Maple Dijon Roasted Delicata Squash
With sweetness from maple syrup and a slight kick from Dijon, these roasted delicata squash rings are fabulous on their own as a side dish, or as an addition to salads, grain bowls or crostini. You can serve them warm or at room temperature, meaning you can make them in advance. One of my favorite things to do is to layer them in a salad of mixed greens, roasted nuts, goat cheese and pomegranate seeds—you can get that full recipe here. Also, be sure to check out the other serving ideas in the post above!
Servings: 6 people
Ingredients
- 1 1-1 ½ pound Delicata squash
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400˚F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Cut off both ends of the squash then cut the squash in half lengthwise. Scrape out and discard the seeds. Cut the squash into ½-inch slices and transfer them to a large bowl. Add the olive oil, maple syrup and Dijon mustard, and season with salt and pepper. Toss to coat (I find it’s best to use my hands for this!).
- Arrange the squash in a single layer on the baking sheet and roast for 15-20 minutes, or until lightly golden on the bottom. Carefully flip the slices over and continue to roast for 5-10 minutes, or until golden around the edges and tender. Nudge each slice gently to ensure that it doesn’t stick to the pan (you can leave them on the pan to cool, if desired).
Notes
Do ahead: The squash can be roasted up to 6 hours ahead and left at room temperature. Leftovers are also delicious the next day!
Tips:
- To slice the squash, first cut off the top and bottom, then halve the squash lengthwise. A grapefruit spoon works great for scraping out the seeds. Slice the squash halves horizontally into half moons.
- Use parchment paper to prevent sticking (plus you’ll have an easier clean-up!). I’m obsessed with these pre-cut sheets and these sheet pans.
- While you could simply roast the squash with olive oil, salt and pepper, I like to amp up the flavor. This version uses maple syrup and Dijon mustard, but you could also try spices and/or herbs (some favorite combos include maple syrup and chili powder; Dijon mustard, honey and sage; honey, cinnamon and cayenne).
- Tongs are the best tool for turning the squash, as they’re fairly delicate once cooked.