If you've never roasted delicata squash, get ready to fall in love! It's a breeze to prepare, and it has a rich, creamy texture and delicious sweet flavor.
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If you’ve never roasted delicata squash before, get ready to fall in love! When winter squash appears at farmers markets and grocery stores each year, I’m excited to get my hands on all of it: acorn squash, butternut squash, spaghetti squash, and more. But delicata squash is my favorite by far. Nicknamed the “sweet potato squash,” it has a sweet, velvety flesh that caramelizes beautifully when it’s roasted in the oven.
But that’s not all. Thanks to its small size and thin, edible skin, it’s super easy to prepare. That’s right—you don’t have to peel it! In fact, the combination of the creamy flesh and the chewy skin is so good that I think it’s better with the peel on.
Delicata squash is at its best in early-mid fall, so now is the perfect time to cook it. Below, you’ll find my go-to method for roasting it, as well as some of my favorite ways to serve it. It truly is the easiest squash to cook, so if you’ve never tried any delicata squash recipes before, you have to make this one this season. I hope you love it as much as I do!
How to Cook Delicata Squash
My favorite method for how to cook delicata squash is to roast it. The hot oven intensifies its natural sweetness, helping it caramelize around the edges as it becomes soft and creamy. It takes under 30 minutes total, with just a few minutes of active prep. Here’s how it goes:
First, cut the squash. Because you can eat the skin, there’s no need to peel the squash before you chop it. Place the squash on a cutting board and slice it in half lengthwise. Then, use a spoon to scoop out the seeds and the stringy flesh. Finally, cut the seeded squash halves into 1/2-inch-thick slices. They’ll have pretty half-moon shapes like this:
Next, season the squash. Drizzle the chopped squash with olive oil, and season it with salt and pepper. Toss to coat, and spread it in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
Finally, bake! Transfer the sheet pan to a 425°F oven and bake for 20 to 30 minutes, until the roasted squash is completely tender and browned underneath.
That’s it! Season to taste and serve.
Recipe Tips
- Medium squash are best, about 1 pound each. If they’re too small, they’ll be very seedy on the inside, without much flesh. On the other hand, large squash will have tougher skin and a less sweet flavor.
- The hot pan helps it brown. I typically don’t flip delicata squash when I roast it, so it gets deeply browned underneath, where it makes contact with the pan, but stays golden on top. If you’d like it to brown on both sides, flip the squash after the bottom has browned, 20 to 25 minutes into the bake time. It will only take about 5 more minutes to get some browning on the second side.
- Spice it up. There are so many different ways to season this squash! Toss it with a little garlic powder or smoked paprika for a savory twist, or sprinkle it with cayenne pepper for a spicy kick. I love garnishing it with fresh herbs like parsley and thyme before serving too. That said, the squash is so good on its own that you can’t go wrong with this simple olive oil, salt, and pepper combination.
What to Serve with Roasted Delicata Squash
This roasted delicata squash recipe is a delicious fall side dish. Serve it with a simply cooked protein for a weeknight dinner or a comforting fall main like this creamy gnocchi soup or vegetarian chili.
It’s also a great candidate for a special occasion meal or Thanksgiving feast. It pairs wonderfully with other autumn side dishes like green bean casserole, mashed potatoes, and roasted Brussels sprouts.
More Delicata Squash Recipes
I also love using the roasted squash as a starting point for larger dishes. Try it in any of these delicata squash recipes:
More Favorite Roasted Vegetables
If you love this recipe, try one of these easy roasted vegetables next:
- How to Cook Spaghetti Squash
- Roasted Butternut Squash
- Roasted Beets
- Roasted Broccoli
- Roasted Cauliflower
- Roasted Sweet Potatoes
- Oven Roasted Potatoes
Roasted Delicata Squash
Ingredients
- 2 medium delicata squash
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- Heaping ¼ teaspoon sea salt, plus more to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Use a sharp knife to slice the squash in half lengthwise, then use a spoon to scoop out the seeds. Place each half cut side down and slice it into ½-inch-thick slices.
- Place the squash on the baking sheet. Drizzle with the olive oil, sprinkle with the salt and pepper, and toss to coat. Spread evenly on the baking sheet.
- Roast for 20 to 30 minutes, or until the squash is tender and browned underneath. Season to taste and serve.
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Thank you for the roasted delicata squash recipe-it turned out perfect! This type of squash is new to me and wanted to start off simple-next time I think I’ll try one of your other variations. I had some fresh thyme so I added a few sprigs to the pan while roasting.
I’m so glad you loved it, Allison!
I made the basic roasted recipe above and it was so delish. Delicata has become my favorite squash. it’s just so good!
Me too! I wish it hadn’t taken me 45 years to try it.
Love this recipe!
So glad you love it!
This was the best side for our Thanksgiving table. It is easy to make and the textures and flavors compliment each other so well. Delicious!
I’m so glad you loved it!
I am excited to make this dish for fall. Could you suggest the quart size casserole dish/pan to use? Thank you
Absolutely outstanding recipe. I didn’t have pepitos so used toasted slivered almonds and replaced kale with beet greens. (Greens add great color). A great new recipe! Thank you.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
This recipe was amazing. Thank you for sharing!
Hi, I’m here nearly a year later, but maybe you’ll see this anyway: Are the apples not roasted in this recipe? It seems as if you’re recommending that they be chopped and mixed in raw. Or have I missed something? Thanks! -Joan
Update: I decided to roast the apple along with the squash and onion, and it’s delicious! Thanks so much for this recipe.
This is an outstanding dish! The flavors are complex and lovely, and it is pretty easy to prepare. Highly recommend!
Absolutely one of my family’s favorite holiday vege dishes…thank you for a stellar recipe!!!
I’m so glad you loved it!
OMG I just made this for tomorrow, and it’s delicious! I’ve never had delicata squash before, but I’m going to be having it from now on, and this recipe is a great way to have it. Thank you for sharing it! Happy Thanksgiving!
I’m so glad you loved it!
I am so disappointed! Your recipes seem marvelous, but unless my eyes deceive me, I could not find any nutritional stats. Knowing, at least the calories, would be very helpful.
Hi Patrica, I’m so sorry, we don’t calculate nutrition facts but you can plug the ingredients into a site like my fitnesss pal.
I made this as written except I didn’t have any kale, but it was still a great squash dish. I used the same amount of dressing and it was delicious!
I’m so glad you loved it!
Your make ahead instructions say ideally 4 hours ahead. I would need to start this the night before thanksgiving because of oven space. Do you think it will matter?
Hi Brenda, I think it’ll be fine to make the night before and reheat in the oven before serving.
Can this be frozen
I am not really a squash person, yet I loved this!! Since I’m gluten, dairy, and nightshade free, this has become my stuffing substitute for Thanksgiving dinner! I used to add apples and pinenuts to my stuffing ages ago, so this recipe really hits that nostalgic note while introducing something new and a little different to share with the family.
Recipe is easy to follow and tastes great! I did not have all the ingredients – I replaced pearl onions with regular onions, pepitas with pecans and I left out thyme and sage leaves. The dish still tasted delicious. Thanks for sharing the recipe! It is definitely a keeper.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!