Transform humble roasted delicata squash into a centerpiece worthy of your Thanksgiving table with a few choice toppings: ruby red pomegranate seeds, fragrant fresh herbs, and crispy fried onions.
A winter squash—belonging to the same family as all your favorite fall players (including butternut, acorn, and spaghetti squash)—delicata squash requires far less prep time than many of its cousins. More like zucchini in nature, slender, striped delicata squash has thin, edible skin, so there’s no need to peel it before roasting, though you will need to scoop the seeds out of the squash halves before slicing them into skinny half-moons. For optimal browning, spread the cut squash across 2 baking sheets and avoid using parchment paper; direct contact with the sheet pan helps the squash turn golden and crispy.
That alone is a vegetarian side dish that’ll fit any weeknight fall dinner, but to take it over the top, we piled the roasted squash atop a lemony yogurt sauce lightly sweetened with honey (swap in maple syrup if it’s what you’ve got). Store-bought fried onions are crispy right out of the package, but we take things further by tossing them in a garlicky spice mixture and briefly re-toasting them for supreme crunch. Pomegranate seeds and fresh parsley bring color and brightness, but you could play around with dried cranberries, arugula, or crushed toasted hazelnuts for texture. This might be the first time roasted vegetables outshine the holiday turkey.
Head this way for more winter squash recipes everyone will love, including steamed kabocha squash, caramelized acorn squash with tahini honey, and Butternut Squash Parmesan →