Roasted Delicata Squash

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.

Roasted Delicata Squash Recipe

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, sugar pie pumpkins, and more. But delicata squash is my favorite by far. Nicknamed the “sweet potato squash,” it has a sweet, velvety flesh that caramelizes beautifully in the oven. But that’s not all. Thanks to its small size and thin, edible skin, it’s super easy to work with. 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 one of my favorite delicata squash recipes (pictured above). Made with kale, pearl onions, apples, and sage, it’s packed with sweet and savory autumn flavor. This recipe is a show-stopping side dish, but if you’re looking for something simpler, just roast the squash, and eat! At this time of year, it’s creamy, sweet, and delicious all on its own.

Delicata squash

How to Cook Delicata Squash

One of my favorite things about delicata squash is how easy it is to prepare. My method for cooking delicata squash 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. Start by slicing it in half lengthwise. Then, use a spoon to scoop out the seeds and the stringy flesh. Finally, cut the seeded squash halves into thick slices.

Chopped delicata squash on a cutting board

Next, season it. 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.

Hand drizzling olive oil over chopped vegetables on a baking sheet

Finally, bake! Transfer the baking sheet to a 425° oven and bake for 20-25 minutes, until the squash is completely tender and golden brown.

That’s it! Enjoy the roasted delicata squash on its own, or use it in any of these delicata squash recipes:

roasted delicata squash

Delicata Squash with Apples and Sage

I’m always excited to eat roasted delicata squash, but I especially love it in this recipe. A few years ago, Jack and I visited the Sub-Zero and Wolf headquarters in Madison, and a dish we enjoyed there inspired me to make this recipe. It was a beautiful, flavorful combination of roasted delicata squash, apples, and a sort of tangy vinaigrette. It stuck with me, so when I got home, this first thing I made was my own apple + squash recipe. It’s aromatic, sweet, and tangy – a favorite side dish in our house. In addition to the apples and squash, here’s what you’ll need to make it:

  • Roasted pearl onions – For savory, caramelized flavor.
  • Kale – It adds beautiful flecks of green.
  • Sage and thyme – Their cozy flavors make this dish taste like autumn!
  • A tangy apple cider-Dijon vinaigrette – I couldn’t resist combining apple cider vinegar and apples to make this recipe a real fall celebration! Its tangy flavor makes the whole thing pop.
  • And toasted pepitas – For crunch!

You’ll start by roasting the squash and onions. When they’re tender and caramelized, toss them with the kale, apples, herbs, and the tangy cider-Dijon dressing. Next, pop the final dish back in the oven for a few minutes, to wilt the kale slightly. Drizzle the remaining dressing on top just before serving, and enjoy!

Find the complete recipe with measurements below.

Roasted Delicata Squash with Apples

Roasted Delicata Squash Recipe Serving Suggestions

This recipe is delicious hot from the oven, but you can also prep it a few hours in advance! (Find the make-ahead instructions in the recipe below.) As a result, it’s 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. See this post for more favorite Thanksgiving recipes, and don’t forget the pumpkin pie or apple crumble for dessert!

Of course, this roasted delicata squash recipe is a yummy addition to an everyday dinner too. Pair it with a protein of your choice, or toss in some roasted chickpeas or cooked farro to make it a meal on its own!

delicata squash recipes

More Favorite Roasted Vegetables

If you love this recipe, try one of these easy roasted vegetables next:

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Roasted Delicata Squash with Apples

rate this recipe:
4.99 from 84 votes
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Serves 4 as a side
This roasted delicata squash recipe is a delicious fall side dish! Serve it straight out of the oven, or see the notes below for a make-ahead option.

Ingredients

  • 2 delicata squash, halved lengthwise and seeded, cut into ½-inch pieces
  • ½ cup pearl onions, halved
  • Extra virgin olive oil, for drizzling
  • 2 tablespoons pepitas and/or pine nuts
  • 2 cups torn lacinato kale, 2 to 3 leaves
  • 6 sage leaves, chopped
  • Leaves from 3 thyme sprigs
  • 1 small gala apple, diced
  • Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Dressing:

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 425°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  • Place the squash and onions on the baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil and generous pinches of salt and pepper. Toss to coat and arrange on the sheet so that they’re not touching. Roast until the squash is golden brown on all sides and until the onions are soft and browned, 25 to 30 minutes.
  • Make the dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, apple cider vinegar, garlic, mustard, maple syrup, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Set aside.
  • In a small pan over medium-low heat, toss the pepitas with a pinch of salt and cook until toasted, stirring frequently, for about 2 minutes. Set aside.
  • In a medium mixing bowl, combine the kale, sage, and thyme. Add the warm roasted squash and onions, the apples, half the pepitas, and half the dressing. Toss to coat. Transfer to an oven-safe serving dish. (If you’re making this dish in advance stop here and follow the saving/reheating instructions in the notes below).
  • Place the serving dish into the oven for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the apples and kale are warm and the kale is just wilted. Just before serving, drizzle with the remaining dressing, and top with the remaining pepitas.

Notes

Make-ahead instructions:
Once the roasted vegetables are transferred to the serving dish, cool to room temp. Cover with foil and chill the dish until ready to reheat (Ideally, make this around 4 hours in advance). When ready to reheat, preheat the oven to 425°. Loosen the foil and bake, very loosely covered for 12 to 15 minutes or until everything is heated through. Just before serving, drizzle with the remaining dressing, and top with the remaining pepitas.

 

Special thanks to Sub-Zero and Wolf for partnering on this post!

106 comments

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  1. Dana Chiu
    10.24.2023

    5 stars
    This was delicious! I made for a dear friend. I couldn’t find pearl onions so used sliced red onion. Also didn’t have sage so used a little Poultry seasoning from Azure. Instead of maple syrup I used Petimezi (grape must syrup) from our Greece trip. Used a bit more than called for. I had only 1 delicata so used some acorn squash and another mystery squash…will definitely make again…maybe even tomorrow!

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      10.27.2023

      Hi Dana, I’m so glad you enjoyed it!

  2. Tricia Turner
    10.12.2023

    5 stars
    This was delicious! I didn’t have kale or pearl onions so had to use spinach and a white onion but it was still superb! Will be making this on repeat and add to our Thanksgiving menu.

    • Phoebe Moore (L&L Recipe Developer)
      10.13.2023

      Hi Tricia, I’m so glad you loved the recipe!

  3. Debbie
    01.21.2023

    5 stars
    I decided to try a new vegetable, delicata squash, and naturally turned to Love and Lemons for a recipe. This is fantastic, I’ll make it regularly from now on. So delicious.

    • Phoebe Moore (L&L Recipe Developer)
      01.26.2023

      Hi Debbie, I’m so glad you loved it!

  4. michele
    11.09.2022

    5 stars
    What a lovely recipe. Very tasty, easy to prep. I subbed sliced red onion for the pearl onions, as I didn’t have these. I think this would be fabulous at Thanksgiving (here in Canada it is in early October). I will definitely make this again.

    • Phoebe Moore (L&L Recipe Developer)
      11.11.2022

      Hi Michele, so glad you loved the recipe!

  5. UpstateAC
    10.09.2022

    5 stars
    This was my first time cooking delicata squash. I’d only seen it on cooking shows. This recipe was fabulous. I substituted baby spinach for the kale and just used a regular onion. It was perfect.

  6. Brandi
    10.08.2022

    5 stars
    I used acorn squash and onions cut up instead of pearl and added some honey to the dressing. Absolutely exceeded my expectations. Also love that it can be put together ahead of time and then just a quick warming up in the oven. Delicious!

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      10.08.2022

      I’m so glad you loved it!

  7. Sri
    10.07.2022

    5 stars
    I included yams, omitted the onion, and replaced the syrup with honey and it was absolutely great! Tasted like autumn!

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      10.07.2022

      I’m so glad you enjoyed it!

  8. Daniel
    10.04.2022

    5 stars
    Absolutely loved! I had to make a few substitutes, I didn’t have Kale (I used spinach) and added shaved carrots. Turned out delicious !

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      10.08.2022

      I’m so glad you loved it!

  9. Anita
    10.01.2022

    4 stars
    I would like to go with olive oil
    Then brushing with maple syrup
    And dusting with cinnamon and walnuts
    Anyone else weigh in…

  10. Nancy
    09.26.2022

    I want to make this recipe but wonder about the maple syrup in the dressing…is it seriously only 1/8 of a teaspoon? I will look thru comments to see if anyone else has asked, and if so I’m sorry to repeat.

  11. Susan
    08.31.2022

    Hi Jeanine, just made this recipe with my first delicata of the season. My husband was not too fond of the kale. Could I substitute baby spinach? Really love everything else.

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      09.02.2022

      Hi Susan, I would just skip the kale altogehter.

  12. Julie Goldentuler
    11.09.2021

    Excellent recipe. The flavours from the combination of ingredients tasted great. I had to sub dried thyme and sage which I sprinkled on the squash and onions prior to baking. I would highly recommend the ‘Love and Lemons’ cookbook.

  13. Bob Denham
    11.08.2021

    5 stars
    Goodbye acorn, Hello Delicata. Best squash recipe ever. Had to sub kale with green mix… needed more. Timing is perfect.

  14. Barbara Best
    11.01.2021

    5 stars
    Delicious and versatile. Easy to prepare and the dressing packs a powerful flavor punch. Will definitely make again.

    I should note that the larder was a bit bare so I didn’t have kale so I left out. I used regular onion instead of pearl. Dried herbs instead of fresh. But that’s the beauty of this recipe. It’s flexible and still healthy and flavorful.

  15. Lisa
    10.27.2021

    Honestly I only searched for a recipe that could remind me of the cooking time of delicata squash. That being said, I think I am have been cooking it too low. It was crispy on the outsides and creamy on the inside. Yum!

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      10.29.2021

      I’m so glad you loved the squash!

  16. Carolyn
    10.25.2021

    5 stars
    Wonderful recipe! I made this for friends and everyone loved it. Great combination of flavors…. squash, apple, kale, toasted pepitas and the flavorful dressing. It all goes together marvelously. Thank you.

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      10.26.2021

      I’m so glad you loved it!

  17. June
    10.11.2021

    5 stars
    It was very tasty I roasted it

  18. Festus
    10.11.2021

    5 stars
    Faultless instructions and ingredient balance. We made every dish we attempted so well this year but this side was the star of the show.

  19. Joanne
    10.03.2021

    5 stars
    Fantastic! So easy and wonderfully flavourful. I will definitely make again. Good for either a full meal or side dish

  20. alicia
    10.03.2021

    5 stars
    Amazing! I made it. I am going to eat it with turkey meatballs. Thank you!

A food blog with fresh, zesty recipes.
Photograph of Jeanine Donofrio and Jack Mathews in their kitchen

Hello, we're Jeanine and Jack.

We love to eat, travel, cook, and eat some more! We create & photograph vegetarian recipes from our home in Chicago, while our shiba pups eat the kale stems that fall on the kitchen floor.