enjoy!!
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Delicata squash is one of my favorite squash varieties! I love cutting it in half and stuffing it with nuts, wild rice, onions, and pomegranate kernels and baking it. So good! Definitely going to try these variations too 🙂
Mmmm. I loved stuffed squash. Esp with pomegranates. 🙂
Thank you, Eva! This sounds good, so I’ll give it a try.