Say hello to the quickest, simplest, most crowd-pleasing Thanksgiving side dish out there: roasted delicata squash.
Despite being made with literally 5 ingredients in 20 minutes flat, this squash is pretty darn special.
In fact, we served it last weekend at our Friendsgiving party and every.single.guest asked about it…so despite the fact that it’s almost embarrassingly easy to make and has zero special ingredients, I knew my go-to roasted delicata recipe needed to make it’s way into Thanksgiving Week here on the blog.
If you haven’t had delicata squash before, you’re in for a real treat. It’s a long, green-and-orange-striped, pale yellow squash (that I find most reliably/affordably at Trader Joe’s and a few local farms, though it’s popping up in more mainstream grocery stores, too!) that has thin, entirely edible skin and soft, sweet flesh.
It’s small, but it’s mighty.
To prepare it, simply cut off the ends, slice in half lengthwise, scoop out the seeds, and cut into thin half-moons. I typically get close to 40 slices from a single delicata, which for an average dinner might only serve 4 people, but on Thanksgiving, when there is an abundance of other side dishes to take up real estate on your plate, I find a single delicata can feed upwards of 10 people.
We’re roasting it with three of my favorite everyday spices: salt, pepper, and smoked paprika. Nothing overly fancy, just a generous amount of all three to deliver big on flavor and balance the natural sweetness of the squash. A good drizzle of olive oil, a few minutes in the oven (literally 15 minutes, plus 1-3 under the broiler if you want, to ensure even browning), and you’re done.
While there’s plenty of time to make this speedy squash recipe on Thanksgiving Day, I sometimes like to make my life even easier and cook it in advance, so I can just pop it in the oven right before the meal is ready and not even have to think about it. Simply roast 2-3 minutes less than the recipe instructions so the squash doesn’t get too soft when reheating. I’ve been serving day-old squash to my family on thanksgiving for years, and no one ever notices the difference!
Stay tuned this weekend for the last two brand new recipe for Thanksgiving Week, as well as the Thanksgiving Recipe Roundup on Monday, November 25th full of all of my favorite thanksgiving starters, sides, mains, drinks, and desserts!
As always, if you make this recipe, let me know how it turns out! Leave a comment below, or take a picture and tag me on Instagram so I can see all your Thanksgiving recipes in action!
20 Minute Roasted Delicata Squash
Time: 20 minutes
Serves 3-4 as an everyday side; 8-10 as a Thanksgiving side
Ingredients:
- 1 delicata squash
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
Instructions:
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Cut the ends off the squash, then slice in half lengthwise. Use a spoon to scoop out the seeds and discard them (or save and roast- they’re great!), then slice into thin half-moons, 1/4-inch thick or less each.
- Arrange the sliced squash on the sheet pan and drizzle with olive oil. Mix together the salt, pepper, and paprika in a small bowl and use your fingers to evenly sprinkle it over the squash slices.
- Bake for 15 minutes, then, if desired, switch the oven to broil, move a rack to the top of the oven, and broil for 1-3 minutes, just to get the tops nice and golden. Serve immediately.
NOTE: to make in advance, simple roast for 10-12 minutes, until just tender, then cool completely and transfer to a storage container in the fridge for up to 3 days. To reheat, arrange on a sheet pan and place in a hot oven (or directly under the broiler) for a few minutes, until warmed through.