Born from the idea of a winter panzanella salad, this honeynut squash recipe is a refined take on the bread salad. Composed and layered, instead of tossed all together, the roasted honeynut squash, browned-butter-pepita caramel, and broiled halloumi all shine in their own right. It’s the perfect “wow” side dish and a fun way to use the small honeynut squash.
Ingredient Notes
- Honeynut Squash: Honeynut squash is a smaller, sweeter variety of butternut squash with a deep orange flesh that’s rich in flavor. Like butternut squash, it’s perfectly suited for roasting. You can find honeynut squash at some local grocery stores, Whole Foods, health food stores or, your best bet, a farmers’ market.
- Halloumi: Halloumi cheese is a firm, brined cheese with a high melting point, making it ideal for grilling, broiling or pan-frying. Due to the high melting point, you can achieve a crispy, golden crust without the cheese melting all over. Its salty and tangy in flavor and has that squeaky, chewy texture it’s proudly known for. It’s great in salads or as a vegetarian filling for tacos and sandwiches.
- Sumac: Sumac is just one of the handful of spices used here. And it’s used to finish the dish. It’s a tangy spice made from ground dried berries and is known for its citrusy flavor and deep red hue. It’s common in Middle Eastern cuisine and is perfect for sprinkling on salads, roasted vegetables, or meats. I use it to make my Sumac Chicken but it’s also right at home sprinkled over a citrus salad or in a chunky Turkish Shepherds Salad.
Test Kitchen Tips
- Hasselback is a type of preparation where ingredients, typically potatoes, are thinly sliced in parallel cuts almost all the way through, creating a fan-like appearance that allows for even cooking and flavorful toppings.
- Generally when you’re slicing something hasselbeck you’re cutting a fairly thick vegetable. Honeynut squash isn’t nearly as thick as a butternut squash, so this can be tricky. Just do your best to get some slices. If you end up cutting all the way through the squash, no problem, just continue on with the recipe!
Make it a Meal
This roasted honeynut squash is a great pairing for any number of entrées, but these are my favorites.
Roasted Honeynut Squash with Browned Butter Caramel Sauce
Description
A composed dish highlighting the versatility of roasted honeynut squash. The sweet-earthy squash is paired with savory broiled halloumi, craggy toasted bread, and a browned-butter pepita sauce that brings it all together with a rich, nutty finish.
Ingredients
- Extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup, divided
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder, divided
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- Kosher salt and pepper
- 2 pounds honeynut squash (2 medium or 3 small), peeled, quartered and seeds removed
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- ⅓ cup raw pepitas (pumpkin seeds)
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 (8–10-ounce) hunk halloumi, halved into 2 thinner planks
- 1 ½ teaspoons crushed dried rosemary
- 4 ounces focaccia or sourdough, torn into ½ inch pieces (2 cups)
- ¼ cup parsley leaves
- Ground sumac for serving
Instructions
- Heat oven to 425ºF (218ºC) with racks set in upper-third and lower-third of oven.
- In a small bowl mix together 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 tablespoon maple syrup, and ½ teaspoon each of garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, kosher salt and black pepper.
- Working with one quarter of a squash at a time, place squash cut side up on a cutting board, and carefully cut ⅛-inch-thick slices crosswise down the squash, about 80% of the way through, stopping before you cut through the bottom. The squash piece should stay in tact but look accordioned. Repeat with remaining quarters.
- Arrange squash on a baking sheet, cut side up, and brush evenly with spice paste. Transfer to lower-middle rack in oven and roast until tender, 15–20 minutes.
- Meanwhile, melt 3 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add ⅓ cup pepitas and cook, stirring frequently, until butter and pepitas are golden brown and fragrant, 4–5 minutes. Immediately remove from heat and stir in ½ teaspoon garlic powder and 1 tablespoon maple syrup, stir to combine. Then stir in 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar. Let cool slightly then season to taste with salt; set aside.
- Once squash is tender, turn oven to broil with rack set 6 inches from heating element. Broil squash until browned, 5-7 minutes. Transfer squash to a platter.
- On one side of now-empty sheet pan, add halloumi; drizzle lightly with olive oil and sprinkle with ½ teaspoon dried rosemary. Add torn bread on other half and toss with 1 teaspoon olive oil to coat. Transfer to upper-middle rack in oven and broil until bread is lightly toasted and halloumi is browned. This will take about 5 minutes, stir bread halfway through to evenly toast.
- Transfer cheese to a cutting board and cut into ¾-inch chunks.
- Arrange squash on a platter. Top with cheese and toasted bread. Spoon browned butter-pepita sauce over top then sprinkle ¼ cup parsley over top and finish with a sprinkling of ground sumac (I use ½–1 teaspoon). Serve immediately.
Save This Recipe!
We’ll email this post to you, so you can come back to it later.
Equipment
Notes
This dish is best served right after cooking, though many of the components can be prepped ahead of time to cut down on total time. Peel and slice the squash, tear the bread and make the pepita sauce up to 2 days ahead of time.
Nutrition
Like this? Leave a comment below!I love hearing from you and I want to hear how it went with this recipe! Leave a comment and rating below, then share on social media @zestfulkitchen and #zestfulkitchen!
