Roasted Delicata Squash (Easy Recipe)

Roasted delicata squash is super easy. Delicata squash is the easiest to prepare from the squash family, since there’s no peeling at all! Naturally sweet delicata squash is made even more delicious when roasted. Plus you can switch up the flavors with different spice mixes too.

Roasted Delicata Squash is a simple and surprisingly flavorful treat!

My favorite vegetable to eat in the Fall is delicata squash. We’ll eat it pretty much every day, for as long as it’s available at our local market.

While you can prep delicata squash in different ways, roasting is the easiest and the most flavorful for me. So let’s talk about how to perfectly roast delicata squash!

How to choose delicata squash at the store

What do you need to look for when picking ripe delicata squash at the store?

Look for delicata squash that have yellow skin, and yellow / orange ridges. Having said that, I have also cooked delicata squash that is yellow with some green ridges. You want to avoid ones that are mostly green.

The squash must be firm at the stem ends. They shouldn’t feel soft to the touch, or have any bruises or mold. They sometimes have little patches (woody patches) and that is OK.

You can store delicata squash in a cool, dark, dry place for about 10 – 14 days. You don’t have to store them in the fridge.

Fun fact: Here in Ottawa, delicata squash is sold as sweet potato squash at the store. Which is not surprising because it’s just so sweet and delicious!

Prepping to make roasted delicata squash

NO peeling needed! How about that? The peel is completely edible in this squash!

Wash and dry your delicata squash to remove any dirt on the skin. Then you can prep the delicata squash to be roasted. You can cut it into either rings or half circles. You can also roast it by cutting it in half.

Cutting semicircles

To cut half rings or semicircles, I prefer to first cut a little off the stem end to remove the hard stem.

Then I stand the delicata squash on the flat end (where the stem was cut off), and slice lengthwise through the middle to get two delicata squash “boats”.

Using a teaspoon, scrape out all the seeds and fiber from the middle of the two squash halves.

Lay each half on its flat side, and cut slices that are evenly thick. I usually like to cut slices that are about 3/4 – 1 inch thick. I also cut it thinner sometimes, about 1/2 inch slices. The cook time will vary depending on the thickness.

Cutting rings

I trim the stem end here as well. This is because the stem is too hard. However, I try to slice off as little as possible from the stem end, when cutting rings.

Next, I lay the squash on its side and cut rings that have an even thickness. Just like with the semicircles, I prefer 3/4 – 1 inch thick rings. I LOVE eating these delicata squash rings as a snack, and prefer to keep them at about 3/4 inch thick. But you can make thinner rings too.

Just make sure each slice is as even as possible, so that they roast evenly.

Next, you need to scrape out the seeds in the middle. To do this, you can either take each slice and scrape out the seeds with a spoon. Or you can use a long spoon to reach inside and scrape out all the seeds at once, after trimming off the stem end at the beginning to expose the center.

Making roasted delicata squash boats

To make roasted delicata squash boats, simply slice the squash lengthwise and scrape out the seeds.

You can roast the halves as they are, or fill and roast for roasted stuffed delicata squash!

How to make roasted delicata squash

Once you’ve cut the delicata sqaush into rings or semicircles, it’s time to add all of the flavor.

First, preheat the oven to 400 F / 205 C. Line a baking tray with parchment paper or foil (I prefer non-stick foil). Set aside.

I prefer to place the cut delicata squash in a large bowl. Then I add all the seasoning and spice mixes, and toss the squash so that it’s well coated. Next, I drizzle some oil (you can use melted butter or lard instead for added flavor), and toss again until everything is coated in the spices and the oil.

Spread the delicata squash on the baking tray in one layer, and bake in the preheated oven for about 15 – 20 minutes per side.

I LOVE it when the delicata squash is caramelized a little, so I roast it for about 20 minute per side. Otherwise, you can go for 15 minutes per side.

The delicata squash is ready when it’s soft and fork tender (or leave it a little longer if you want that delicious maillard reaction).

Different spice mixes that you can use

The simplest seasoning is salt and pepper. But if you’d like to jazz it up further, check out these other flavor combinations below (add salt to all of these combinations).

• Pepper and cinnamon (or omit the pepper for a non-spicy version)
• Garlic, herbs (thyme, rosemary etc.)
• Onion, sage
• Garlic, chili
• Curry powder (for a curried roasted delicata squash)
• Cajun spice
• Fajita spice

Roasted delicata squash is deliciously sweet to begin with, so you’ll never be disappointed with any of these flavor combos!

And with all of these options (and more that I will share later), you’ll always have a variety of ways to enjoy roasted delicata squash for your meals!