I need to share a food with you that I’ve been crushing on lately. It’s not anything fancy or even unique, but somehow it still blows my mind every time I make it. I’m talking about roasted delicata squash. Everyone always talks about butternut squash, acorn squash, and spaghetti squash, but we need to be talking about Delicata squash. Because it’s the best winter squash by far, IMHO. We’re nearing the end of the season, so I wanted to squeeze this post in there so you can give it a try before the crop runs out!

Why is Roasted Delicata Squash So Good??

This pretty little winter squash is a little sweet and almost has a rich quality to the flavor, making it taste rather dessert-like, especially when roasted. When delicata squash is roasted all of those natural sugars get caramelized so you get that buttery caramel flavor on the back end. It’s truly perfection and I have a hard time not eating the entire squash myself.

Can You Eat the Skin on Delicata Squash?

Yes! The skin of Delicata squash is 100% edible. That’s the second reason I love this squash so much. It’s so easy to prepare because you don’t have to bother peeling it. Not to mention that gorgeous yellow and green striped skin makes for a really beautiful plate.

How to Season Roasted Delicata Squash

Look, this squash is so delicious it truly doesn’t need any seasoning. That being said, I did just a pinch of salt, pepper, and garlic powder. You could also play around with adding some sweet-smoky-spicy seasonings like brown sugar, smoked paprika, or cayenne pepper. I think those flavors would pair beautifully with the sweet flavor of the squash.

What to Serve with Delicata Squash

Roasted delicata squash makes a great side dish to any roasted Autumn or Winter meats, like Herb Roasted Tenderloin, Cider Roasted Turkey, or Herb Roasted Chicken Breasts. You could also add it to a fall inspired salad, like this Autumn Kale and Sweet Potato Salad, or make it part of a sheet pan meal, like this Sheet Pan Cranberry Chicken Dinner. It would even go nicely with something Like Bratwurst and Sauerkraut.

How to Make Roasted Delicata Squash – Step by Step Photos

Preheat the oven to 400ºF. I bought two delicata squashes, but I only roast one at a time because you need to make sure the slices have plenty of room on the baking sheet and are not crowded in order to get the nice caramelization. (I’ll just save the second one for next week 😏)

Slice the stem off the squash, then slice it open lengthwise. Thankfully, Delicata squash are not that big and are slightly softer than butternut squash, so they’re much easier to cut. Use a spoon to scrape out the seeds.

Cut the squash into ½-inch wide slices.

Place the squash pieces on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Drizzle with a tablespoon or so of olive oil.

Also add a little salt, pepper, and garlic powder (about ⅛ tsp each). Toss the squash pieces until they’re evenly coated in oil and spices, then make sure they’re spread out evenly over the baking sheet again.

Transfer the squash to the oven and roast for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, take the squash out of the oven, flip them over, then return to the oven for another 10-15 minutes, or until they’re nice and caramelized like in the photo above.

Give the squash a taste and add more salt or pepper if you prefer. Serve it up warm and enjoy! …And try not to eat all of it before you even sit down to your meal. ;)

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