Roasted delicata squash is the perfect fall side dish. With a drizzle of maple syrup and a sprinkling of fresh herbs, it's bursting with sweet and savory flavors. While roasting, the sweet delicata squash turns into tender, golden slices with beautifully caramelized edges.
Recipe Highlights
Easy Side Dish: This roasted delicata squash recipe is super easy to make and comes together in a few steps. The best part about cooking delicata squash is not removing the skin! The delicate skin is totally edible and delicious.
Simple Ingredients: This dish has only a few simple ingredients: squash, olive oil, maple syrup, fresh herbs, and simple seasonings.
Sweet and Savory: The sweet flavor of the squash is highlighted by a drizzle of maple syrup while the fresh herbs balance the dish with savory flavors. If you love the flavor of maple syrup and fresh herbs together, you'll love my maple venison breakfast sausage.
What is Delicata Squash?
Delicata squash is one of my favorite winter squashes. It has a nutty flavor with edible skin and tender flesh. It's perfect for roasting because you don't have to peel it! Delicata means delicate in Italian.
There are several varieties of delicata squash that all look and taste a little different, but they all have edible skin. Some are more rounded than others, some have orange stripes instead of green stripes, and they also vary in size. I like to grow delicata squash in my garden but you can also find it at farmer's markets and grocery stores.
Ingredients
- Maple Syrup: You can toss the squash with a little brown sugar before you roast it if you don't have maple syrup.
- Olive Oil: You can substitute the olive oil with melted butter for a richer flavor.
- Herbs: I like to use a variety of herbs for this recipe. You can use all 3 that I use (rosemary, thyme, and sage) or just 2 or 1! You can also use dried herbs in a pinch.
See recipe card for quantities.
Equipment
Recommended
Parchment Paper
Parchment paper is ideal for roasting squash because it's non-stick and makes clean-up a breeze!
How to Make Roasted Delicata Squash
This dish comes together in just a few simple steps. Read below for how to make it!
- Step 1: Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper. Using a sharp knife, cut the stem off the top of the squash.
- Step 2: Cut the squash in half lengthwise.
- Step 3: Remove the seeds with a spoon and discard.
- Step 4: Place the squash, cut side down, on a cutting board. Cut the squash into ½" thick crescent-shaped pieces.
- Step 5: Place the pieces of squash into a large bowl. Drizzle olive oil and 1 tablespoon of maple syrup over the squash. Sprinkle herbs, salt, and pepper over the squash.
- Step 6: Toss to coat the squash.
- Step 7: Arrange the squash slices on the sheet pan in a single layer. Drizzle any liquid left in the bowl over the squash.
- Step 8: Place the sheet pan in the preheated oven and roast for 20 minutes.
- Step 9: Flip the squash and return to the oven for 15-18 minutes, or until the squash is golden brown on the outside and tender on the inside.
- Step 10: Drizzle the remaining 1 tablespoon of maple syrup over the squash. Sprinkle with flaked salt, if desired. Serve hot and enjoy!
Pro Tip
Delicata squash is easier to cut than other squashes. However, you should still use caution when cutting them. Cut the stem end off the squash to make a flat surface to balance the squash on the cutting board and keep your fingers out of the way of the knife!
Serving Suggestions
Delicata squash is a great side dish for many meals. From grilled venison backstrap steaks to sous vide pork chops to holiday feasts, this squash pairs wonderfully with a variety of flavors. Its natural sweetness and tender texture complement savory dishes perfectly.
My favorite way to serve it is alongside bacon Brussels sprouts and a good venison steak. No matter how you serve it, delicata squash adds a cozy, flavorful touch to the table.
Roasted Delicata Squash FAQs
Yes! The skin of delicata squash is edible and has a great nutty flavor when roasted. You can still remove the peel if you prefer.
Just like other squashes, delicata squash is done when it is fork-tender. If you're roasting it, also look for a nice golden brown color on the outside.
Squash is typically best stored at cooler temperatures. However, they will not last as long as other winter squashes (butternut squash, acorn squash, etc.) due to their delicate skin. They should still last a couple of months in a refrigerator or root cellar.
Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with roasted squash:
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Thank you!
Annie
📖 Recipe
Maple & Herb Roasted Delicata Squash
Equipment
- sheet pan
Ingredients
- 1 medium/large delicata squash (about 1 ½ lb)
- 2 tablespoon pure maple syrup, divided
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 ½ tablespoon fresh herbs, chopped (rosemary, thyme, and/or sage)
- ¼ teaspoon table salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- flaked sea salt (optional, for serving)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
- Cut the stem off the top of the squash.
- Cut the squash in half lengthwise. Remove the seeds with a spoon and discard.
- Place the squash, cut side down, on a cutting board. Cut the squash into ½" thick crescent-shaped pieces.
- Place the pieces of squash into a large bowl.
- Drizzle olive oil and 1 tablespoon of maple syrup over the squash. Sprinkle herbs, salt, and pepper over the squash.
- Toss to coat the squash. Arrange the squash on the sheet pan in a single layer. Drizzle any liquid left in the bowl over the squash.
- Roast for 20 minutes. Flip the squash and return to the oven for 15-18 minutes, or until the squash is golden brown on the outside and tender on the inside.
- Drizzle the remaining 1 tablespoon of maple syrup over the squash. Sprinkle with flaked salt, if desired. Serve hot and enjoy!
Notes
- You can toss the squash with a little brown sugar before you roast it if you don't have maple syrup.
- You can substitute the olive oil with melted butter for a richer flavor.
- I like to use a variety of herbs for this recipe. You can use all 3 that I use (rosemary, thyme, and sage) or just 2 or 1! You can also use dried herbs in a pinch.
- Delicata squash is easier to cut than other squashes. However, you should still use caution when cutting them. Cut the stem end off the squash to make a flat surface to balance the squash on the cutting board and keep your fingers out of the way of the knife!
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