Ookaay. These squash. These squash!! Can you believe how cute they are? Just adorable.
(If I were still in a sorority I def would have said adorbs…)
I happened to find these adorbs little guys when I went to my least favorite grocery store in town as a last-minute oops-I-forgot-something trip on my way home one day last week. I can’t even tell you why I went there, but I know it was an emergency because I generally really avoid going there.
Am I the only one here that avoids certain grocery stores? Anyone? Anyone???
Maybe I’m all by myself on that one. But hey, I’m a food blogger – I’m allowed to be picky.
So, I went to said grocery store in the hopes of finding the one item I forgot, and noticed these cute little pumpkin-shaped squash sitting in a pile among a bunch of butternuts.
They’re mostly cream colored on the outside, with vertical stripes of green and orange. So pretty. And they’re pretty small – if you put all your fingertips together and make a sphere shape, they’re about that big.
So I grabbed a couple (definitely not knowing what I was going to do with them) and took them home. I just couldn’t resist!
When I got home, I did a little research and determined that they were sweet dumpling squash – and if that’s not the cutest name for a squash you’ve ever heard then I don’t know what is. Dumpling! I think that’s what I’ll nickname my first child.
Juuuuust kidding. AJ – don’t get too concerned (yet).
Because these guys were just so cute and supposedly tasty (I had never had them before), I decided to roast them for my Vegan Thanksgiving Feast we’re having here on the blog this month. And then I went crazy with the flavors.
Like, cray-cray. (Who put me in such a sorority mood today?)
I knew that these guys were going to be pretty sweet, so I wanted to balance this with something a bit salty. I decided on Dijon mustard.
Now that I’m thinking about it again, miso might have been interesting as well…
Anyway, something in my head decided that Dijon mustard and sage must get together and be friends, and that they should have a party with my sweet squash (I’m pretty sure I have the weirdest parties ever, thanks for noticing).
And so they did.
To take this recipe completely over the top good with flavors that absolutely can not be beat, I decided to pair it with homemade pomegranate cranberry sauce.
And this isn’t just any traditional sauce. It’s made with fresh, seasonal pomegranate and juice for added flavor, and you’re going to love it.
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Dijon and Sage Roasted Squash
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 5 servings 1x
Description
The perfect fall side dish that your Thanksgiving guests are sure to crave year after year, try our recipe for flavorful Dijon Mustard and Sage Roasted Squash now.
Ingredients
For the Squash:
- 2 sweet dumpling squash
- 1/2 large butternut squash
- 1/4 tsp ground sage
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 tsp chopped fresh dill, for garnish
- 1/2 tsp chopped fresh sage, for garnish
For the Dressing:
- 3 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tsp chopped fresh dill
- 1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
Instructions
- Turn your oven on to 400ºF. Generously grease a rimmed baking sheet.
- Carefully cut the dumpling squash in half and scoop out the seeds. Slice into 1/2-inch wedges (at the thickest part – the ends will be thinner). You’ll leave the skin on these.
- Peel the butternut squash, remove the seeds, and cut into 1/2-inch cubes. Place everything on the baking sheet in a single layer without any overlap.*
- Roast the squash for 15 minutes, toss, and cook for another 15 minutes. The squash should be fork-tender when done.
- Combine all the dressing ingredients in a small bowl. When the squash is done cooking, use a silicone pastry brush to brush it over the squash.
- Serve garnished with fresh dill and sage alongside Pomegranate Cranberry Sauce.
Notes
If you want to double this recipe, you can pile everything into a 9×13″ baking dish. If the squash overlaps a bunch it won’t get as crispy, but it will still be delicious. You could also roast it on two separate sheet pans.
This recipe will feed 3 people as a main dish, or provide guests with about 5 side portions for dinner.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Vegetables
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Thanksgiving
Keywords: squash, side dish, vegetarian, dumpling squash, Thanksgiving
Are you guys ready for more Thanksgiving food coming up this week? I know I am! Vegan Pumpkin Pie, woooooo! See ya Thursday! And don’t forget to give this recipe a five-star rating below if you loved it.
Looking for more butternut squash recipes? These will tickle your tummy:
- Butternut Pancetta Mac and Cheese
- Super Tasty Hearty Argentine Lentil Stew (With Vegan Option)
- Roasted Squash and Beet Couscous Salad (Vegan)
Photos by Raquel Smith, © Ask the Experts, LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. See our TOS for more details. Originally published November 9, 2015. Last updated: November 28, 2021 at 12:32 pm.
Nutritional information derived from a database of known generic and branded foods and ingredients and was not compiled by a registered dietitian or submitted for lab testing. It should be viewed as an approximation.
About Raquel Smith
Raquel is a whole foods enthusiast, an avid mountain biker, and a dog lover. She works by day at Food Blogger Pro and formerly maintained her food blog "My California Roots" (now merged into Foodal).
