Roasted Honeynut Squash with Parmesan
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This is a must-try recipe for roasted honeynut squash! Wedges of sweet, rich-tasting honeynut squash are baked with a topping of Parmesan cheese and breadcrumbs until tender. Serve this savory squash recipe as a holiday side dish drizzled with my zesty green herb sauce.
I can’t say enough good things about honeynut squash. If you love the sweetness and tender texture of roasted butternut squash, you’ll absolutely fall in love with this version made with baked honeynuts.
Savory honeynut is a mini variety of butternut squash, with an amped-up with sweetness. It’s delicious paired with a good amount of boldly flavored ingredients — like my simple salsa verde, a tangy green sauce that packs a punch or a batch of homemade basil pesto.
Karen’s ingredient notes
- Honeynut is a type of winter squash, a cross between buttercup and butternut varieties. It was developed back in the 2010s by chef Dan Barber. It looks just like a much smaller butternut squash, and it has less seeds than it’s larger cousins.
- The flesh of honeynut squash is more vibrantly orange, with a denser texture and sweet, rich flavor.
- What that means for cooks: Small but mighty honeynut squash is PERFECT for roasting. The high heat of the oven concentrates their natural sweetness and tenderness.
Recipe prep steps
Honeynut squash are easier to handle and cut compared to larger squashes with tougher skins.
1. Slice a thin piece off the top and bottom. 2. Stand the squash on its base.
3 Cut the squash in half lengthwise. 4. Scoop out the seeds.
5. Slice the halved sections in half again, if your squash are very small (about 4-inches tall), or into 2-inch wedges for larger ones. 
6. Toss with olive oil on a sheet pan 7. Cover with foil and bake until tender, about 25 minutes.
8. Sprinkle the squash with a crunchy topping of Parmesan cheese and panko crumbs. 9. Return to the oven and bake until the crumbs are golden and crunchy.
Spoon over pesto or green herb sauce.
My favorite salsa verde is a simple sauce made with tender green herbs — I love the combination of parsley and cilantro. Puree it in a food processor or blender, with garlic, wine vinegar and olive oil.
Roasted Honeynut Squash with Parmesan
Equipment
Recipe Video
Ingredients
Parmesan crumbs:
- ¼ cup Italian-style panko breadcrumbs or coarse dry breadcrumbs
- 2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
Honeynut squash
- 2 ½-3 pounds honeynut squash , peeled if desired
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper to taste
Green herb sauce
- 2 cups lightly packed cilantro and/or parsley leaves
- 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon white or red wine vinegar
- 1 clove garlic, peeled and chopped
- 1 small jalapeno or serrano chili, seeded and chopped
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
- Mix the Parmesan crumbs: Combine the panko or breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese and 1 tablespoon olive oil in a small bowl.
- Preheat oven to 425 (220C) degrees.
- Prep the honeynut squash: Cut a thin slice off the stem and bottom ends. Halve the squash lengthwise. Scoop out the seeds with a spoon. If your squash are small (3-4-inches tall) slice each piece in half. If they're larger, slice into wedges that are about 2-inches wide.
- Put the squash on a large rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle the olive oil over the squash and sprinkle with the kosher salt and black pepper. Toss the pieces to coat. Cover with foil and roast 25 minutes.
- Remove the squash from the oven and spoon the breadcrumb mixture evenly over the pieces. Return to the oven and roast uncovered for an additional 10-12 minutes, until the squash is tender and the crumbs are golden brown.
- Make the salsa verde: Put all the ingredients in a blender jar or small food processor. Blend or process until almost smooth.
- To serve: Spread some of the salsa verde on a serving platter. Arrange the squash on top. Drizzle with more salsa verde and Parmesan cheese to taste.
Karen’s Notes and Tips
- The squash can be pre-roasted up to step 2 and refrigerated 2-3 days. When ready to serve, sprinkle with the breadcrumbs and bake until golden.
- The green sauce keeps 1-2 days in the refrigerator. The color will turn darker, but the sauce will still taste good.
- If you don’t feel like making the sauce, use your favorite prepared pesto instead. Thin it out with a tablespoon or so of warm water to make it saucy.
Nutrition per serving
Nutrition facts are calculated by third-party software. If you have specific dietary needs, please refer to your favorite calculator.
Hey, I’m Karen
Creator of Familystyle Food
I’m a food obsessed super-taster and professionally trained cook ALL about creating elevated dinners with everyday ingredients. Find simplified recipes made from scratch and enjoy incredibly tasty food! Read more about me here.
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I’d not heard of this squash but bought it when I saw it in Sprouts. This recipe is delicious! Living in Texas, we made it on the spicy side, but the heat is easily controllable. Nice combination of ingredients. Thanks for a new recipe that I will save and make again.
Hi! I want to make this tonight. Looks so good! Are the crumbs and parm essential to the recipe? Was thinking to omit. Thank you!
Hi Shoshanna, No, they are not essential. You can absolutely omit them, or if you’re looking for a gluten-free/dairy-free option try nutritional yeast and gluten-free breadcrumbs. Don’t skip the green sauce though!!