Roasted Honeynut Squash with Tahini Maple Dressing

Roasted Honeynut Squash has been gaining in popularity in recent years, but people are still treating it like a mini butternut squash. Sure, in shape and seasonality, these two squashes are similar, but honeynut squash is far superior in taste, texture, and obviously adorableness with its small stature.

Below I'm going to show you how to roast a honeynut squash, and how to dress it up to make it really shine. Honeysquash is best when roasted, and it pairing beautifully with my maple tahini dressing.

Do I have to peel honeynut squash?

No! One of the many improvements Michael Mazourek and Chef Dan Barber set out to improve on with their honeynut squash is having an edible, thin skin--similar to delicata squash. Simply give your honeynut squash a good wash and you are good to go.

Unlike butternut squash, it is much easier to slice honeynut squash in half. Simply run your knife down the middle and scoop out the seeds. Need a good knife for cutting squash? You can check out my affordable knife recommendations here.

What does honeynut squash taste like?

Honeynut squash has a sweeter, smoother flavor and texture compared to butternut squash. Because of this, honeynut squashes need little seasoning to make them shine. This isn't to say you can't add fall flavors like cinnamon, nutmeg, or sage, but honeynut squash is a delicious treat simply with salt and pepper.

How to roast honeynut squash

For this recipe, we are keeping it simple with a neutral tasting oil, salt, and pepper. The reason for this is because I wanted to let the flavor of honeynut squash shine through. Set your oven to 425° F, line a baking sheet with parchment paper, and roast cut-side down for 20-25 minutes.

After roasting a honeynut squash, the skin becomes much darker and richer. The honeynut squash itself becomes a smooth, tender consistency. Because the bottoms are hollow, check the top half while cooking to see if they are fork tender.

What to serve with honeynut squash

While I do stand by lightly seasoning honeynut squash, I do think adding some toppings can improve this squash and make it worthy of your Thanksgiving table. I add toasted pecans, fresh thyme, and a drizzle of homemade and simple maple tahini dressing.

The toasted pecans add texture but complimentary flavors to this smooth, roasted squash. The thyme brings fresh, earthiness that rounds out the sweet. This dressing is a savory but bright dressing that helps make this a slightly more savory honeynut squash recipe.

Honeynut Squash Nutritional Information

Honeynut squash is an excellent source of beta-carotene and vitamin A--in fact, it's even better than traditional butternut squash. Honeynut squashes are about 1/2 each, and, according to MyFitnessPal, and only 285 calories and 0.45 grams of fat. They are 0 WW smart points on all plans too. If Honeynut squash isn't a part of your healthy fall recipe repertoire, you need to add it to your next shopping list.

Yield: 6

Roasted Honeynut Squash with Tahini Maple Dressing

Print

Roasted honeynut squash is a simple, but flavorful fall side dish using the newly popular sweet and tender honeynut squash. This roasted squash is elevated with this simple, savory tahini maple dressing which is a perfect fall addition to your table.

Green, Blue, Purple - 1 WW SP

119 calories

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 30 minutes

Ingredients

• 3 honeynut squashes (roughly 1.5 pounds)
• 1.5 tsp canola oil (or other high smoke point, neutral oil)
• 0.5 tsp kosher salt
• pinch of black pepper

Tahini Maple Dressing

• 1 tbsp tahini
• 1 tsp pure maple syrup
• 1/2 fresh lemon, juiced
• 1 tbsp hot water

Garnish

• 0.5 oz toasted pecans
• 1 tsp fresh thyme

Instructions

1. Wash, dry, and slice honeynut squash.
2. Scoop seeds out of the cavity using a spoon.
3. Preheat oven to 425°F.
4. Lightly oil the inside of honeynut squash and season with salt and pepper.
5. Place honeynut squash cut-side down and roast for 20-25 minutes.
6. While squash is roasting, combine the dressing ingredients (tahini, maple, lemon, and hot water). For a slightly sweeter dressing, add up to a tbsp. of maple syrup (this won't affect the WW points for 1 serving).
7. If toasting pecans, add pecans to a dry pan and toast until you start smelling the pecans--this should take about 3-5 minutes.
8. When the skin is dark brown and the top half of the squash is tender, remove the honeynut squash.
9. Place honeynut squash cut-side up on a platter, drizzle with tahini maple dressing, top with pecans and thyme, and serve.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

6

Serving Size:

1 half of a squash
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 119Total Fat: 4gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 194mgCarbohydrates: 19gFiber: 3gSugar: 4gProtein: 2g

Want more WW fall recipes? Of course you do.

Recently, I published a recipe round up of 30 WW Fall Recipes with my favorite food bloggers. You can find that post here. You can also find links to some of my favorite WW fall recipes on my blog below:

• Roasted Butternut Squash Soup
• Thanksgiving Turkey Burger
• Healthy Zuppa Toscana
• Healthy Apple Scones
• Pumpkin Scones
• Healthy Pumpkin Pancakes
• Chicken Pot Pie with Biscuits