Roasted Delicata Squash

This flavor-packed roasted delicata squash comes together in about 30 minutes with simple, pantry staple ingredients. It’s a delicious side dish for the holidays or a quick vegetable to serve alongside your favorite weeknight dinner!

 

You Will Love This

• The best part about delicata squash, besides how beautiful it is, is that you can eat the skin which means no need to peel it! Other winter squash varieties – like butternut squash or acorn squash – can be hard to slice and prepare, but as the name suggests, delicata squash it super easy to slice, prep, and roast! Toss with olive oil and savory dried herbs, throw it in the oven and you’ve got an easy veggie side dish that your family will love.
• You can keep this roasted squash simple, just serving the roasted delicata by itself, or you can dress it up and serve it with creamy herb feta dip, balsamic dressed spring greens, pomegranate seeds, and pumpkin seeds!
• If you liked this recipe, be sure to check out my Stove Top Balsamic Glazed Brussel Sprouts, my Savory Herb Roasted Potatoes, or my Cheesy Baked Broccoli Casserole.

Ingredients and Substitutions

• Delicata Squash – Delicata squash, also known as sweet potato squash, is a petite little squash that roasts beautifully with skin so thin it can be eaten after baking!
• Dried Herbs – Dried oregano, dried sage, and dried thyme are my herbs of choice for this roasted squash recipe. But feel free to switch it up to suit your family’s taste. Dried rosemary, dried basil, or dried parsley would all be delicious as well. Sometimes I’ll just use Italian seasoning in place of all three.
• Garlic Powder – I like to use garlic powder for this baked delicata squash recipe because it gives you that subtle garlic flavor and it evenly coats every nook and cranny of the squash.
• Spring Greens – I love a fresh mixture of spring greens for this recipe, but you can also massage fresh chopped kale with the dressing for a really hearty addition to this Thanksgiving dish!
• Simple Balsamic Dijon Dressing – Olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and Dijon mustard along with salt and pepper combine to make the easiest flavorful dressing ever!
• Pumpkin Seeds – You could replace the pumpkin seeds with walnuts or pecans if you like. Adding a crunchy element is a great way to create a variety of texture in this dish.
• Pomegranate Seeds – If you can’t find pomegranate seeds, try using dried cranberries or dried cherries in their place. Adding a fruity element really pairs well with the other flavors in the roasted squash.
• Creamy Whipped Feta – My creamy whipped feta dip is the stuff that dreams are made of. It’s cool, creamy, salty, tangy, and herby. It balances out the rich, warm flavors of the roasted squash and it’s a must make accompaniment in my opinion. For this squash dish, I replaced the fresh dill in my original feta dip recipe with fresh parsley and it makes all the flavors sing!

Instructions

Cut the ends off of each squash. Then slice each in half lengthwise. Use a spoon to scoop out the seeds and fibrous strands and discard them. Use a sharp knife to slice squash widthwise into 3/4″ slices and add to a large bowl.

Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with oregano, sage, thyme, and a couple large pinches of salt and pepper. Toss to coat evenly.

Spread squash slices in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet.

Roast for 20-25 minutes or until tender and cooked through.

Now you can keep the presentation super simple for this roasted delicata squash and just serve it by itself.

Or, you can serve it with whipped feta and lightly dressed greens!

While the squash is roasting, throw together my quick and easy Whipped Feta recipe. Also whisk together olive oil, balsamic vinegar, Dijon mustard, and a couple large pinches of salt and pepper until dressing is emulsified. Dress spring greens with the dressing.

Spread creamy feta on a serving platter and place spring greens alongside.

Add dressed greens to the serving platter.

Serve roasted squash over feta and greens. Top with pumpkin seeds (or pepitas) and dried cranberries and enjoy!

Tips

• Feel free to switch up the flavors of this roasted squash recipe! I love the savory dried herbs, but you could also add a dash of cinnamon for a bit of spice. Or even a drizzle of maple syrup for a hint of sweetness.
• I know the Creamy Whipped Feta might seem like a bit of extra work, BUT I promise you – it takes literally just a few minutes to throw together and it takes this roasted squash dish to another level!! You can serve it on the side as a dipping sauce for the squash, spread a layer of it on your serving dish or add a dollop to each plate as it’s dished up. Either way, it adds such an amazing, slightly salty, fresh lemon, herby, creamy element and it pairs perfectly with the savory roasted squash! So what I’m saying is, don’t skip it!
• I prefer a hearty slice of squash for this roasted delicata squash recipe. However, you can slice these squash as thin or thick as you’d like! I recommend slicing them about 3/4″ thick but you could do a 1/4-1/2″ if you’d like them to go further. Or slice them even thicker, up to 1″ thick, if you’re looking for an even heartier slice. If you slice them thinner, just roast them for less time (15ish minutes). If you slice them thicker, you’ll need to roast them for longer (30ish minutes).
• If you’re into roasting the seeds, check out this recipe for roasted squash seeds!

FAQ

Make-Ahead, Storage, Reheating, and Repurposing

• Make-Ahead: This is a great make ahead dish for the holidays! You can slice the squash up to 3 days before roasting. Then just add the oil and herbs and get cookin!
• Storage: Store leftover roasted squash in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
• Reheating: I prefer to reheat these roasted delicata squash slices in the Instant Pot Vortex or the oven. Either way, cook at a low temperature around 350 or so until the squash are heated through and sizzling slightly. Be sure to salt to taste after reheating.
• Repurpose: I also love to make a quick soup out of the leftover squash. Just give it a blitz in a high speed blender with some broth, heat over medium heat in a saucepan until warmed through, and add a splash of heavy cream. Don’t forget to season to taste with salt and pepper!

Serve Roasted Squash With

• One Pan Chicken and Rice Casserole
• Vegan Olive Garden Minestrone Soup
• Slow Cooker Braised Beef Short Ribs
• Cheesy Chickpeas and Rice
• Easy Shredded Beef Chili

Easy Side Dish Recipes

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