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    Home » By Ingredient » Vegetarian » Roasted Honeynut Squash Recipe

    Roasted Honeynut Squash Recipe

    Published: Oct 16, 2020 · Modified: Jan 17, 2023 by Andrea Howe · This post may contain affiliate links.

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    roasted honeynut squash pin image
    roasted honeynut squash with text overlay

    Honeynut squash is in season during Fall and Winter and looks like a mini butternut squash, but the flesh is much sweeter. It roasts up super easy and makes for an excellent Fall side dish.

    White platter and plate with squash cut in half sprinkled with goat cheese and pistachios and 2 glasses of white wine

    Honeynut squash looks like baby butternut squash, but about half the size and twice the sweetness. Because of their petite size, they cook up quickly and taste wonderful on their own or roasted and topped with a tangy cheese and crunchy nuts.

    Jump to:
    • Why this recipe works
    • Ingredients
    • Step by step directions
    • History of honeynut squash
    • Recipe FAQ’s
    • More cooking tips
    • Related Recipes
    • Easy Honeynut Squash Recipe

    Why this recipe works

    Due to the squash being so small, they cook up quickly and easily. They require little prep work and a simple brush of olive oil and salt & pepper is all you need to get them ready for roasting.

    This dish is also incredibly healthy. One squash contains 40% of your daily requirement of Vitamin C as well as 100% of Vitamin A. It also contains magnesium, potassium and is a great source of fiber.

    The subtle bit of tang the goat cheese crumbles offers perfectly offsets the sweetness of the squash flesh. And crunchy pistachio pieces adds the needed texture to make this recipe extra interesting and packed with flavor.

    uncooked honeynut squash cut in half and sprinkled with salt and pepper and thyme on a baking sheet

    Ingredients

    • Honeynut squash – easily found at the local farmer’s market or more specialty grocery stores, look for 2 that are about the same size. Harvest season starts in September so you should be able to find these babies all the way through Christmas. And the flesh and exterior are so sweet & tender, no need to peel!
    • Thyme – either fresh or dried works great! Feel free to try sage or rosemary as well.
    • Goat Cheese – this garnish is optional, but I promise you’ll love the tang and how it complements the sweetness of the squash. Ricotta, feta or even gorgonzola would be fun alternatives.
    • Pistachios – again, an optional garnish but they add the perfect crunch. Don’t love pistachios? Try pecan, walnut or pine nuts instead.

    Step by step directions

    Step 1 – Wash and dry your squash, then cut in half lengthwise. The flesh should be easy enough to cut into on its own, but if it is resistant, just pop in the microwave for a minute or two.

    Step 2 – Scoop out the seeds. You can try giving them a roast; they should taste just as good as roasted pumpkin seeds.

    Step 3 – Brush with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper

    honeynut squash preparations showing a squash being cut into, seeds scooped out and brushed with olive oil

    Step 4 – Roast in a 400 degree oven for about 20 minutes, or until flesh is fork tender

    honeynut squash cut in half and sprinkled with salt and pepper

    After roasting, garnish with your favorite toppings. I recommend goat cheese and pistachios, but see above for optional garnishes.

    mini squash cut in half flesh side down on a baking sheet with thyme and olive oil

    History of honeynut squash

    Come to find out, these miniature squashes are the result of plant breeders from Cornell, and the famous chef Dan Barber of Blue Hill at Stone Barns.

    While giving one plant breeder at Cornell a kitchen tour, he grabbed a butternut and accusingly asked, “If you’re such a good breeder, why don’t you make this thing taste good? Why don’t you shrink the thing?!” Amen, Chef. I think most of us can agree that to make the butternut squash taste good, it takes a lot of finessing.

    Turns out they are bred to not only be smaller than butternut squash, but are also bred specifically to be much sweeter and tender. In fact they are so much more mild than the sometimes bitter butternut, that you can actually eat the flesh and the skin.

    honeynut squash cut in half facing up, on a white plate and platter sprinkled with goat cheese and pistachios

    Recipe FAQ’s

    What are some other ways to prepare honeynut squash?

    Cube up the squash and roast or steam them to add to your salads or stir into a ground breakfast sausage, similar to my stuffed acorn squash, for a unique breakfast.

    Do these really taste that much different than butternut squash?

    Oh my gosh, yes! They truly are sweeter and don’t have any of that bitterness that butternuts often have.

    I’m trying to eat low-carb. Will these fit into a low carb eating plan?

    Honeynut squash is low in net carbs (about 8 grams per ¾ cup serving), so if you are following a KETO or general low-carb eating plan, you can easily fit it into your daily menu.

    honeynut squash on a white plate sprinkled with goat cheese and pistachios

    More cooking tips

    You can make these in advance. Just follow the recipe and roast the squash as normal. Then you can transfer the squash to a plate or dish and refrigerate it.

    You can reheat the squash again in a 400F for 10-15 minutes cut side up and top with the goat cheese and pistachios.

    They are amazingly sweet and don’t need much fussing with at all, and the skin cooks up crazy soft so there’s no need to peel or limit eating to just the flesh; I cut into mine here and ate the whole thing flesh and skin together.

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    • white plate with top sirloin steak tips and potatoes served on top, with a fork set to the side
      Beef Sirloin Tip Steak With Garlic Butter Potatoes
    • mini butternut squash with pancetta and goat cheese topping on a black platter with an antique spoon
      Oven Baked Squash with Maple Sage Butter & Crispy Pancetta
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    Tried this recipe? Please leave a comment and/or rating, letting me know how you enjoyed it! Connect with me on Instagram, and never miss a post by signing up for my weekly newsletter!

    honeynut squash on a white plate sprinkled with goat cheese and pistachios

    Easy Honeynut Squash Recipe

    Learn the easy and tasty way to cook the super sweet honeynut squash, which looks just like a smaller version of a butternut, but packed with more nutrients and flavor.
    5 from 11 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Prep Time: 10 minutes
    Cook Time: 20 minutes
    Total Time: 30 minutes
    Servings: 4 servings
    Author:Andrea

    Ingredients

    • 2 honeynut squash cut in half
    • 2 tbsp olive oil
    • 4-5 sprigs of fresh thyme
    • salt & pepper
    • 2 tbsp goat cheese crumbled, for garnish
    • 2 tbsp pistachios roughly chopped, for garnish
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions

    • Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
    • Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, then cut each honeynut squash in half lengthwise. Scoop out the seeds and liberally brush olive oil on each cut side. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and lay the thyme sprigs across each cut side. Bake for 20 minutes until fork tender.
    • To serve, plate each squash and sprinkle with goat cheese and chopped pistachios.

    Video

    Notes

    If your honeynut squash is too difficult to slice open, microwave for 1-2 minutes and you should be able to easily slice through.
    These cute mini squashes are still relatively new, however you can often find them at farmer’s markets, and local specialty grocery stores like Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s and Sprouts Farmers Markets. 

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1g | Calories: 270kcal | Carbohydrates: 45g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 3mg | Sodium: 41mg | Potassium: 1358mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 39950IU | Vitamin C: 79mg | Calcium: 194mg | Iron: 3mg
    Tried this Recipe? Tag me Today!Mention @Howe.We.Live or tag #HoweWeLiveRecipes!

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    About Andrea Howe

    Andrea Howe is the recipe developer and photographer of Howe We Live. She is also a seasoned home cook of over 20 years, for her family of 5. Andrea has spent over 10 years in the food industry, writing for various publications including Babble and Disney. Her work has appeared in Real Simple, Taste of Home, Yahoo, Buzzfeed and ABC News.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Pamela HOwe says

      October 26, 2022 at 6:58 pm

      Butternut squash has been my fave for yrs I roas it in the oven and then t and then mash the flesh with minced sweet onion butter, salt,pepper and a dollop of sour cream. My 4 sons love this dish which I call Squash au Claire after my husband’s sister. I Have always sought the smallest butternut because of their.sweetness. Grammy Pam

      Reply
    2. Jessica says

      November 07, 2021 at 10:02 am

      This was a big hit at my house. I absolutely love goat cheese and it worked really well with the squash. Looking forward to finishing up the leftovers this evening.

      Reply
    3. Allyssa says

      November 03, 2021 at 3:51 am

      5 stars
      Highly recommended! Thank you so much for sharing this amazing recipe! Will surely have this again! It’s really easy to make and it tasted so delicious!

      Reply
    4. Jo says

      October 25, 2020 at 11:55 pm

      5 stars
      How cute are those squash! Absolutely delicious! I can eat this just the way it is for a meal or snack. It’s delicious!

      Reply
    5. Moop Brown says

      October 25, 2020 at 6:53 pm

      5 stars
      Yum! These seem super healthy as well as quick and easy to make. What a tasty looking recipe!

      Reply
    6. Loreto and Nicoletta Nardelli says

      October 25, 2020 at 4:06 pm

      5 stars
      Goat cheese and pistachio go so well on top of these beautifully roasted honey nut squashes! We’ll look for them at our local stores, we are so intrigued to try it!

      Reply
    7. Chandice Probst says

      October 25, 2020 at 11:26 am

      5 stars
      Yum honey is the perfect addition to this recipe! Love that you don’t have to peel it and chop either… Thank you!

      Reply
    8. Anna says

      October 25, 2020 at 8:34 am

      5 stars
      I adore all types and shapes and sizes of squashes, they’re just so delicious! I love your tip about microwaving the squash , why did I never think of that before? Also, your photos are just gorgeous!

      Reply
    9. Erin says

      October 25, 2020 at 1:36 am

      Oh my gosh. I actually squealed when I saw the first photo! They are so darn cute. <3 I've never seen these before but I love them. Great tip to microwave them if they're too difficult to cut!

      Reply
    10. Tammy says

      October 24, 2020 at 1:33 pm

      5 stars
      Mmm I love butternut squash and this sounds like a wonderful dish! So easy and good…love the combo of goat cheese and honey…cannot wait to try!

      Reply
    11. Marisa F. Stewart says

      October 24, 2020 at 8:25 am

      5 stars
      I am just crazy about goat cheese and when I saw that it was crumbled on top of those adorable squash I had to test out the recipe. Oh my!! I’m making this again for Thanksgiving. The honey nut squash is the perfect size and I can’t wait to make it for the family gathering. Great recipe.

      Reply
    12. Veronika says

      October 24, 2020 at 7:34 am

      5 stars
      I see a lot of honey nut squash in my store but never new what to do with them…. Will buy them nest time and try your recipe! It looks delicious!

      Reply
    13. Denise says

      October 24, 2020 at 6:26 am

      5 stars
      I have not seen honey nut squash in my area, but I am now going to look for them. Thanks for sharing this recipe!

      Reply
    14. Susie Weinrich says

      November 23, 2018 at 3:11 pm

      5 stars
      How cute are these little squashes!!! What a perfect side for a dinner party. pinning.

      Reply

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    Welcome to Howe We Live. I’m Andrea, a passionate home cook and mother of 3. I’ve been cooking and writing about healthy eating for almost a decade, and my number one goal here is to help you develop the tools needed to throw together a great meal at home that is both delicious, and healthy-ish. All eaters are welcome here! Read More

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