Honey Roasted Butternut Squash Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Can you eat the skin on a honeynut squash? ›

Like delicata squash, honeynut squash has thin, edible skin. There's no need to peel it! Slice each squash in half lengthwise and use a spoon to scoop out the seeds. Next, make a quick dressing with olive oil, apple cider vinegar, pure maple syrup, cinnamon, salt, and pepper.

Brush the squash halves with olive oil, then flip the squash cut-side down. Bake the squash for about 50 minutes at 400°F. The skin will darken and may blister. You can press against the flesh with tongs, it wil be pliable when it's cooked.

Honeynut squash has a similar shape and flavor to butternut squash but averages about half the size and is sweeter. It has two to three times more beta-carotene than butternut squash. Honeynut squash can be roasted, sautéed, puréed, added to soups, stews, and braises, and has enough sugar content for desserts.

It's important to set your heat at 425°F - yes, that high! If your oven is set at a temperature that is too low, you'll end up with uncooked or mushy roasted squash.

Because of its thin skin, honeynut will not last as long as thicker-skinned squash. It should be stored in a cool, dark spot where it will last for 2 to 3 months. Once cooked, the cubes or puree can be left in the refrigerator for a week, or frozen for 3 months.

Types of Winter Squash You Should Avoid Eating the Skin

The smaller the squash, the thinner and softer the skin. Hubbard squash, red kuri, spaghetti squash, butternut squash, and sugar pumpkin (sometimes called pie pumpkin) are varieties with very tough inedible skin.

Acorn squash: It has less vitamin A than butternut but provides even more fiber (9 grams per cup) and potassium (896 mg). Pumpkin: This squash has beta carotene and also contains more than twice as much alpha carotene as butternut squash.

To begin with, the butternut squash beats the sweet potato with fewer calories, carbs and sugar per serving. Moreover, it is rich in calcium, magnesium, potassium, and vitamins B6 and E. On the other hand, the sweet potato, however, provides more fiber and protein.

She is finally ripe once all the green has turned a deep pumpkin-y caramel color. Most winter squash skins turn the color of edible maturity well before they are ripe, though honeynut is a marvelous exception, only fully ripe when all green streaks have disappeared.

The liquid is so strong that it can harden into protective scab if the squash becomes cut or damaged—much like a tree. This sap has the same effect on skin, it creates a tough film that can feel stiff, or even itchy.

Is frozen butternut squash as good as fresh? ›

If you thought frozen butternut squash was only good for a pot of boiling water, think again. Frozen butternut squash is a little chef secret that has flown under the radar but, just like frozen peas, it tastes just as good as fresh, can be used in almost the exact same way, and eliminates all prep work.

Steaming, boiling, microwaving, and pressure cooking are quick moist-heat ways to soften the flesh of this winter squash. These methods don't add much flavor, but they are great for soups and purees. Personally, roasting tastes the best.

Technically, all winter squash skin is edible. "It's just a question of texture. There's no danger in consuming the skin—some just taste better than others," says Romano.

“You can eat the skin, so there's no need to peel it,” Oliver's website says. “Simply halve it, scoop out the seeds and chop it into chunks, then roast it and add it to a warm winter salad or throw it into curries, stews or soups. You can also roast the seeds and eat them as a snack or sprinkled over a finished dish.”

A smaller vegetable than many of its squash cousins, the acorn squash has a soft, tender skin that cooks beautifully along with the flesh. It can be cut up and roasted, or stuffed and baked whole, and the skin will be just as tasty as the rest.

Yes.

We're not going to tell you that you can't eat the skin of the squash you buy at the grocery store, because really, if you want to, you can. Go for it.