5 Ridiculously Easy Roasted Squash Recipes for Busy Fall Weeknights (2024)

5 Ridiculously Easy Roasted Squash Recipes for Busy Fall Weeknights (1)

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Sheela Prakash

Sheela PrakashSenior Contributing Food Editor

Sheela is the Senior Contributing Food Editor at Kitchn and the author of Mediterranean Every Day: Simple, Inspired Recipes for Feel-Good Food. She received her master's degree from the University of Gastronomic Sciences in Italy and is also a Registered Dietitian.

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published Oct 5, 2019

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Welcome to Snapshot Cooking, the home of Kitchn’s easiest recipes. These mini recipes are so simple you can practically cook from the before-and-after snapshot itself.

Butternut squash is one of my very favorite fall vegetables. There are just two tiny problems: I absolutely hate cutting or peeling it. That’s how delicata squash won my affection. Not only is this winter squash easier to slice into, but there’s also no need to peel it. It also comes in a much more manageable size: One medium delicata can serve two as a side, while finding a small butternut is no easy feat.

While it doesn’t need more than olive oil, salt, and pepper, just a few extra ingredients can really up the “wow” factor. Here are five of my very favorite twists.

5 Snapshot Recipes for 4-Ingredient Roasted Delicata Squash

  • The 3 ingredients: Each recipe calls for four ingredients, including delicata squash and an optional garnish. We assume you have olive oil, salt, and pepper, so those aren’t included in our ingredient count.
  • The serving size: Each recipe serve four people as a side, but can easily be doubled. Divide the squash between two baking sheets if doubling.

Garlic Parmesan Roasted Delicata Squash

Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and heat to 425°F. Trim 2 medium delicata squash. Cut in half lengthwise; scrape out seeds and pulp. Slice into 1/4-inch-thick half moons; place on rimmed baking sheet. Combine 2 tablespoons olive oil and 2 grated garlic cloves in a small bowl; drizzle over squash. Season with salt and pepper; toss to combine. Spread in an even layer and roast, flipping halfway, until tender and caramelized, 25 minutes. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese; roast until melted and softened, 5 minutes more. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley leaves.

Miso Butter Roasted Delicata Squash

Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and heat to 425°F. Heat 2 tablespoons unsalted butter and 2 teaspoons white miso paste in a small saucepan over medium heat, breaking up miso with a spoon until it’s evenly dispersed and butter is melted. Remove from heat. Trim 2 medium delicata squash. Cut in half lengthwise; scrape out seeds and pulp. Slice into 1/4-inch-thick half moons; place on a rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with miso butter, season with salt and pepper, and toss to combine. Spread in an even layer and roast, flipping halfway, until tender and caramelized, 25 minutes. Garnish with chopped scallions.

Chili Lime Roasted Delicata Squash

Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and heat to 425°F. Trim 2 medium delicata squash. Cut in half lengthwise and scrape out the seeds and pulp. Slice into 1/4-inch-thick half moons and place on a rimmed baking sheet. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil, 2 teaspoons chili powder, and finely grated zest of 1 lime. Season with salt and pepper; toss to combine. Spread in an even layer and roast, flipping halfway, until tender and caramelized, 25 minutes. Remove from oven, halve the zested lime, and squeeze juice over squash. Garnish with chopped fresh cilantro.

Honey Harissa Roasted Delicata Squash

Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and heat to 425°F. Trim 2 medium delicata squash. Cut in half lengthwise; scrape out seeds and pulp. Slice into 1/4-inch-thick half moons; place on a rimmed baking sheet. Combine 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 tablespoon harissa paste, and 1 tablespoon honey in a small bowl; drizzle over squash. Season with salt and pepper; toss to combine. Spread in an even layer and roast, flipping halfway, until tender and caramelized, 25 minutes. Garnish with chopped fresh mint leaves.

Maple Bacon Delicata Squash

Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and heat to 425°F. Trim 2 medium delicata squash. Cut in half lengthwise; scrape out seeds and pulp. Slice into 1/4-inch-thick half moons; place on a rimmed baking sheet. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil, 2 slices thick-cut bacon cut into 1/2-inch pieces, and 1 tablespoon maple syrup. Season with salt and pepper; toss to combine. Spread in an even layer and roast, flipping halfway, until squash is tender and caramelized and bacon is crisp, 25 minutes. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley leaves.

Get the recipe: Maple Bacon Delicata Squash

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5 Ridiculously Easy Roasted Squash Recipes for Busy Fall Weeknights (2024)

FAQs

Which squash is best for roasting? ›

Tan and smooth, the versatile butternut squash has sweet, nutty flesh that works well in baked, boiled, and steamed preparations, but it's particularly well suited to deep roasting. A butternut squash can keep for up to six months.

What is the best fall squash? ›

Butternut squash have some of the best flavor of all! Butternut cultivars are pretty consistent when it comes to flavor. All have richly sweet, nutty flesh favored for all kinds of fall and winter cookery.

How to roast butternut squash Jamie Oliver? ›

Method. Preheat the oven to 180ºC/350ºF/gas 4. Wash and dry the whole squash, then place on a baking tray. Pierce once or twice with the tip of a sharp knife, then bake in the oven for 1 hour 30 minutes, or until golden and very soft.

Is kabocha squash better than butternut squash? ›

Which Squash is Better than a Butternut? The kabocha won decisively. The deep orange flesh was creamy, without visible fibers. It had a slightly earthier and richer flavor than the butternut.

Should squash be peeled before roasting? ›

You don't have to peel it before roasting. That's right. You do not have to suffer through peeling an entire slippery butternut squash if you're going to roast it. The skin is perfectly safe to eat, and it's hardly noticeable after a nice roast in a hot oven.

Which squash is best for Thanksgiving? ›

Butternut, acorn, spaghetti can all bring big flavor to the holiday table. From acorn to butternut, spaghetti to delicata, don't underestimate winter squash to deliver big flavor to your Thanksgiving table.

Which squash is not sweet? ›

Flavor: No, spaghetti squash doesn't actually taste like spaghetti. It has a tender, chewy, fragile texture, and a very mild flavor. Unlike other winter squash varieties, it lacks sweetness.

What is the most popular squash? ›

Zucchini squash is arguably the most popular summer squash. Though officially in season between May and August, according to Spices Inc, zucchini is generally available year round at grocery stores.

How does Rachael Ray cook butternut squash? ›

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Halve the squash lengthwise, scoop out the seeds and drizzle with EVOO. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and fresh nutmeg and roast until just tender, 30 to 35 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly.

Is there a difference between roasting and baking squash? ›

Most recipes say to either bake or roast butternut squash—but what's the difference? While both cooking methods will turn the tough, raw gourd into a soft, sweet ingredient, roasting butternut squash is the more common process for achieving browned, crispy edges and a creamy interior.

How does Gordon Ramsay cook butternut squash? ›

In a large bowl mix the cubed squash, garlic cloves and ginger with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and 1 tablespoon of the spice mix. Season with salt and pepper and scatter in a single layer in a roasting tray. Place in the preheated oven and cook for 30 minutes until tender all the way through.

Can you eat too much kabocha squash? ›

Adverse Effects. If you eat an excessive amount of kabocha squash, or any yellow or orange fruit or vegetable containing beta carotene, you can develop carotenemia. This is a condition that can cause your skin to appear yellowish or orange.

Which squash tastes most like pumpkin? ›

Hubbards are slightly tear-shaped with dark green to pale grayish blue skins and remarkably sweet flesh with a clear pumpkin flavor.

What is a Tetsukabuto squash? ›

Tetsukabuto is a work-horse variety that is a Japanese developed hybrid between a Butternut and Kabocha. Although not really popular or known in the US, Tetsukabuto have been very popular in Japan and Brazil for several decade.

Which tastes better butternut or acorn squash? ›

Acorn squash is milder in taste and slightly more fibrous in texture than butternut squash: Its sweet, nutty flavor is additionally muted by the watery character of its flesh. Still, most recipes that call for acorn squash can be made with another members of the squash family, such as Hubbard or butternut.

Which is better acorn or butternut squash? ›

The principal difference is that a butternut is starchier than an acorn. This makes it smoother in texture, which gives it more versatility in how it is cooked or served. Acorn squash is generally eaten just the way it comes out of the oven or steamer, while butternut can be mashed, puréed, made into soup, etc.

Which is better for you butternut squash or acorn squash? ›

Acorn squash: It has less vitamin A than butternut but provides even more fiber (9 grams per cup) and potassium (896 mg). Pumpkin: This squash has beta carotene and also contains more than twice as much alpha carotene as butternut squash.

What is the most popular summer squash? ›

Classic, green zucchini is a year-round staple, but when summer rolls around they're at their peak. Green zucchini has thin skin and firm flesh. Because of its mild flavor, it can be used in everything from muffins and breads to sautés and even as a substitute for pasta.

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