Roasted Delicata Squash Recipe

These roasted delicata squash fries are a healthy and delicious fall side dish. A cross between a sweet potato and butternut squash, these deliciata fries roasted with parmesan makes a great substitute for potato fries and are lower in carb.You can also roast these fries in the air fryer and I have directions for the oven and air fryer.

You might also like these pumpkin fries with buffalo aioli.

I just recently discovered delicata squash. I am so excited because it is simply delicious! It’s creamy and a bit of a sweet flavor when roasted.

So today I bring you some roasted delicata squash fries. They are baked with parmesan cheese and make a delicious side dish that is perfect for fall. You can dip the in a garlic aioli or even add them to a fall salad.

And while delicata fries are not extremely low in carbs, they are lower than potatoes and therefore make a great substitution.

Recipe ingredients I used.

All you need are a few simple ingredients to make these fries – a delicata, olive oil, salt, black pepper and grated parmesan cheese. Note I’m keeping this very simple but you could also add some garlic powder and onion powder. Use whatever spices you want.

What does a delicata squash taste like?

Delicata squash tastes a bit like a potato but with more flavor. The sweetness is not as sweet as a sweet potato, but maybe that of a butternut. So maybe it could be best described as tasting like a butternut squash with a potato consistency.

They come from the same species as yellow summer squash however they mature in the winter and are considered a winter squash. If you look at the photo above you can see what they look like when ripe. They are a creamy color or yellow with green stripes. 

The skin is very soft so you don’t need to peel them like you would a butternut. And you can even eat the seeds so you can eat every part of a delicata.

How to make roasted delicata fries.

These fries are very easy to make. The skin is edible so all you have to do is cut it in half, scoop out the seeds and cut them into half rings.

Step 1: Preheat oven to 450°F. Get out a rimmed baking sheet and spray with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.

Step 2: Using a sharp knife cut the squash in half lengthwise. Use a spoon or melon scoop and scrape out the seeds. You can save them and roast them like pumpkin seeds.(seed below for the recipe)

Step 3: Cut the halves into rings or moons, about a ½ inch in thickness and place in a large mixing bowl. Pour the olive oil and season with salt, black pepper and parmesan cheese over the fries and mix well.

Note cooking time may vary depending on how thick you cut the rings. If you use 1 inch thick slices it will only take 3-5 minutes more.

Step 4: Spread them out in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet and place in the preheated oven. Cook for 18-20 minutes until golden brown and flesh is tender when pierced with a fork.

Check on them halfway through and flip them if you want. I did not flip them and they browned only on one side which was the way I like them.

Step 5: Take out the roasted squash and let cool before serving. Store leftover in an airtight container. Please scroll down to view the printable recipe card.

How to make delicata fries in the air fryer.

Just like making these in the oven you can also make them in the air fryer. Either cooking method will have the same result.

1. Toss the delicata squash rings with the olive oil, spices and parmesan.
2. Then spray the air fryer basket with nonstick cooking spray and place the rings inside in a single layer.
3. Cook at 400°F for about 10-12 minutes. You might want to flip them halfway through. They are done when they are golden brown and fork tender.

Can you eat delicata squash seeds?

Yes, roast them and they make a healthy snack! Just wash them, pat dry and toss with olive oil and salt. Roast in a 350 degree oven for 10 – 15 minutes. They are smaller than pumpkin seeds but taste very similar. 

You can also try this microwave seed recipe that I used with butternut squash. See the photo below. They are similar in size so it would work the same way.

Nutritional information for delicata squash.

A delicata is high in fiber, especially when you eat the skin like in this recipe. It is also is high in both vitamin A and vitamin C.  

There are about 80 calories in a cup of delicata squash, 17.9g carbs and 5.7g fiber so 12.2g net carbs. It’s also high in potassium and manganese.  You can read more from Dr. Axe in this article and get more nutritional information here. 

*NOTE* It’s hard to find a definitive nutritional source for delicata squash. The nutritional information below is for 1 serving if I used winter squash information. However since they have edible skins I would think they would have a higher fiber count.

The nutrition info for 1 serving using winter squash information is 128 cals / 8.1g fat / 13.7g carbs / 4.3g fiber / 2.4g protein = 9.4g net carbs

I hope you enjoy these roasted Delicata Squash fries as much as we did. It’s fun to try different squashes in the fall. They are good for you, delicious and soon to be your favorite side dish!