I am loving the squash that is available lately at the farmer’s market. Delicata, Acorn, Butternut – you name it. Roasting squash is actually my favorite way to eat it. The oven does most of the work, and you get these caramelized bits that are SO good.
Squash is inherently sweet, so I like to give it a lot of savory flavors in the form of spices to offset and balance out the natural sweetness.
How to cut delicata squash and acorn squash in the easiest, cleanest way possible?
People find squash tricky to cut through. Using a chef’s knife works best. The beauty about delicata and acorn squash is that you can eat the skin along with the insides. To cut delicata and acorn, I cut the top and bottom off slightly, so that I can stand them upright if need be.
For the acorn squash, cut it into half vertically. Remove all the seeds and hair from the inside. Then you cut each half into strips, preferably 6 strips.
For the delicata squash, I cut one ring about ½ inch thick, horizontally. Using a spoon, I scoop out all the seeds and hair from the inside of the squash. Then I cut the rest of the squash into ½ inch rings.
Spices used to make the Chipotle Roasted Squash
The spices that I use to make the Chipotle Roasted Squash are:
- Chipotle peppers in adobo sauce: This is a staple in my pantry and I use it for a lot of my weekly cooking endeavors. The peppers are slightly spicy and complement the squash beautifully in my opinion. The chipotle peppers are in this adobo sauce that is very flavorful. The peppers are a deep red in color and they do add color to the final dish as well. The peppers have to be minced well before making the marinade/sauce for the squash.
- Smoked paprika: Adds smokiness and depth of flavor to the squash.
- Garlic powder: Adds that extra zing to the squash. Garlic and squash were made for each other!
- Mexican oregano: This is more pungent than the regular Italian or Greek oregano. You can use regular oregano if you are unable to get your hands on Mexican oregano.
Brands that I use for the Chipotle Peppers and the Smoked Paprika
- Chipotle peppers in adobo sauce: Here are the peppers that I use. I use them to season vegetables for tacos, I use it to make a chipotle mayo, and to roast vegetables in the fall as a fun and delicious Thanksgiving side!
- Smoked paprika: There are so many brands out there. You can use Simply Organic if you want a smaller bottle, or if you are going to use a lot of it, Costco has a bigger bottle as well.
How to make the Chipotle Roasted Squash?
The key to good roasting is to keep the oven temperature high. I usually put the vegetables in at 425 degrees, which provides the perfect caramelization.
The marinade is made by combining the chipotle pepper, smoked paprika, garlic powder, Mexican oregano, salt, black pepper and olive oil. The squash is mixed in this marinade, and then placed on a baking sheet, not overlapping each other, and then roasted in the oven in the lower rack of the oven for about 25 to 30 minutes, or until a nice golden brown in color.
The squash is so tasty by itself!
How to make the Chipotle-Sage Oil Yogurt?
I love this oil. It is sort of my take on the chili oil trend where you mix the chipotle peppers and sage, fried in olive oil and then add it to a limey yogurt base, to give that perfect level of spicey and herbiness.
Along with the Chipotle Roasted Squash and the Savory Granola, which is TO DIE FOR, this dish has SO much personality and flavor!
The dish comes together quickly so MAKE it for your Thanksgiving table, and let me know how you enjoyed it! 🙂
Other Thanksgiving sides on the blog that are DELICIOUS!
Happy Thanksgiving!
XO
Amisha
Chipotle Roasted Squash with Chipotle-Sage Oil Yogurt
Savory Granola:
- ½ cup rolled oats
- ⅓ cup raw pumpkin seeds
- ⅓ cup raw walnuts and almonds, coarsely chopped
- ½ teaspoon table salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon dried rosemary
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
Chipotle Roasted Squash:
- 1 acorn squash
- 1 delicata squash
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, minced (it is available in a can in the grocery store)
- 1 tablespoon chipotle adobo sauce from the can
- 1 heaped teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 heaped teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 heaped teaspoon table salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 teaspoons Mexican oregano, or you can use normal oregano
Chipotle-Sage Oil Yogurt:
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon chipotle adobo sauce from the can
- ½ chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, minced
- ~15 sage leaves
- 1 cup Greek yogurt
- Juice of ½ lime
- ½ teaspoon table salt
Fried Sage:
- 10 sage leaves
- 1 ½ tablespoons olive oil
Get Recipe Ingredients
Method:
Savory Granola:
- Preheat the oven to 300 degrees.
- On a quarter sheet pan, add all the ingredients and mix well to combine. Lay flat on the baking sheet and bake for a total of 30 minutes, stirring the mixture and flattening it again on the 15-minute mark.
- Remove from the oven and cool completely.
- Store in an airtight container for up to two weeks.
Chipotle Roasted Squash:
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
- Cut the top and bottom of the acorn squash slightly. The squash is cut in half vertically. Using a spoon, remove all the seeds and hair from each half. Cut each half into 5 to 6 equal strips. Repeat for the second half of the acorn squash. You do not need to peel the skin of the squash. It is edible.
- Cut the top and bottom of the delicata squash slightly. Cut the squash horizontally into a ring of about ½ inch thick. Using a spoon, spoon out the seeds and hair from the inside of the squash. Now continue cutting the squash into ½ inch rings. You do not need to peel the skin of the squash. It is edible.
- In a large bowl, add the olive oil, chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, chipotle adobo sauce, smoked paprika, garlic powder, table salt, black pepper and Mexican oregano. Mix well to combine. Add the squash. Using a rubber spatula, toss the squash in the mixture really well until properly coated.
- On a baking sheet, add the squash, and any remaining sauce from the bowl. Spread such that the squash does not overlap.
- Bake in the lowest rack of the oven for about 25 minutes, until there are dark brown spots on the squash.
- Remove and set aside.
Chipotle-Sage Oil Yogurt:
- In the meanwhile, in a small saucepan, on medium heat, add the olive oil. After 30 seconds, add the chipotle adobo sauce, chipotle pepper and sage leaves. Mix until combined. Let cook for about 1 minute until it starts spattering. Mix again until well combined. Switch off the stove.
- In a medium bowl, add the yogurt, lime and salt. Mix to combine.
- Spoon the yogurt onto a serving plate, leaving an inch border on the outer rim of the plate.
Fried Sage:
- In a small saucepan, on medium heat, add the oil, after 30 seconds add the sage leaves. The oil will start splattering. The sage leaves will turn a darker color. Switch off the stove after a minute.
Assembly:
- Distribute the chipotle-sage oil onto the yogurt. Mix it ever so slightly with a light handed spoon.
- Add the roasted squash onto the plated yogurt. Pile it up. Sprinkle about ⅓ cup of the granola onto the squash. Finally garnish with the fried sage. Serve immediately.
Notes
Can this dish be made ahead of time and reheated?
- This dish can be made a day ahead, keeping the squash separate from the yogurt. Reheat the squash in the oven for about 20 minutes at 300 degrees, and assemble just before serving.
Can I store the leftovers?
- You can store leftovers but you will have to bring it to room temperature since the dish will be mixed with the yogurt. You can microwave it till it gets a tad bit warm and then eat it.
- Store leftover for upto a day.
