Oven roasted delicata squash pairs perfectly with a white bean purée and a kale-parsley salsa for a balanced, vegetarian main dish, perfect for fall.
What is delicata squash?
Delicata is a winter squash variety that you may have seen popping up more frequently in farmer’s markets and grocery stores- and it’s definitely one you should try! Delicata squash is yellow to orange in color with green stripes. It boasts a creamy texture with flavor similar to a sweet potato. And the best part? You don’t have to peel it! It has a thinner skin than most winter squashes that’s totally edible, so you don’t need to peel it.
Similar to other squash varieties, delicata is rich in fiber, potassium, magnesium, vitamin C, and vitamin B.
Why does delicata squash go with white beans?
“If it grows together, it goes together,” as the saying goes. Squash, beans, and corn are typically grown together in the Mesoamerican agricultural tradition known as the “milpa” (also referred to as “three sisters”). Beans fix nitrogen in the soil, which is necessary for the growth of corn (reducing the need for fertilizer). Corn provides structure for the beans to grow on, while the squash leaves provide shade to the undergrowth, helping the soil to retain moisture.
Not only are these crops mutually beneficial to each other in the field, but also nutritionally for humans. When eaten together, amino acids from the squash, corn and beans form a complete protein. These amino acids also make the vitamins and minerals in corn, squash, and beans more bioavailable, or, more easily digested and absorbed by our bodies. So it makes perfect sense that corn, squash, and beans grow together in the field and are also delicious on your plate!
How do I prepare delicata squash?
Easy! Delicata squash has a thin, edible skin, so there’s no need to peel it and it’s easier to cut through than butternut or acorn squashes. To prepare it for roasting, all you need to do is chop off any tough ends and slice it down the middle, length-wise. Then use a spoon to scrape out the seeds and strings. You can then cut it into slices, rub with olive oil, season with salt and pepper and it’s ready to roast in a hot oven to get that sweet, roasty char!
You can substitute almost any winter squash for delicata in this recipe. Butternut, kabocha, or acorn squash would all work well, but you will have to peel them. Sweet potato would also work nicely!
Putting this dish together
Preparing this recipe only takes as long as roasting the delicata squash. While it’s in the oven, throw all the ingredients for the white bean purée in a food processor or blender. White miso paste gives this dish a boost of umami and chile pequín adds a low hum of fruity spice. While I did include tahini, that does not make it hummus! But it is delicious on it’s own and you could definitely use this white bean purée as you would with hummus, on a crudité platter or with pita bread.
As for the kale-parsley business (is it a salsa, is it a salad? I’m not sure!), I wanted a bright, punchy accompaniment to the earthy squash and beans. Let the shallots (or red onion) macerate for a few minutes in the vinegar to let them mellow a bit. While I used baby kale in this recipe (why? because I’m a total sucker for baby vegetables), you could substitute any green you like (regular kale, swiss chard, or spinach).
Ready to roast some delicata squash?! Try it in other recipes in place of other winter squashes. Here’s one for my butternut squash in a creamy guajillo chile and tomato sauce!
Roasted delicata squash with white bean purée and kale-parsley salsa
Equipment
- 1 Food processor
Ingredients
For the delicata squash
- 2 delicata squash cut into ½ in slices
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- salt and pepper
For the White Bean Purée
- 2 cups cooked white beans such as Marcella, cannelini, great northern
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup rice wine vinegar may sub with apple cider vinegar
- ½ cup tahini
- 2 tbsp white miso paste
- 2 scallions chopped
- 2 tsp salt
- ¼ tsp ground white pepper
- ¼ tsp ground chile pequin optional, may sub with red pepper flakes
For the salsa:
- 2 tablespoons minced shallot substitute with red onion
- ¼ cup rice wine vinegar substitute with apple cider vinegar
- 2 cups baby kale finely sliced (sub with regular kale but let it macerate with shallots in vinegar)
- ½ cup parsley chopped
- ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
For the squash:
- Preheat oven to 425 F
- Trim the ends off the squash and cut lengthwise to get two “boats.” Remove guts and seeds. Slice into ½ inch slices.
- Toss the squash in olive oil, salt and pepper. Arrange the squash in one layer on a baking sheet. Bake at 425 F for 15-20 minutes per side, depending on how much char you like.
- For the white bean purée:
- While the squash is roasting, combine white beans, olive oil, rice wine vinegar, tahini and miso paste in a blender or food processor. Blend until completely smooth.
For the kale-parsley salsa:
- Combine minced shallots and apple cider vinegar in a small bowl with a pinch of salt. Let the shallots macerate in the vinegar for 10-15 minutes. If you’re using regular kale, chiffonade it as finely possible and add it to the vinegar and shallot mixture after about 5 minutes.
- Add baby kale (if you haven’t already) and chopped parsley to the shallots and vinegar.
- Add olive oil and stir everything to combine.
- Season with salt and pepper.
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