If you’ve never had delicata squash before, you’ll be pleasantly surprised by how little you need to roast delicata squash. The natural sugars in the squash become caramelized in the oven, so you end up with a buttery caramel flavor. While you can season it however you’d like, you don’t need much more than a bit of salt and pepper to make it taste amazing. Want another delicious side dish that goes with every meal? Try my roasted carrots recipe, roasted potatoes recipe, or smashed potatoes recipe.
What You Need to Make This Recipe
Delicata squash — when purchasing the squash, check for soft spots by squeezing the squash. The squash should feel firm and heavy for its size. The squash should also be a light creamy yellow color with long green stripes. If the squash is more orange than yellow, it may be overripe. Uncooked whole delicata squash will last for up to 4 weeks on the kitchen counter. Oil — I drizzle olive oil onto the delicata squash before roasting, but you can use a different neutral oil.
How to Make Roasted Delicata Squash
- Trim the ends off each squash and cut in half lengthwise. Scrape out the seeds and any stringy bits with a spoon and discard.
- Cut the squash into ½-inch thick slices.
- In a large mixing bowl or directly on a large parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet, toss the squash with the olive oil, salt, and pepper .
- Spread out into a single layer on the baking sheet. Roast for 15 minutes or until lightly browned on the bottom. Flip slices over and continue roasting for about 10 more minutes. Serve the roasted delicata squash immediately, sprinkled with more salt and pepper to taste, if needed.
Pro Tips for Making This Recipe
Make sure to wash the squash beforehand. As the skin is kept on, give the squash a good scrub with a brush.Feel free to change the seasoning to whatever you like! Fresh herbs such as rosemary, thyme, or sage are a great alternative. For a savory squash, you can also try garlic powder, onion powder, curry powder, or chili powder. You can add some brown sugar or maple syrup for a sweeter roasted squash. Alternatively, you can use smoked paprika or cayenne pepper for a spicy-smoky flavor, as it pairs well with the sweetness of the delicata squash.A sharp knife is a must to cut the squash in half safely.Don’t throw out the seeds! You can roast them like you roast pumpkin seeds.Delicata squash is quite versatile, so you can pair it with various other ingredients to bulk it up! Try pairing it with some cheese such as feta cheese, goat cheese, mozzarella cheese, and parmesan cheese. You can also top the squash with nuts and seeds such as pine nuts, pistachios, pecans, walnuts, pumpkin seeds, and sunflower seeds. Sliced fruit such as apples or pears is a great addition to the roasted delicata squash as well.
If you’ve tried this Roasted Delicata Squash recipe, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you!
