Maple Roasted Delicata Squash
Fall side dishes should all be as elegant and effortless as this Maple Roasted Delicata Squash! The squash is tender and caramelized with a velvety texture and nutty flavor that’s enhanced with maple syrup, thyme and smoked paprika. Sprinkle with dried cranberries and pepitas for irresistible crunchy, chewy texture!
Winter squash is one of my favorite things about fall. Each variety provides a unique flavor, texture and color, so I almost always have 2-3 different varieties on hand to use in my recipes.
I fell in love with delicata squash over 10 years ago in cooking school. It’s smaller and easier to prep than many varieties of winter squash, and it has a velvety texture and nutty flavor that I love.
It also has an edible peel that adds a slighly chewy texture and great color to any dish.
This Maple Roasted Delicata Squash is one of my favorite ways to enjoy it. Roasting it brings out its natural sweetness and adds caramelization for unbeatable flavor and texture.
The sweetness of maple syrup and savory flavors of smoked paprika and fresh thyme pair perfectly with the squash, then I like to finish the dish with chewy dried cranberries and crunchy toasted pepitas.
This is a festive and easy fall side dish that everyone will love! 🙂
Why you’ll love this recipe
- Roasted delicata squash is packed with sweet and savory flavor and crunchy, chewy texture.
- It’s an easy fall side dish that’s as delicious as it is elegant.
- It is versatile — serve it as a side dish or add the roasted squash to salads.
- This dish is great for special diets as there is no dairy or gluten.
Recipe ingredients
- Delicata squash. Has a sweet, nutty flavor and is very easy to prep because of its smaller size. It has a thin, edible peel that’s colorful and adds a slightly chewy texture to your dishes. See my collection of delicata squash recipes for more information about this delicious squash.
- Olive oil. Promotes browning.
- Maple syrup. Adds sweetness and caramelization. Sub with honey.
- Thyme. Adds fresh herbal flavor. Sub with your favorite fresh or dried herbs.
- Smoked paprika. Adds a mild smoky flavor.
See the recipe card below for the full list of ingredients and quantities.
How to roast delicata squash
When you roast delicata squash, something magical happens. Roasting brings out the sweet, nutty flavor of the squash, and the flesh becomes velvety and caramelized. The peel adds a fesstive touch and great texture.
This is the easiest winter squash to prep because of its size, so the dish is very easy to prepare.
Pro tip: Prep the delicata squash up to a few days in advance and store in an air tight in the container.
See the recipe card below for full instructions.
- Combine the olive oil, maple syrup, thyme, smoked paprika, salt and pepper in a small bowl.
- Place the delicata squash in a large bowl and toss with the olive oil mixture until well coated.
- Place the squash on a large rimmed baking sheet in a single layer.
- Roast at 400 degrees for 30-40 minutes until tender and caramelized.
Recipe FAQs
The glory of delicata squash is that it has a thin, edible peel that becomes tender once its roasted, so there’s no need to peel it.
The peel also adds beautiful color and texture to your dish as well.
Cut off both ends of the delicata squash, then cut it lengthwise. Remove the seeds with a spoon and roast the halves, which are great for stuffing, or cut each half into half moon slices about 1/2″ thick.
For step by step instructions, see my post on delicata squash recipes.
Roast at 400 degrees for 20 – 30 minutes until tender and caramelized. 1/2″ thick slices will take roughly 25-30 minutes of roasting time.
Serving suggestions
This dish is very versatile so it can be served or customized a number of different ways.
- Serve it as a side dish with roasted chicken or oven baked pork chops. It also makes a great holiday side dish alongside slow cooker ham or oven roasted turkey breast!
- It’s a great substitute for butternut squash in my butternut squash quinoa salad or fall harvest salad.
- Instead of cutting the squash into half moons, roast the halves and stuff them with wild rice salad, slow cooker turkey chili or your favorite taco meat.
- Change things up with your favorite herbs and seasonings, sprinkle with feta or goat cheese, and drizzle with champagne vinaigrette.
Recipe notes
- Pro tip: Prep the delicata squash up to a few days in advance and store in an air tight in the container. See my collection of delicata squash recipes for step by step instructions on how to cut it.
- Customize this recipe with your favorite herbs and spices, nuts, dried fruit or pomegranate arils, or a drizzle of apple cider vinegar dressing for extra flavor. Feta or goat cheese makes a nice addition as well!
- Store maple roasted delicata squash in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
More recipes you’ll love
- Cinnamon roasted butternut squash
- Roasted butternut squash soup
- Roasted pumpkin
- Roasted pumpkin soup
- Roasted whole butternut squash
Did you try this recipe? If so, be sure to leave a review below and tag me @flavorthemoments on Facebook and Instagram
Maple Roasted Delicata Squash
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 medium delicata squash halved, seeded and cut into 1/2" thick half moons; see note 1
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1.5 tablespoons maple syrup sub with honey
- 1.5 teaspoons freshly chopped thyme sub with 3/4 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/3 cup dried cranberries
- 1/3 cup toasted pepitas
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Place the squash on a large rimmed baking sheet.2 medium delicata squash
- Combine the olive oil, maple syrup, thyme, smoked paprika, salt and pepper in a small bowl, then pour the mixture over the squash and toss until well coated. Make sure the squash is in a single layer on the baking sheet.2 tablespoons olive oil, 1.5 tablespoons maple syrup, 1.5 teaspoons freshly chopped thyme, 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika, 1/2 teaspoon sea salt, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- Roast for 20-30 minutes until the squash is tender and caramelized. Remove from heat and cool slightly.
- Transfer the squash to a bowl or platter and sprinkle the dried cranberries and pepitas over the top. Serve and enjoy!1/3 cup dried cranberries, 1/3 cup toasted pepitas
Notes
- Pro tip: Refer to my post on delicata squash recipes for step by step photos and instructions on how to cut delicata squash.
- Prep the squash up to 1-2 days in advance and roast it the day you plan to serve it.
- Customize this recipe with your favorite herbs, nuts, dried fruit or pomegranate arils, or a drizzle of apple cider vinegar dressing for extra flavor. Feta or goat cheese makes a nice addition as well!
- Store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.Â
Nutrition
Nutrition is estimated using a food database and is only intended to be used as a guideline for informational purposes.
