Roasted Delicata Squash with Quinoa and a Mint Pesto

Feed your soul with a nourishing meal featuring roasted delicata squash with quinoa and a mint pesto. Healthy, gluten-free and with a vegan option available, it’s a quick plant-based recipe everyone should try!

Pumpkin season is full swing and here I am with a new recipe featuring delicata squash! For this specific recipe, I found inspiration from a dish I tried at The Allis, one of my favorite places in Chicago. Located in an historic industrial building with concrete beams and soaring windows, the Allis spots an inviting open layout miscellany of varying couches and art, toeing the line between rustic and chic. It’s also a great place for a quick lunch or tea time if you’re in the mood for small shareable plates with vegan and gluten-free options.

So there I was, with a tiny plate featuring roasted delicata with turmeric served with a mint pesto. Back home, I took up the challenge to recreate the dish and added some quinoa. The result is healthy and satisfying, simple yet subtle in taste, and extremely delicious. Quick to prepare, it makes a lovely healthy plant-based meal and I’m confident you will love it too.

Ingredients you need

• Quinoa
• Delicata Squash (or other winter squash of your choice: butternut, pumpkin, etc.)
• Turmeric
• Mint leaves
• Almond Meal
• Parmesan cheese
• Olive Oil
• Pomegranate

What is delicata squash?

Pumpkin, butternut, acorn, delicata… If you feel lost when it comes to the different varieties of squash, I hear you. There are so many of them, it’s easy to get lost when it comes to choosing the right one for a recipe. Butternut squash is probably the most common and versatile one, but there are more to explore!

Delicata squash, also known as peanut squash, Bohemian squash, or sweet potato squash, is a cylindrical cream-colored fruit with green stripes. It has a richer and more softened texture than butternut, with subtle, sweeter flavor. Delicata squash is also a great source of dietary fiber, potassium, as well as smaller amounts of vitamins C and B, magnesium or manganese.

More importantly, the magic about this squash is that it doesn’t require peeling. Given the fact that peeling is often the hardest part when cooking with winter squash, it’s a good idea to go for delicata!

How to prepare and roast delicata squash?

In this recipe, I roasted the delicata squash in the oven with some olive oil, and spiced it with turmeric, known for its many healing properties, which makes it one of the healthiest plants of the planet. Here’s how to prepare delicata squash:

1. Rinse delicata squash, cut lengthwise, remove all the seeds, and slice it into 1/2-inch (approx. 1 cm) segment.
2. Display onto a prepared baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
3. Add a thin drizzle of olive oil, sprinkle turmeric, and season with salt and pepper.
4. Roast in a preheated oven at 425°F (220°C) for about half an hour, turning delicata squash once or twice while roasting. Delicata is ready when tender and slightly roasted.

A delicious mint pesto!

Now that delicata is ready, move on to the mint pesto. Pulse mint leaves, almond flour, grated parmesan and olive oil together in a food processor just a few times (you want to keep some texture). Feel free to add some minced garlic if you wish. You can also skip the parmesan cheese (see my FAQ below). Yes, it’s that easy to make mint pesto!

Now assemble the dish

Now that all your ingredients are ready, assemble this quinoa dish by simply serving a portion of cooked quinoa to each serving. Add some roasted delicata squash and drizzle some mint pesto all over. For the final touch add a hint of vitamin C, sprinkle some pomegranate seeds on top and a few mint leaves. And there you are, a delicious nourishing winter quinoa bowl to keep you warm!

FAQ

What if I don’t have delicata squash? Good news here, you can do the same recipe with butternut squash for instance, although you may need to peel it first.

Can I add protein? If you want to make your dish even more fulfilling, consider adding some roasted chickpeas to it.

Can I make it vegan? Sure thing! Just skip grated parmesan cheese in the mint pesto recipe and you’re good to go. You could optionally replace it with 1/2 teaspoon nutritional yeast but it’s not necessary.

More quinoa bowl recipes to try:

• Nourishing Buddha Bowl with Green Tahini Sauce
• Spiced Chickpea Sweet Potato Buddha Bowl

Recipes using winter squash:

• Easy Butternut Squash Noodles with a Cashew Sauce
• Butternut Squash Spinach and Goat Cheese Lasagna
• Quinoa Stuffed Roasted Butternut Squash
• Butternut Squash Risotto with Sautéed Mushrooms
• Indian Mango Butternut Squash Curry

Roasted Delicata Squash with Quinoa and a Mint Pesto

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• Author: Delphine Fortin
• Prep Time: 30 mins
• Cook Time: 30 mins
• Total Time: 1 hour
• Yield: 4 servings 1x
• Category: Savory
• Diet: Vegetarian

Feed your soul with a nourishing meal featuring roasted delicata squash with quinoa and a mint pesto. Healthy, gluten-free and with a vegan option available, it’s a quick plant-based recipe everyone should try!

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Ingredients

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For the delicata squash:

• 2–4 delicata squash (or butternut squash*), depending on size
• 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• 1 ½ teaspoon turmeric
• Salt, to taste
• 2 cups (180g) cooked quinoa
• 1 handful pomegranate seeds

For the mint pesto:

• 1 bunch fresh mint (about 40 leaves)
• 1/3 cup (approx. 35g) almond flour
• 1 teaspoon (5g) parmesan cheese, grated
• 3 Tablespoons olive oil

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Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C), and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Clean the delicata squash* by running under warm water and scrubbing away dirt with your hands. If there are any hard spot on the squash, you can scrape them off with a knife.
3. With a sharp knife, cut the delicata in half, lenghtwise. Scoop out the seeds and discard.
4. Cut each delicata half into ½-inch (1 cm) segment. Arrange the pieces in a single layer in the baking sheet, and brush them with olive oil on both sides. Be careful, too much oil can make the squash soggy. Sprinkle the turmeric over, and salt gently.
5. Place in the oven and roast for about 25-30 minutes or until both sides of the squash are golden brown, turning pieces with a spatula every 7-10 minutes.
6. For the mint pesto: mix the mint leaves in a food processor. Add the remaining ingredients and pulse a few times.
7. Serve the delicata squash with a side of quinoa, drizzle the mint pesto over and sprinkle with pomegranate seeds. Enjoy!

Notes

* If you are using butternut squash, peel away the skin.

Christmas, Fall, Family-Friendly, Healthy, Pumpkins (Winter Squash), Quinoa, Salads & Bowls, Sides, Thanksgiving, Vegetarian, Winter

Did you make this recipe?

Lastly, if you make this Roasted Delicata Squash with Quinoa and a Mint Pesto, be sure to leave a comment and give this recipe a rating, letting me know how you liked it. And of course, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Thank you and enjoy!