Honey-Roasted Delicata Squash is a simple yet flavorful dish that showcases the natural sweetness of this tender squash. With its creamy texture, caramelized edges, and a touch of honey, it’s a side dish that’s quick to put together and receives rave reviews. Perfect for fall gatherings, holiday tables, or weeknight dinners, this recipe is bound to become a seasonal favorite.
I first fell in love with delicata squash at Dell'anima in Hell's Kitchen. In addition to their unbelievably good pasta, I was also blown away by their simple side of delicata squash. When I asked the chef what the heck it was, he said, "It's simple... it's just delicata squash roasted with honey." I was like ....that's it? There's no way!
The slight caramelization on the squash when it's roasted?? UFFFF so good! Oven roasting the squash with just a bit of honey enhances it's natural sweetness! I have taken the dish to many potlucks and it always receives rave reviews.
Top the roasted delicata squash with some in-season pomegranates and chopped walnuts for a crunch and this sweet and savory side dish will be a hit at your dinner table.
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What is Delicata Squash?
Delicata squash is part of the winter squash family, with a cream-colored cylindrical shape and orange and green stripes. Also called the sweet potato squash, the delicata squash tastes like a cross between butternut squash and sweet potato.
When roasted, the squash caramelizes giving it some sweetness. As you may be able to guess, the skin is really quite delicate, hence the name "delicata" squash. This also means that you don't have to peel the skin for consumption and it's much easier to cut through than most other squashes.
Delicata squash is ridiculously versatile for just about any fall dish you can think of. The most common way to prepare it is by roasting, but you can also steam, sautée, or even microwave it! You can find it in salads, filled with meat and rice, tossed with pasta, top with any fruits or nuts and yogurt, etc.
How to Honey Roast Delicata Squash
When choosing your squash, make sure you get similar shape and sizes to ensure even cooking and avoid any with bruises, soft spots, or mold.
Prep the squash
- Scrubbing the exterior of the squash as much as possible, since you'll be eating the skin as well
- Cut the ends off of both sides so you have flat surface to work with. Use a large sharpened knife and cut it down the middle lengthwise.
- With a spoon, scrape out the seeds and fibrous strands attached to the seeds.
- Cut the halves into half moon shapes that are about ¼" to ½" thick.
Roast in the oven
Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- Space out the half moons of delicata squash in a single layer on a half sheet tray. Don't use parchment paper to allow the heat from the metal to caramelize the squash.
- Drizzle olive oil, salt, black pepper, and honey all over the squash and toss to coat. I eyeball how much to use for roasting depending on the size of the squash.
- Roast for 20 minutes, or until it begins browning on the sides. Flip a few over to check that it has browned on the bottom. If it has, remove the tray from the oven and flip each piece.
- Roast for an additional 15-20 minutes. Keep an eye on them to ensure they don't burn.
- Remove them from the oven once they're tender and have browned and caramelized on the edges.
Carefully open the oven while facing away since the squash steams at first before it caramelizes.
Serving Suggestions
While the squash roasts, chop the walnuts into pea-sized pieces and chiffonade the basil. Deseed a large pomegranate.
My favorite way to do this is to cut off the top and slice the pomegranate along where the pithy white parts surrounds the seeds. It's much easier to pull off the wedges and deseed with my hands into a bowl this way.
When the squash is done, toss it with pomegranates, walnuts, and basil. Plate the squash on a serving platter and drizzle with honey. I use Mike's hot honey to add a little kick to this dish, but feel free to drizzle regular honey.
It’s a beautiful addition to holiday spreads, pairing wonderfully with roast chicken, stuffing, mashed potatoes, and cranberry sauce.
Expert Tips and Tricks
- Uniform Slicing: Cut the squash into evenly sized pieces to ensure even cooking.
- Avoid Overcrowding: Spread the squash in a single layer on the baking sheet for maximum caramelization.
- Crispier Edges: For extra crispness, broil the squash for the last 2-3 minutes of roasting but be careful not to burn it.
- Toppings: Switch out the toppings for pecans, feta, and thyme for something different.
Leftovers? Here are some ideas
If you're lucky enough to have leftovers, I found it awkward to try and warm up this dish because of the pomegranates and walnuts mixed it. Instead, you can:
- Toss the delicata squash with the pomegranates, walnuts, and basil into a salad and add protein with a green goddess dressing.
- Cook up some quinoa and add cucumbers, avocado, and kale
- Add feta or goat cheese, tzatziki, and arugula
Storage Instructions
Store leftover squash in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in the oven at 350°F (175°C) to restore some of the crispness, or enjoy it cold in salads. Avoid freezing, as the squash may become mushy when thawed.
More Side Dishes to add to your spread
Recipe
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Honey-Roasted Delicata Squash
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 delicata squash, (about 2.5-3lbs)
- 2 teaspoon olive oil
- Kosher salt
- black pepper
- 2 tablespoon honey
- 2 tablespoon hot honey, see notes
- 1 large pomegranate, deseeded
- 15 chopped walnuts
- handful of basil, thinly sliced
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Wash and scrub the delicata squash. Cut the ends off of both sides to create a flat surface. Cut it in half lengthwise and scrape out all the seeds and fibrous threads with a spoon. Cut the squashes into ¼" to ½" half moons.
- Lay the half moons on a half sheet tray and drizzle 2 tablespoons honey, 2 teaspoons olive oil, salt, and black pepper. Toss the squash to ensure it is fully coated and roast in the oven for 20 minutes on one side. Remove from the oven and flip each slice. Roast for an additional 20 minutes or until tender and slightly browned at the edges.
- While the squash is roasting, deseed a pomegranate and chop the walnuts into preferred size. Thinly slice a handful of basil.
- Transfer the roasted delicata squash to a serving platter. Garnish with the pomegranate seeds, chopped walnut, and basil. Drizzle hot honey for an added touch of sweetness and heat before serving warm or room temperature.
Notes
- To make hot honey, simply mix honey and hot sauce (amount to preference) in a bowl and warm in 30 second intervals. Stir well to combine.
- Alternatively, use extra plain honey before serving.
- Measurements of olive oil, honey, black pepper, and salt are approximated based off of 2.5lbs of delicata squash and is subject to change according to size. Use enough to thoroughly coat the squash.
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