This delicata squash recipe is roasted with brown sugar, maple syrup and cinnamon for a sweet and savory side that’s perfect for fall and winter meals.
When I’m looking for quick and easy side dish recipes to pair with chicken and seafood, I make roasted root vegetables, roasted butternut squash, roasted green beans or this simple delicata squash.
As the berries and melons start to fade away at the grocery store, in their place squash are popping up – squash of all shapes and colors and sizes! This delicata squash recipe is one of my favorite ways to do squash, with a hint of sweetness from the brown sugar, and plenty of caramelization from a trip through a hot oven.
Table of Contents
Roasted Delicata Squash Recipe Ingredients
To make this recipe, you will need delicata squash, olive oil, brown sugar, maple syrup, salt, black pepper and cinnamon.
How Do You Cook Delicata Squash?
Cut the squash in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds. Next, cut each half crosswise into slices. Line a baking sheet with foil and coat with cooking spray. In a small bowl, mix together the olive oil, brown sugar, maple syrup, salt, pepper and cinnamon. Drizzle the olive oil mixture over the squash and toss to combine. Transfer the squash to the sheet pan and cook until it is tender and brown. Serve immediately and enjoy.
Tips For The Perfect Dish
- When you choose your squash, look for ones that are even in color and heavy for their size. Avoid squash that are light green in color, as ripe squash are cream or yellow.
- You can cut the squash up ahead of time to make prep easier on a busy weeknight.
- This dish is best when served immediately. Leftovers will stay fresh in an airtight container for up to 4 days and can be reheated in the microwave or oven.
- Pair your squash with main course options such as turkey meatloaf, beef tips, hamburger steak, chicken stroganoff or rosemary chicken. This recipe is also great for the holidays alongside spatchcock turkey, sour cream mashed potatoes, pineapple casserole, sausage stuffing and cranberry orange sauce.
Quick Tip
This recipe will work with other types of winter squash such as acorn squash, butternut squash, honey nut squash or kabocha squash.
Recipe FAQs
Delicata squash is a variety of winter squash that is small and long. The exterior is yellow or cream color with green stripes. It typically weighs around a pound or less. The flavor is similar to butternut squash.
Whole delicata squash can be stored in a cool, dry spot for up to 4 weeks. Cut or cooked squash last in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. You can also freeze cooked squash, although it will have a softer texted once thawed and reheated.
The skin on this variety of squash is thin and soft, which means it is edible. I always serve my squash with the skin on, as it makes prep a lot easier.
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Flavor Variations
I love this recipe as-is, but you can add other ingredients to the mix to customize this dish to your tastes.
- Flavorings: Instead of cinnamon, try other warm spices such as nutmeg, cloves or ground ginger. You can also add a pinch of red chili flakes for a sweet and spicy combo. Feel free to swap out the maple syrup or brown sugar for other sweeteners such as honey, agave or coconut sugar.
- Vegetables: You can add other veggies on the sheet pan such as red onions, sweet potatoes, carrots, parsnips or butternut squash.
- Toppings: Finish your dish with fresh herbs such as parsley or sage. Other great toppings include candied pecans or candied walnuts, toasted pine nuts, dried cranberries or pomegranate seeds.
The next time you’re at the store, skip the butternut and try this delicata squash recipe instead. Then report back and tell me how the family liked it!
More Great Side Dish Ideas
Roasted Delicata Squash Video
Love This Recipe?
Please leave a 5-star 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 rating in the recipe card below & a review in the comments section further down the page.
Brown Sugar Delicata Squash Recipe
Ingredients
- 2-3 lbs delicata squash (about 2 average sized squash)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon or more to taste
- cooking spray
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Halve the delicata squash lengthwise and remove the seeds. Cut the halves into 3/4 inch thick slices.
- Line a sheet pan with foil and coat with cooking spray.
- In a small bowl mix together the olive oil, maple syrup, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt and pepper to taste.
- Pour the olive oil mixture over the squash and toss to coat.
- Bake for 20-30 minutes or until squash is tender and starting to brown. Serve immediately.
Notes
- When you choose your squash, look for ones that are even in color and heavy for their size. Avoid squash that are light green in color, as ripe squash are cream or yellow.
- You can cut the squash up ahead of time to make prep easier on a busy weeknight.
A great idea for a side dish! Easy and delicious!
This squash recipe sounds absolutely incredible! I think it would be great for entertaining!
Delicata squash is my new favorite!! It has awesome flavor and is seriously so delicious!
This delicata squash roasted with brown sugar looks incredibly delicious!
Finally these are back in season and reasonably priced! I’ve been making this recipe now every week!
These look really good!! Would love to give it a try!
I love squash of every kind, this delicata squash sounds delicious!
I had no idea the skin was edible! My friend made this for me the other day, but didn’t cut them in slices. So I’m excited to try it out! Is there a way you can do this with sweet potatoes too? Or like, just the sweet potatoes cut in half?
Yes you can make this recipe with cubed sweet potatoes!
A Lady in front of me at the store was buying a delicata and I’ve never seen one…. We LOVE all squash in our household! This was the first, and probably the only recipe I’ll use when making it. I made it when we had visitors from the midwest who had also never seen or heard of a delicata… they LOVED it and all went back to look for it in their towns with no luck. Guess it will be my special fall squash dish to share with the world too!! Thanks so much for this super easy, delicious recipe!!!
So glad to hear you enjoyed it, I appreciate you reporting back!
Oh my goodness this was sooooo delicious!!!!!!!!!!!
So glad you enjoyed it!
This is my favorite way to make this. So delicious!!
So glad you enjoy it, thanks for reporting back!
This looks so good I’m heading to the grocery store to pick some up. Never bought or tried this squash before – is it difficult to find?
It should be in the same area as the other hard squashes like butternut squash, spaghetti squash etc. It is still a bit early in the season for winter squash so if you don’t see it now, keep checking back later on!
Absolutely Wonderful! We got some fantastic naturally grown Delicata “Jester” and Delicata “Sweet Dumpling” from the farm and I quickly made this for breakfast for the family! My boys, and my wife, loved it! It was our first time making Delicata squash and we will certainly do it again. It was like eating a dessert! Thank you for such a simple recipe.
A word of caution to anyone buying squash at the supermarket. Commercially, USA grown squash is notorious for having a higher risk of pesticide residue. Remember that “organic” food is still sprayed with unhealthy pesticides so look for Naturally Grown that has not been sprayed with Pesticides, Fungicides, or Herbicides of any type! We only eat the skins if we know they were not sprayed.
So glad you enjoyed it! Good to know about the pesticides, I wasn’t aware of that.
Wash them before cutting. A lot of people don’t have access to “naturally grown” produce and the benefits of eating a wide variety of produce even commercially grown are higher than popping vitamins for daily requirements.
Wash them before cutting is a must with any squash, however it might have been grown. You always want to wash away as much as possible of the impurities that have accumulated on the skin before cutting through it with a knife and carrying those impurities into the edible portion. The same advice applies to melons, too.
What is serving size and nutrition?
I have tried this recipe twice now, and it is delicious!
So glad to hear you like it!
Interesting new squash. I’m loving the no peel easy feature here!
I don’t usually think to buy delicata squash. Now I want to give it a try!
I’m hooked on this easy to make squash!
delicata has to be my fav winter squash! It tastes almost like kettle corn when combined with sweetness and a little bit of salt! Definitely trying this recipe next time!
Hi Sara, did not know the skins were edible, I’ve always assumed they were not, good to know.