Maple Glazed Delicata Squash

A delicious winter squash side dish

Here, in Upstate NY, the garden is nearly done.  We have a few root crops here and there, and some hardy greens, but things are pretty much cleared out. Time to enjoy the fruits of our labor and this Maple Glazed Delicata Squash is very rewarding indeed.

We have a fair number of Delicata squash this year.  That makes us pretty happy because they are so good.  Probably the sweetest of winter squash, and they are small enough to cook up quickly.  A single squash can be just about the perfect size for two people.  These are some of the smaller ones, which will not keep as well, so I’m using them up first.

When I first put a similar recipe on my old food blog, people came into the comments to tell me they didn’t need to be peeled.  A fact of which I am already aware, but we like them peeled.  If you like the peels, by all means, leave them on.  Either way, they take practically no time to prepare.

Peel them if you like, cut them into 1 to 2 inch wide rings, and use a large spoon, or small paring knife to remove the seeds. Winter squash seeds can saved and roasted, just like pumpkin seeds.

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Maple Glazed Delicata Squash

Author: Donalyn

Fast and easy, sweet and a little spicy: Maple Glazed Delicata Squash is a perfect fall side dish! #squash #wintersquash #delicatasquash

Prep Time10 minutes mins

Cook Time35 minutes mins

Total Time45 minutes mins

Cuisine: Asian Inspired

Servings: 4

Equipment

• Heavy Sheet Pan
• Parchment Paper

Ingredients

• 2 or 3 Delicata winter squash
• tablespoon olive oil
• teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1/3 cup pure Maple Syrup
• 2 Tablespoons Tamari or Soy Sauce
• 1 teaspoon Chinese 5 Spice Powder
• 6-8 grinds fresh black pepper
• Fresh cilantro, or parsley, for garnish [optional]

Instructions

• Melt the butter, and add the rest of the ingredients, except the olive oil and squash. If you keep your syrup refrigerated, then warm that up a bit as well, so that it will blend together.
• Wash the squash. You can leave the peel on or use a vegetable peeler to remove it. Cut into rings about 1 & 1/2 inch wide . Use a knife, or the tip of a spoon to remove the seeds
• Arrange the rings in a single layer on a heavy baking sheet, lined with parchment paper. The parchment is a good idea for this recipe, because the glaze is going to end up kind of almost candied, as that would be no fun at all to try and scrub off later.
• Drizzle the rings with olive oil and kind of move them around the sheet, turning over, to get the cut sides oiled. Sprinkle with some kosher salt and fresh pepper.
• Roast at 350º for 20 minutes. It should be just starting get a little soft.
• Once the squash slices are beginning to soften, start basting them with the glaze. It won’t seem to stick at first, but that is ok.
• About every 5 minutes, take the pan out of the oven, gently turn each ring [tongs work well], and baste the side that was down with the maple mixture.
• Return to the oven, and repeat every few minutes until the glaze mixture is used up. squash is cooked through, and a nice, sticky glaze has formed on both sides of the slices.
• It is done when the squash is cooked through, and a nice, sticky glaze has formed on both sides of the slices.
• Remove to a serving dish and garnish with fresh cilantro or parsley.

Notes

Refrigerate leftovers, and reheat on a parchment lined pan in the oven.  I would not put these in the microwave to reheat, because the glaze is likely to scorch. 

We like this as a side dish with pork, particularly with spicy flavors, like grilled pork chops or chicken with a little heat in the flavorings. It also went well with roast chicken and risotto. It’s not bad all by itself, either!

If you’re planning a little ahead, this might be a great addition to your Thanksgiving Dinner too!