This Parmesan and Thyme Honeynut squash is cooked until it's tender and then it is tossed with Parmesan cheese and roasted until it's crispy.
Once you have prepped the honeynut squash, this side dish takes just 25 minutes to cook, and the resulting side dish will make you very happy with it's sweet and savory flavor. Yep, this squash dish is both sweet/savory and tender/crisp.
Once you add the Parmesan cheese at the end of roasting, you will end up with crispy bits on the edges of the squash pieces as well as on the pan. They are kind of like mini versions of those "crackers" that are made by piling grated cheese on a sheet pan and roasting them until they come together and get crispy.
You'll have a really hard time not picking at the little cheesy bits when the sheet pan emerges from the oven. Of course, there's nothing wrong with a little "neatening up," right?
The little yellow clumps in the photos are from the Parmesan that I scraped up from the baking sheet while transferring the squash to a serving bowl. I will admit there were more when I started.
Ingredients You Will Need:
Honeynut Squash: Honeynut squash is a smaller and sweeter version of butternut squash. I have used it in the past to make soup and a gratin, and each time, my taste testers and I have been so happy with the flavors. It's kind of like a cross between butternut squash and a sweet potato.
They are easier to peel than a butternut squash, and are about a third of the size. Actually, the skin is edible after roasting, so if you want to skip peeling them, go for it. I received these organic ones from Melissa's Produce.
Olive Oil, Salt, and Pepper: For coating the cubed squash before roasting.
Grated Parmesan Cheese: Use freshly grated.
Dried Thyme and Fresh Thyme: Add the dried thyme with the Parmesan and then garnish with the fresh thyme.
Process to Make Parmesan and Thyme Honeynut Squash:
First, peel and seed the squash and cut it into cubes. Toss the cubes with olive oil, salt, and pepper, and then roast it in a 425 degree F oven for 15 minutes. Then, stir the squash on the sheet pan and roast it for another five minutes.
Next, sprinkle the squash with the Parmesan and the dried thyme and roast it for another five minutes.
Finally, when the squash is tender and the Parmesan is crispy, transfer everything to a serving platter and sprinkle with fresh thyme. Serve.
Make-Ahead and Leftovers:
This honeynut squash is best made and served fresh, especially to get the crispy Parmesan edges on the cubed squash. However, it does make great leftovers. It can either be reheated in your oven, toaster oven, or microwave.
Substitutions:
If you can't find honeynut squash, butternut squash will also work. I used about five little honeynut squashes for 1 1/2 pounds of cubed squash in this dish (all but the smallest one in the photo). For butternut squash, you will probably need only one.
This week, the Sunday Funday group is featuring winter squash. Our host is Wendy of A Day in the Life on the Farm. Winter squash is a hallmark of fall. Plus, they are sweeter and and have a much longer shelf life than summer squash, up to 2 months.
Sunday Funday - Winter Squash:
- Mayuri's Jikoni : Apple & Butternut Squash Salad
- Sid's Seapalm Cooking: Baked Acorn Squash with Butter and Brown Sugar
- A Day in the Life on the Farm: Butternut Squash Cake
- Amy's Cooking Adventures : Creamy Sausage, Tomato, & Squash Pasta
- Sizzling Tastebuds : Eggless Wholewheat Pumpkin Choco chip Bread
- A Messy Kitchen: Gnocchi with Roasted Squash and Sausage
- Karen's Kitchen Stories: Parmesan and Thyme Honeynut Squash
- Culinary Cam : Pumpkin-Filled Flat White Pumpkin
- Sneha's Recipe: Pumpkin Soup For Two
- Food Lust People Love : Roasted Butternut Squash Lentil Vegetable Soup
Parmesan and Thyme Honeynut Squash
TParmesan and Thyme Honeynut squash - cooked until it's tender and then tossed with Parmesan cheese and roasted until crispy.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds of peeled, seeded honeynut squash cut into 3/4 to 1 inch cubes
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
- 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
- 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves for garnish
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 375 degrees F with a rack in the center.
- On a half sheet pan, toss the squash, olive oil, salt, and pepper, and spread it evenly over the surface of the pan. Roast for 15 minutes.
- Toss the ingredients on the pan and roast for and additional five minutes.
- Sprinkle the squash with the Parmesan and the dried thyme. Roast an additional five minutes, until the edges are crispy.
- Transfer the squash to a serving platter or bowl and sprinkle with the fresh thyme.
- Serve.
Nutrition Facts
Calories
117Fat (grams)
6 gSat. Fat (grams)
2 gCarbs (grams)
14 gFiber (grams)
2 gNet carbs
12 gSugar (grams)
3 gProtein (grams)
3 gCholesterol (grams)
5 mg
