Roasted Honeynut Squash with Almond Maple Sauce
Honeynut squash is a small, sweet fall squash that roasts in about 35 minutes. Here it gets a creamy almond maple sauce and a sprinkle of sliced almonds, for an easy side dish that fits a weeknight dinner or the Thanksgiving table.
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I first found honeynut squash at Trader Joe’s several years ago, and I buy it every season when it’s in stock. It makes a fun side dish for fall, and the almond maple sauce on this version is out of this world.
I’m a big fan of squash, and I have several butternut and other squash recipes on the blog, including my simple Baked Delicata Squash. This honeynut version is a quick one to add to the rotation once the season starts.
What is Honeynut Squash?
Honeynut squash looks like a baby butternut squash with a darker flesh. It has the same bell shape in a much smaller size. The flesh roasts to a deeper orange. Half a squash makes an easy single serving, which is why I like to serve this as a side dish throughout the season.
Honeynut is a cross between butternut and buttercup squash, the dark green, squat squash you often see in stores. It has only been in stores since about the mid-2010s, after Cornell University plant breeder Michael Mazourek finished developing it. His goal was a smaller squash with more robust flavor than butternut. I’d say he succeeded.
The flavor is equal parts sweet and nutty, and the skin is thinner than butternut but not quite as thin as delicata.
Recipe Tips & Storage
I developed this recipe with JOI Almond Milk Base. It’s a one-ingredient paste that whisks into a creamy sauce with maple syrup and lemon juice.
You can make a similar sauce with almond butter, if needed. Whisk it with the maple syrup, lemon juice, and salt, then add water a teaspoon at a time until it’s thin enough to drizzle.
Serve this roasted honeynut squash next to salmon or another baked fish for an easy fall dinner, or set it on the Thanksgiving table with your other sides. Scoop leftover squash into a grain bowl or salad.
Roasted honeynut squash can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. I recommend scooping it out of the flesh first. Keep any leftover sauce in a separate container. Whisk in a little water to loosen the sauce before serving. Reheat the squash in the oven or microwave until warm.
Roasted Honeynut Squash with Almond Maple Sauce
Ingredients
For Honeynut Squash
- 2 medium honeynut squash
- 1 tablespoon ghee, melted, or olive oil
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 tablespoons sliced almonds, for garnish
For Almond Maple Sauce
- 2 tablespoons JOI Almond Milk Base
- 2 teaspoons maple syrup
- ½ lemon, juiced
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon water
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Cut each honeynut squash in half lengthwise. Scoop out the seeds with a spoon or ice cream scoop.
- Place the squash cut-side up on the baking sheet. Brush the cut sides with melted ghee, then sprinkle with salt and cinnamon.
- Roast for 30 to 35 minutes, until the squash is fork-tender at the thickest part.
- While the squash roasts, make the sauce. Whisk the almond milk base, maple syrup, lemon juice, and salt in a small bowl until smooth. Set aside.
- Just before serving, whisk the water into the sauce to thin it for drizzling.
- Drizzle the roasted squash with the sauce and sprinkle with sliced almonds. Serve warm.
Notes
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Thank you for sharing this delicious recipe.