How to Roast Delicata Squash

How to roast delicata squash – a photo tutorial showing an easy method for oven roasting squash, along with ideas for incorporating delicata squash into your meals.

Are you curious about delicata squash (or any other variety of winter squash for that matter), but are a bit timid to dive in? Never fear!

The process or preparing most varieties of winter squash is roughly the same across the board. Basically, if you’ve ever roasted one type (butternut squash, for instance), you’ve roasted them all! 

And if you’ve never prepared a winter squash in your life, no worries! We’re talking all about how to roast delicata squash in this post.

First things first, let’s talk flavor.

WHAT DOES DELICATA SQUASH TASTE LIKE?

I find the flavor of delicata squash to be extremely pleasing! It is very sweet and buttery in flavor and is nice and creamy in texture. To me, it tastes even sweeter than acorn squash and butternut squash and has a similar sweetness to kabocha squash.

So let’s roast it!

HOW TO ROAST DELICATA SQUASH:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Place delicata squash on a cutting board and use a sharp knife to cut the tips and tails off of the squash. 

Cut each squash in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds and innerds with a metal spoon.

Drizzle squash with avocado oil (or high-temperature cooking oil of choice) and use your hands to spread it all over the exposed flesh so that it is well-coated. Sprinkle the flesh with sea salt.

Place squash cut-side down on a large baking sheet. Bake 30 to 40 minutes, until squash is very soft when poked with a fork.

Serve squash with your favorite main entrée! 

CAN I CHOP DELICATA SQUASH INTO CUBES OR SLICES BEFORE ROASTING IT?

If you’re looking for cubed or sliced roasted delicata squash, no sweat! Simply use a vegetable peeler to peel the skin off of the squash before chopping it into cubes or slices and roasting it.

If you go this route, roast at 375 degrees F for 20 to 25 minutes, turning once after 15 minutes. Or, check out my Maple Cinnamon Roasted Delicata Squash.

WHAT CAN I DO WITH DELICATA SQUASH?

Once you have roasted (or steamed, pressure cooked, etc) delicata squash, you can use it in innumerable ways. Here are some ideas!

EAT IT AS IS: I enjoy delicata squash so much that I love consuming it fresh out of the oven alongside some animal protein and a side salad. I just sprinkle it with sea salt and use a spoon to scoop the flesh out of the peel. You can also drizzle it with pure maple syrup, sprinkle it with ground cinnamon, and/or add butter. It’s just so dang good!

SOUP: You can make a creamy soup out of it by adding it to a blender with broth, onion, garlic, and coconut milk (or cream if you aren’t dairy-free) – just be sure to remove the outer peel first! If you’re looking for a recipe to go off of, you can follow my Sweet Potato Coconut Curry Soup recipe, using delicata squash instead of sweet potato.

SALAD: Love adding roasted vegetables to your salads? ME TOO! If you add delicata squash to a salad, be sure you peel the squash before roasting it and chopping it into cubes for ease of consumption. Just have a look at my Roasted Butternut Squash Chicken Spinach Salad for example.

MAKE IT BOOZY: Many moons ago, I posted a recipe for Roasted Acorn Squash with Bourbon Butter and Honey. Just typing the words makes my mouth water! The bourbon seriously does magical tricks to the winter squash. You can apply the same concept here!

STUFF IT!: My favorite method of eating delicata squash aside from just straight out of the oven with a spoon is stuffing it with a meat, rice, and/or vegetable medley. Check out my Stuffed Delicata Squash with Ground Beef , Ground Turkey Stuffed Delicata Squash, and my Taco-Stuffed Delicata Squash.

PANCAKES: You think I’m joking, but I’m not! Most types of winter squash work marvelously in baked treats and pancakes. Follow my recipe for Butternut Squash Pancakes or Vegan Sweet Potato Pancakes using roasted and mashed delicata squash.

And so much more!

CAN I EAT DELICATA SQUASH SKIN?:

Yes! You can safely eat delicata squash skin as there is nothing toxic in it. In fact, all winter squash skin is edible, it’s just a matter of whether or not you like it.

Personally, I’m not a fan of the texture of the skin, so I choose not to eat it. Many people eat the skin simply because they like it, or because it is simply easier to eat the squash skin-on.

Let me know how you like to eat your delicata squash!

My cookbook, Paleo Power Bowls, is now available! CLICK HERE to check it out. Thank you for your support!

If you make this recipe, please feel free to share a photo on Instagram and tag @The.Roasted.Root!

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