You don’t have to stick with typical winter squash soups this season. This Roasted Winter Squash recipe jazzes it up with the use of spicy Harissa seasoning. It’s an easy and simple recipe that will keep you comforted all Winter long.
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There are so many different things you can do with winter squash, and when paired with Harissa seasoning, the possibilities become endless. This winter squash recipe roasted with corn is perfect over a salad topped with my homemade mint sauce! You can also serve this over quinoa or rice!
WHAT IS HARISSA?
Harissa is typically a thick paste used in North African cuisines made with garlic, chiles, spices, and other good stuff. I first discovered it when I was learning how to cook Moroccan food.
In this roasted winter squash recipe, I use a dry harissa spice mix that I purchased from my farmers’ market. Amazon has several harissa pastes, and seasonings so order this online if you can’t find it in a grocery store near you.
TYPES OF WINTER SQUASH TO USE
Well, first, let me briefly explain what winter squash is. Botanically a fruit (all squash are fruits), winter squash does not grow in the Winter.
They grow slowly during late summer and harvest in the Fall. Their thick skin is thick, allowing that rind to be stored and enjoyed for the Winter. Examples include acorn, butternut, pumpkin, and delicata.
This Roasted Winter squash recipe is versatile in that it will work with any winter squash you choose, but what I recommend is using butternut squash.
Butternut squash is one of my favorite winter squashes to cook for the following reasons:
- It’s readily available: Out of all the squashes, butternut squash is typically easier to find in most areas.
- It has a hit of sweetness: While not overly sweet like a sweet potato, it has just the right amount of subtle sweetness that carmelizes beautifully when roasted.
- It pairs well Harissa Spice: Remember that sweetness I just mentioned above? Well, harissa’s heat pairs super well with butternut squash for that very reason.
HOW TO MAKE THIS ROASTED WINTER SQUASH RECIPE
1. Make Sauce & Cut Vegetables
- First, make your mint dressing in a blender and set aside.
- Cut your squash and onions and add them to a roasting pan and drizzle with olive oil and seasonings.
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2. Toss Vegetables in Seasoning & Bake
- Toss well to make sure your vegetables are fully coated with the oil and seasonings. Add to oven and bake until squash is fork-tender.
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3. Pour Mint Sauce Over Vegetables
- Once your vegetables are fully roasted, immediately add your mint dressing.
- Toss well fully coating your vegetables and serve with rice, quinoa, or a salad!
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TIPS FOR MAKING ROASTED WINTER SQUASH
Roasting squash is the tastiest way to eat them. Below are some tips for making roasting your winter squash easier (and a success).
- Use Frozen Squash: I used frozen butternut squash in this recipe as sometimes fresh squash can be tough to cut open.
- Use Oil: It helps keeps your winter squash moist and ensures the harissa seasoning is thoroughly coated.
- Bake Uncovered: I baked this recipe uncovered the entire time. You can cover for the majority of roasting if you like, but for the last 5 to 10 minutes, be sure to uncover so that you get good caramelization on your butternut squash.
- Use Parchment Paper: The best tip of all is to bake on parchment paper for easy cleanup!
HEALTH BENEFITS:
Squash is a great food to eat often. Particularly Butternut Squash has a high carotenoid content, which is an antioxidant your body uses to convert into Vitamin A.
Vitamin A is a powerful antioxidant essential for good skin and vision. Plus, butternut squash is high in fiber, making it excellent for your digestion.
***NOTE: This blog is not intended to replace the advice of a qualified healthcare practitioner. All information contained in this blog is the opinion of Monique and is not to be interpreted as medical advice.
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Harissa Roasted Winter Squash
Easy winter recipe
Ingredients
Squash:
- 1 butternut squash, about 4 cups, peeled & chopped into 1 inch pieces
- 1 red onion, cut into chunks
- 2 ½ tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon harissa seasoning or harissa paste
- 1 tablespoon curry powder
- Salt to taste
Mint Sauce:
- ¼ cup olive oil
- Juice of 2 lemons
- 1 garlic clove
- 1 teaspoon sweetener of your choice
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard or yellow mustard
- 18 mint sprigs
- ½ teaspoon harissa seasoning or paste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375F.
- Place all of the ingredients for the squash on a baking pan and mix. Bake for 30 – 35 minutes, or until the squash is fork tender, but not mushy.
- While the squash is cooking, mix the first 5 ingredients for the Mint Sauce in a blender and blend well. Add the mint and harissa and pulse until little green specs of mint are seen throughout the sauce.
- When the squash is fresh from the oven and still hot put the sauce over it. You can use as mush sauce as you’d like. I didn’t use all of it and had a couple of tablespoons left over, which I used as a vinaigrette for a salad.
- Serve.
Recipe Video
Recipe Notes
If you cannot find harissa seasoning then try it with just the curry powder and lemon pepper.
I have always thought that going vegan meant eating boring, bland food. But your post showed me otherwise. Your dishes look so appetizing that I think it will not be difficult to switch to a vegan diet. Thanks for this post.
That makes me so happy to hear!! Thank you 🙂
Again, you have shared with us another healthy, delicious recipes. The pasta looks yummy! What I even like about your blog is that the pictures seem to jump out of my computer screen. I can almost taste them just by looking at them.
Haha!! Thank you. I really try to make the photos vibrant and appetizing.
Thank you monique for sharing this post on barely vegan recipes. It is highly informative.
Thank you for visiting!
Thanks for sharing all of this knowledge about the health benefits of Squash and the meals. I personally don’t consume a lot of vegetables because I feel like they don’t satisfy my hunger, but these recipes look so delicious. I just saved the smoothie recipe, that I’ll definitely be drinking!
Thank you very much! You’ll love the smoothie. You don’t even taste the spinach that’s in it!!
Thanks Monique for this. I’ve been contemplating the vegan lifestyle for a while and was a little fearful. The last time I tried, I became ill. I’m thinking it’s because I went cold turkey instead of transitioning into the lifestyle itself. I’ll be downloading your ebook for the extra help. <3
Thank you! I definitely think that transitioning into this healthy lifestyle instead of going cold turkey is why I’ve been able to maintain it for so long. I gave my tastebuds time to adjust to this healthier way of eating so now I crave plant foods…I don’t have to force myself or trick myself into thinking I like it. Good luck! 🙂 🙂
All of these recipes look really yummy! I love butternut squash. The lunch and breakfast recipes look particularly delicious!
I’m eating the butternut squash recipe as I type this!! I just love it. I hope you can try out one of the recipes. Thank you. 🙂
I’m imagining African flavours to be kinda similar to Indian flavors with all our spices and climatic conditions.
Yes!!! The flavors are definitely similar. Indian and North African food are two of my favorites EVER. I cook an Indian dish just about every week. 🙂
So the smoothie caught my eye for sure! I love healthy smoothies. I don’t know that I’ve ever made one with pomegranate but I do enjoy it so I should give it a try.
Thank you so much, I hope you do!
Now the one I really want to try is that coconut curry shrimp pasta. I’m on vacation but you can best believe that when I get back I’ll be giving it a try and I’ll let you know all about it too. I just know that the family would LOVE it!
Yes, please let me know how you like it!!! Thank you, enjoy the rest of your vacay!!
I bet the smoothie is super refreshing, I love pineapples and when you combine it with pomegranate, you’ll have a drink packed with benefits! I love butternut squash, it’s one of my favorite ingredients.
Yes, it is very refreshing! Thank you. 🙂
Great recipes! I definitely want to try all 3! I almost always roast my butternut squash too so this a great way to use it up!
Thank you so much!!
I don’t think I’ve ever tried butternut squash before, but I’m willing to try! Your recipe over rice looks sooooo yummy, and curry is always a great option.
Yes! You can never go wrong with curry! Thanks.
This is a good meal combo. It’s not too heavy on the tummy but it’s loaded with nutrients.
I’m glad you like this meal plan!! Thank you
Really can’t get over your recipes and your photography! Everything looks so amazing and colorful and healthy! 😀
Thank you very much!
The smoothie looks so good! Yum! I would love to try the shrimp pasta too. I love all your recipes!
Haha! Thank you.
Wonderful recipes you keep on sharing and this looks fantastic as well. Seriously I have never tried this one before so good to give a try.
Thank you!!
the smoothie sounds tasty! will love to try it out some day. haven’t seen butternut squash anywhere in my local marts. if not i’ll give that recipe a try too!
It’s interesting that so many people have never seen, or even heard of, butternut squash!! I definitely think you’ll like it if you ever get to try it. It is savory and hearty with a little sweetness when roasted! I love it!! Thank you for visiting.
I have never tasted pomegranate before so this one got me curious. This is also the first time I had even heard of Harissa and Butternut. That main dish looks so good to eat, really.
To me Pomegranates tastes kind of like cherries mixed with strawberries. I really love it! 🙂
I love your meals, but I always think mixing so many fruits into one drink for the smoothie is pretty troublesome… I’m a fuss-free kinda person and prefer simple and straightforward dishes
Nothing is more straightforward and simple than a smoothie!! lol. And do some research. There is nothing wrong with having a fruit smoothie. For most people that’s the only fruit they will eat ALL day and we all need to consume several servings of fruit every single day. Eat it with toast, oatmeal, or something if it’s too sweet. Nothing wrong with that. Thanks for visiting!
Wow! Nice diet watch! I must say the food looks so delicious. I want to try!????
Thank you!
Great recipes and awesome pictures! Can’t wait to try the Harissa spiced squash, sounds delish!
Thank you!
Wow! All 3 dishes look scrumptious, plus I just love butternut squash. It’s one of my favorite vegetables. What’s harissa seasoning made of by the way?
It depends on who makes it. Most of them contain paprika, garlic powder, cumin, salt, and caraway. After that people add other spices to make their own special version of Harissa dry spice mix. I hope that helps and thanks for the question!
Healthy and drool worthy!! Pomegranate and pineapple looks like a bit unusual combo. Never tried before. Now will give a try.
It tastes great! I add spinach to mellow out the sweetness. Hope you like it.
Everything looks delicious and healthy. I love curry, but I’ve never tried it on pasta. I probably should try this.
thanks
Wow! I am not vegan but this looks absolutely amazing! I will have to try it out. Thanks for sharing!
thanks
Since I found out that I have a high level of cholesterol, it was 451, I started to look into and change my diet, I included more fruits and vegetables. but mostly just slice fruits and green salad from a store, which makes not stick to it. Now , I realized there is more to healthy eating, than just eating plain salads and fruits.
Oh wow, I am glad you decided to try eating healthier to help with your cholesterol. It takes time, but I really hope you are able to lower it. 🙂
It’s good to learn the health benefits of food ingredients in a recipe. It makes dining guilt-free and also pleasurable. I love squash and also pomegranate smoothie although we only get them when they’re in season.
Yes, I was lucky to find it frozen, otherwise I would have had to wait until they were in season. Thank you!
What a variety of unique Vegan recipes. Thanks for sharing. I agree with what you stand for. Sometimes when I don’t have appetite to eat, I’ll go for light non-meaty meals like soups and salad.
Thank you for the kind words!
Today I feel like trying our the coconut curry shrimp pasta. I need some seafood in my diet too. Thanks for the awesome recipes.
I hope you like it!
WOW! So tasty and healthy! Thanks for sharing this. I will try it!
Thanks
I’m a huge fan of curry on anything over rice, so this recipe excites me! The smoothie on the side really gives this dish a unique character and I love the presentation. Very impressive Monique! I’ll be sure to try this recipe soon!
Thank you! I appreciate the kind words!
These vegetables look amazing. Such a great dish.
Thanks!
Ooh I’m getting hungry just reading this recipe! Can’t wait to try it!
Thanks!
I love butternut squash. I’ve never thought to try it with mint sauce. I’m going to remedy that very quickly. It just sounds amazing!
I think you’ll love it! Thank you 🙂
I had never used harissa before, and WOW! It really made this squash pop. Will make this recipe again!
Thanks!
I’ve never tried harissa before, but your roasted butternut squash looks really yummy. I must get some of the spices on my next shopping trip to make this. 🙂
Thank you!
The video for this recipe looked so very good I had to make it. I made it ths past weekend and it tasted as good as it looks in the video. I loved it. I had never made a mint sauce before and though ti wioud be overpowering with the squash, but it wasn’t. The flavors all blend together very well. Even my husband, who doesn’t like most healthy foods, liked it. I have already added it to my meal plans.
Thank you so much!!
I have been obsessed with butternut squash lately! It just tastes so good and it is so versatile! Roasted itis even better and I am so curious to taste it when seasoned with harissa!
You’ll love it with the harissa!! Please try it 🙂