This roasted kabocha squash with spiced tahini and pistachios is an easy side dish, perfect for fall, winter, or Thanksgiving!
Fall is “roast everything season” in my book. After abandoning the oven for most of the summer, I’m happy to turn it on again once it’s cold out … especially if winter squash is involved. This roasted kabocha squash with spiced tahini yogurt and pistachios was inspired by one of Ottolenghi’s recipes (the guru of healthy, flavorful comfort food, in my opinion).
This recipe is very easy. Honestly, the most difficult part about it is cutting the squash (be careful!); but once it’s roasting, it’s smooth sailing from there. The spiced tahini yogurt comes together in minutes and, if you buy the pistachios already roasted and salted, all you have to do is chop them and garnish the squash at the last minute.
This recipe would be good with any protein (roast chicken, tofu, these baked meatballs) and a simple salad for a weeknight meal. Or you could serve it as festive Thanksgiving or winter holiday side dish.
I love kabocha squash because it’s slightly sweet and dense… and (the best part) you don’t have to peel it because the skin is edible. If you can’t find kabocha squash, delicata or butternut – or even sweet potatoes! – would work here too. Just make sure to Google roasting times and then proceed with the recipe as written.
You know I’m obsessed with these silicone baking mats for easy clean-up (anything to save time) and I highly recommend them here. If you don’t have them, parchment paper will do the job.
The spiced tahini sauce is thick, so it’s best to spread it on a platter or serving dish with the roasted squash on top. If you’re dairy-free, you can try plain, unsweetened dairy-free yogurt instead of Greek yogurt (this one is one of my favorites). Just keep in mind that a dairy-free version of the spiced tahini yogurt, once mixed, might be a little thinner than it would be if you used Greek yogurt.
Roasted Kabocha Squash with Spiced Tahini Yogurt and Pistachios
- Prep Time: 15
- Cook Time: 40
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: 6 as a side 1x
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: Middle Eastern Inspired
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
This roasted kabocha squash with spiced tahini yogurt and pistachios is an easy side dish, perfect for fall, winter, or Thanksgiving!
Ingredients
- 1 kabocha squash (about 2 lbs)
- extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup tahini paste
- 1 cup Greek yogurt
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 garlic clove, finely minced
- 1 teaspoon pure maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup roasted and salted pistachios, coarsely chopped
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
- Carefully (!) cut the kabocha squash in half vertically, scoop out the seeds, and then slice each half into 1-inch wedges.
- Arrange the squash slices evenly on a rimmed baking sheet (lined with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat for easy clean-up), drizzle with extra virgin olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- Bake for 40 minutes, flipping halfway through.
- Meanwhile, make the spiced tahini yogurt. In a bowl, mix together the tahini, yogurt, lemon juice, garlic, maple syrup, cumin, cinnamon, and salt. Adjust spiced to taste, if desired.
- Once the squash is done, spread the tahini yogurt sauce evenly on a large platter and arrange squash slices on top. Sprinkle with chopped pistachios.
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