5 Ridiculously Easy Roasted Squash Recipes for Busy Fall Weeknights (2024)

FAQs

Which squash is best for roasting? ›

Butternut squash tastes absolutely delicious when roasted. It's tender, caramelized, and you'll catch yourself nibbling cubes of it straight off of the pan with alarming speed. (I feel the same way about this Roasted Frozen Broccoli.) Butternut squash is ultra good for you (more on that below).

Butternut squash have some of the best flavor of all! Butternut cultivars are pretty consistent when it comes to flavor. All have richly sweet, nutty flesh favored for all kinds of fall and winter cookery.

Place the squash in one layer in a roasting tray and season lightly with salt and pepper. Sprinkle over the seeds, cover tightly with tin foil and bake for 30 minutes, or until the skin of the squash is soft, then remove the foil and cook for another 10 minutes until the squash is golden and crisp.

The most obvious difference between butternut and acorn squash is the size and shape of each. Butternut squash has an elongated, pear-like shape with a relatively uniform thickness throughout its length. This larger size results in a greater yield of flesh compared to acorn squash.

You don't have to peel it before roasting. That's right. You do not have to suffer through peeling an entire slippery butternut squash if you're going to roast it. The skin is perfectly safe to eat, and it's hardly noticeable after a nice roast in a hot oven.

Butternut, acorn, spaghetti can all bring big flavor to the holiday table. From acorn to butternut, spaghetti to delicata, don't underestimate winter squash to deliver big flavor to your Thanksgiving table.

The most popular varieties are crookneck, pattypan, and zucchini, although you might see eight-ball squash and zephyr throughout the summer at greenmarkets. Zucchini, both green and yellow, are available year-round at the grocery store, but like all other varieties of summer squash, it's best from early to late summer.

Flavor: No, spaghetti squash doesn't actually taste like spaghetti. It has a tender, chewy, fragile texture, and a very mild flavor. Unlike other winter squash varieties, it lacks sweetness.

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Halve the squash lengthwise, scoop out the seeds and drizzle with EVOO. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and fresh nutmeg and roast until just tender, 30 to 35 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly.

Is there a difference between roasting and baking squash? ›

Most recipes say to either bake or roast butternut squash—but what's the difference? While both cooking methods will turn the tough, raw gourd into a soft, sweet ingredient, roasting butternut squash is the more common process for achieving browned, crispy edges and a creamy interior.

In a large bowl mix the cubed squash, garlic cloves and ginger with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and 1 tablespoon of the spice mix. Season with salt and pepper and scatter in a single layer in a roasting tray. Place in the preheated oven and cook for 30 minutes until tender all the way through.

In addition to vitamins A and C, butternut squash is also rich in carotenoid plant pigments and minerals like potassium, magnesium, and manganese. Like acorn squash, butternut squash can be used in both savory and sweet dishes, such as baked goods, grain dishes, and soups.

This squash has a lot of antioxidants, which can boost your immunity and help your body to fight off certain diseases. Acorn squash contains antioxidants like vitamin C that help strengthen bones and blood vessels. It also has vitamin A, which helps improve the health of your lungs, heart and other vital organs.

The delicata squash has a moist, creamy yellow flesh that tastes and smells like a blend of corn, butternut squash and sweet potato. It is often referred to as the sweet potato squash. They are best eaten when steamed or baked.

Acorn squash is milder in taste and slightly more fibrous in texture than butternut squash: Its sweet, nutty flavor is additionally muted by the watery character of its flesh. Still, most recipes that call for acorn squash can be made with another members of the squash family, such as Hubbard or butternut.

Acorn squash: It has less vitamin A than butternut but provides even more fiber (9 grams per cup) and potassium (896 mg). Pumpkin: This squash has beta carotene and also contains more than twice as much alpha carotene as butternut squash.

Classic, green zucchini is a year-round staple, but when summer rolls around they're at their peak. Green zucchini has thin skin and firm flesh. Because of its mild flavor, it can be used in everything from muffins and breads to sautés and even as a substitute for pasta.

Texture-wise, butternut squash tends to be less stringy than pumpkin, making it a more popular choice for soups and purees, and those who are more sensitive to texture. Still, both can be used in heartier dishes like chilis and curries.