Delicata Squash with Breadcrumbs and Parmesan

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This Delicata Squash with Parmesan and Breadcrumbs recipe is a must-have on your late summer / early autumn dinner table. This will open all kinds of possibilities for preparing squash and is hands-down one of the best ways to devour the seasonal gourd.

Delicata is the unofficial queen of the gourds. I just made that up, but it feels true. It can be roasted with your favorite spices and eaten as a side on the holiday table or served up alongside your late summer grilled meats. I like to leave the skins on to create a more toothsome texture, unlike other squash with a reputation for being a bit on the slimy, squishy side. (I actually love all the squash, but feel over-the-top gratitude for the delectable delicata).

Side view of finished product: Delicata squash rings, roasted until carmelized, topped with parmesan and buttery breadcrumbs.

What you’ll love about this Delicata Squash Recipe

This recipe is a simple one that gets all the heavy lifting out of the way right off the bat. If you’ve never made this particular variety of squash, this is a great place to start. You’ll slice it open, scoop out the seeds and stringy bits, and slice into circles or half-moons before tossing with olive oil and your favorite spices, and roasting until tender and caramelized. Yum!

When you start dabbling in the squash space, your whole world opens up as far as possibilities for creating new and exciting veggie-forward dishes. I started incorporating squash into all the things while working in a bakery where we served scratch-made soups (hello, butternut curry soup!) and roasted veggie salads that completely rocked my senses. What is this wizardry of veg I never quite appreciated? And how can I make up for lost time?

Here’s what I love about cooking: You can never know everything there is to know about techniques, tools, or ingredients. It’s just not possible. So we enter into this life-long learning process that can bring so much joy to you and the ones you surround yourself with.

In this case, joy in the form of roasted, delectable, savory, sweet, delightful delicata squash.

Ingredients for Delicata Squash with Breadcrumbs and Parmesan

  • Delicata squash
  • Olive oil
  • Kosher salt
  • Dried Thyme or rosemary (or your favorite dried herbs)
  • Red chili flakes
  • Breadcrumbs
  • Parmesan cheese
  • Fresh flat leave parsley

Let’s make it!

Delicata Squash with Breadcrumbs and Parmesan

The Host Notes | Amber Dawn
This is a quick and easy recipe for late summer into early winter. It's really lovely served alongside your holiday main dish and just as good with some grilled fish. It takes about 45 minutes, end to end, with all the work up front. And the caramelized edges of the delicata half moons? Worth a bit of effort!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Course Side Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 6 People

Equipment

  • Cutting board or butcher block
  • Chef's knife
  • Spoon (For removing seeds)
  • Measuring spoons
  • Large bowl
  • Tongs
  • Baking sheet
  • Parchment paper
  • Serving platter (Optional)

Ingredients
  

  • 2-3 Delicata squash Plan for about 1 cup of sliced veggies per person
  • 2 Tablespoons Olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon Thyme or rosemary
  • 1/4 teaspoon Red chili flakes Optional
  • 1/2 cup Breadcrumbs
  • 1/4 cup Parmesan freshly grated
  • 1/8 cup Fresh herbs chopped Italian parsley, rosemary, or sage

Instructions
 

  • Pre-heat the oven to 400 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
  • Rinse and dry the squash and slice in half, length-wise.
  • Use the spoon to scrape any seeds or stringy bits from the center of each half.
  • Slice in "half-moons," about 1/2 inch thick.
  • Place in your large mixing bowl and add the olive oil, herbs, and spices. Use tongs or your hands to toss things together, coating each piece with oil and seasoning.
  • Place the squash onto your prepared baking sheet and spread out evenly, allowing some room in between them so they will caramelize and not just steam.
  • Roast in the oven for about 15 minutes, then turn the squash over one by one, and rotate your pan before returning to the oven. Bake for another 10-15 minutes or until golden brown but before the skin of the squash begins to shrivel.
  • To serve: Sprinkle toasted breadcrumbs on top of the roasted squash along with freshly grated parmesan and your favorite herbs to finish. Enjoy!
Keyword Delicata, Roasted Veggies, Side Dish, Squash, Veggies

If you’re looking for a pairing made in paradise, serve this up with my Holiday Spiced Chicken Wings (not just for the holidays!) and a crisp, perfectly dry coup of Brut. You can thank me later.

Amber Dawn

Fresh Mango Salsa

Amber Dawn | The Host Notes
This pico-style salsa is sweet and savory which means it has depth in flavor that plays well with your favorite grilled seafood or tacos, or maybe even a lovely addition to a 7-layer-dip. Spice it up or tone it down - it's versatile and delectable however you serve it up. The best part? Even the mango naysayers seem to love it. Take along as a side dish to your next cookout or bunko night and add some color and zip to the table.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 35 minutes
Cook Time 0 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Course Appetizer, Side Dish, Snack
Cuisine American, Mexican
Servings 6 people

Equipment

  • Medium mixing bowl
  • Cutting board or butcher block
  • Chef's knife
  • Paring knife
  • Microplane or zester
  • Handheld juicer
  • Bench scraper
  • Measuring cups & spoons
  • Wooden spoon or rubber spatula

Ingredients
  

  • 1 Mango large, ripe
  • 3-4 Tomatoes Roma
  • 1 Red onion medium
  • 1 Serrano OR jalapeno pepper for less spice remove seeds to decrease spice level
  • 1 Cup Cilantro chopped
  • 1 Clove Garlic grated
  • 3-4 Limes medium, juiced (about ½ cup)
  • 1 teaspoon Chili powder
  • ¼ teaspoon Cumin
  • 1 teaspoon Red pepper flakes
  • ½ teaspoon Kosher salt or to taste

Instructions
 

  • Wash your produce well and set aside to dry, pat dry with a clean kitchen towel to speed up the process.
  • Using your chef’s knife, hold the mango carefully with the stem up on the cutting board. Apply enough pressure to hold it steady while you slice into the mango on all sides, removing as much fruit as possible while avoiding the pit. Keep the peel on for now and focus on getting all the mango you can get.
  • Using your paring knife, take the pieces of mango w/ peel on and slice them in to ½ inch strips. Then, score them into cubes, slicing the fruit but without slicing through the skin. Using your paring knife, carefully remove the skin from the mango, salvaging as much of the fruit as you can and discarding the skin. Add the cubes to your bowl.
  • Quarter your Roma tomatoes and remove the juicy pockets and seeds. This will make your salsa less watered down and allow the flavors to shine.
  • Dice the tomatoes into ¼ inch cubes and add to the large mixing bowl and set aside.
  • Dice the onion into ¼ inch cubes and add to your bowl.
  • Wearing gloves, slice your serrano or jalapeno in half lengthwise. At this point, you can remove the seeds by using a small spoon to scrape them out. If you’d like a spicy salsa, leave the seeds in. Half the peppers once more so you are left with four long strips. Line them up and dice into ¼ inch pieces. Add to your bowl.
  • Rough chop the cilantro to the consistency you like. It can be fine or super rough and using the stems is fine, if you like them.
  • Peel and grate the garlic and add to the bowl.
  • Juice the limes until you have about ½ cup of fresh lime juice. Add to your bowl.
  • Add the chili powder, cumin, red pepper flakes, and salt.
  • Give the salsa a good stir, incorporating all the ingredients until well combined.
  • Serve cold or at room temperature with tortilla chips, over grilled fish or meat, or on your favorite tacos.
  • Mango Salsa will store in the fridge for 2-3 days.

Notes

Mango is a pretty fibrous fruit and requires sharp knives to avoid smashing the fruit when chopping. It can also be difficult to get into tiny pieces without smashing, so I’m flexible on the size of the chop.
Grating garlic: This produces a fine paste-like result that opens up the essence of the garlic and lets the flavor really come through. I find I need less garlic in recipes when I use this method. You can use pre-pressed garlic or store-bought paste but it won’t yield the same pure garlic flavor.
Up the pepper ratio (red pepper flakes, serrano peppers) if you want to take this salsa up a few levels on the spicy front. Omit all three if you’d like to keep it mild.
Try serving this over grilled fish or combined with your favorite ceviche for a sweet and savory dish.
Or… try it on your carne asada or chicken adobo tacos.
Keyword Dip, Salsa

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