Spiced Roasted Honeynut Squash

What is Honeynut Squash?

Honeynut squash is actually pretty new to the market. It is a cultivated hybrid of butternut squash and buttercup squash. It’s very similar in shape and structure to a butternut squash but much smaller with darker and thinner skin. The flesh is also a darker orange color. Honeynut squash is sweeter and cooks more tender than butternut squash.

Buying Honeynut Squash

This squash is becoming more and more popular around the fall holidays so you can find it in many markets and farmer’s markets. When choosing which one to buy, look for ones that has almost no green on the skin, that will show you that they are ripe and ready to cook.

Key Ingredients and Substitutions

Honeynut squash – of course, this whole recipe is about the honeynut squash but if it’s not available, you can use butternut squash. Just make sure to peel butternut squash before cubing since the skin is much thicker and tougher.

Seasoning – this is a spiced squash recipe so I put together a very aromatic bouquet of spices: cinnamon, cumin, coriander, and ginger. It’s a beautiful fall spice pallet that will work perfectly for a Thanksgiving side dish.

Butter – I always recommend using unsalted butter that way you can control the saltiness of the dish. Since we will be salting the squash, no need to add any more salt with butter.

Honey – while honey will compliment the natural sweetness of the squash beautifully, you can also use maple syrup if you wish.

How To Cut Squash: Ease and Safety Tips

Cutting something that is an awkward shape and hard can be tricky and not safe, so follow a few safety tips:

• Always pop off the stem before cutting! Stems on all squashes are very hard and will stop your knife from cutting.
• Always make sure to work with a sharp knife! Dull knives are a hazard in the kitchen because they are harder to use, you apply more pressure and are more likely to cut yourself. Cutting yourself with a dull knife is also worse than a sharp knife because it shreds rather than slices clean.
• Always use an abrasive/textured cutting board, whether it’s wood or plastic.
• To help stabilize a squash or a pumpkin, make a small flat slice on the side that will be laying on the cutting board, so the squash sits on the flat slice without rolling.

Do I have to peel honeynut squash before cooking?

Nope, you don’t. The skin of a honeynut squash is thin and cooks tender, so technically, no need to peel it. I’ve tested it both ways and both turn out well. The only note when you peel the skin is that since this squash cooks so tender, it looses some structure while scooping and serving. So it’s really better for structure and it’s one less step when you don’t peel it.

How To Roast Spiced Honeynut Squash

Start preheating the oven first because it won’t take long to cut and season the squash.

Pop the stem off the squashes first, then wash them, and dry them well. Cut the quash in half, lengthwise, and use a soup spoon to scoop the seeds and membrane out. (If you want to get fancy, you can use a carving tool but spoon does the trick well.)

Place the squash halves cut side down on the cutting board and chop it into even cubes. Of course, with an off shape of a quash, it’s impossible to get it completely the same, but just try to keep the size similar for more even cooking.

Toss the cut squash with olive oil and seasoning in a mixing bowl until evenly combined. Make sure there are no clumps of seasoning.

Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and spread the seasoned squash. Spread it in one even layer, no overlapping, so it roasts evenly.

Roast honeynut squash at 425F for about 20-25 minutes, until golden and completely tender.

When it’s almost done roasting, melt butter and whisk it with honey. Take squash out of the oven and drizzle the melted honey butter mixture over the squash. It will mix better while you are transferring the squash into the serving dish. Note, this squash is tender, you don’t want to mix it too much once cooked.

Storing Recommendation

Store uncooked whole honeynut squash at room temperature, in a dark and dry place, for about a week. I recommend cooking it within 7-10 days of purchase.

Store leftover roasted quash in an air-tight food storage container, in the refrigerator, for 3-4 days.

There are two ways to reheat this side dish and that is a microwave and the stove top. Microwave is a fast and easy way but there will be no crisp. If you want to have a little crisp, preheat a cooking pan over medium heat until hot, add a little oil, and sear the squash for a few minutes.

Serving Suggestions

This is a great side dish for many meats but ones that are more simply seasoned since the squash has bright and bold seasoning. Serve it with salmon dishes like crispy skin salmon or pecan crusted salmon. Pork is a wonderful match for squash, especially pork cutlets or garlic pork loin.

This is a great side for holidays because it pairs so well with turkey, roast chicken, and spatchcock chicken.

Personally, I also love mixing some of this leftover squash into quinoa bowls and rice bowls!

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Some More Dishes To Try

If you love squash, definitely try making soups like the hearty Butternut Squash Potato Soup (this is a reader and personal favorite) or Instant Pot Butternut Squash Soup.

If you want to roast some more vegetables, we love this parmesan roasted zucchini, roasted sweet potatoes, or roasted Italian roasted asparagus.