Garlic Sage Roasted Delicata Squash

Sweet delicata squash roasted to caramelized perfection, with olive oil, garlic and sage for a pleasing savory slant. Enjoy alone as a light meal/snack, serve as a cozy side dish or use these caramelized squash slices in salads, casseroles or risotto.

Delicata squash is something I’ve recently become to appreciate. Amongst the winter squash, butternut squash has been my favorite for years, but delicata is a favorite my parents favor, and I have to admit, delicata has a definite appeal:

1. Delicata squash is much smaller than a butternut, portioned nicely for about 2 people (or for two servings for one person, in my case).
2. You don’t have to peel it! The peel of a delicata squash is much thinner than most winter squash, so you can roast it with the peel on.
3. It’s naturally sweet, yet low in carbs.
4. With that adorable mini size and pretty striations, delicata is quite visually appealing, inviting you to love it at first sight.

And if you don’t fall in love with delicata based on looks, you might fall in love at first BITE … because roasted delicata is a delicious pleasure. Not to mention that delicata boasts several health benefits: it’s a good source of potassium and dietary fiber, and contains magnesium, manganese, and vitamins B and C. 

Delicata is also wonderful for stuffing, but today I am focused on my favorite way to eat delicata: roasting it in thin slices. Roasting caramelizes the squash, enhancing its sweetness without adding any sugar (or carbs). I like to slice the delicata squash very thin: anywhere from 1/8 inch to 1/4 inch. I am personally not in favor of going any thicker than that (although others might try to lead you astray). The thinner slice of delicata allows some of the edges to get browned and crispy … and crispy edges add a little extra delight to your caramelized squash.

Can you eat the seeds of a delicata squash?

Oh absolutely! I would argue that delicata seeds (and butternut squash seeds) are much better than most of the pumpkin seeds you’ve roasted in your life. Interestingly, it was a hamster that taught me this. My daughter had a pet hamster named Elise years ago and she LOVED squash seeds. I watched that little critter beam with joy as she munched on her treasure of seeds and thought hey, if SHE loves them so much, I wonder how they’d taste for humans? That little hamster had great taste! I’ve been roasting my squash seeds for years … I’d recommend using much the same method for roasting your delicata seeds as you do for your pumpkin seeds, but adjust the amount of time down as they are smaller and won’t take as long to cook.

How long do delicata squash keep?

Like most winter squash, delicata will keep for quite a while, but these little babies won’t last as long as some of their larger counterparts. Delicata should be amongst the earlier squashes eaten as they will only keep for about 3 months, while butternuts will last longer, will continue to ripen after they are harvested and actually taste better after a month or two of storage. No, there is no need to refrigerate them! Let them sit and decorate your house until you are ready to eat them. Since these little gems are so pretty, they make beautiful autumnal arrangements with little pumpkins or other squash nearby and maybe a pretty mum or some autumn leaves.

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