Can we talk about how happy this hot honey hasselback squash makes me?!
Heat + sweet makes the flavor world go ’round.
It’s true.
It goes without saying that brown butter and sage will always be my favorite flavor combination when it comes to squash. Throw in a handful of grated parmesan and I’m in complete heaven!
Those are the flavors that I use 95% of the time, but occasionally, I switch it up.
Hot honey and cheese, here we come!
So!
I first made hasselback squash years ago and we absolutely love it. Even though the slicing can be tedious, I find it easier to slice the squash than potatoes because it lays flat! It’s not that difficult at all because you roast the squash a bit first, so it’s juuuuusssst soft enough to slice two-thirds of the way through.
One of my all-time favorite squash recipes is this spicy roasted squash with feta and herbs. It’s a side dish I make constantly in the fall and winter. We all love it – the soft, sweet roasted squash topped with the salty feta and refreshing herbs. It’s just such a delicious dish.
So I KNEW that hot honey would work on a hasselback squash, of course!
I freaking LOVE hot honey. I tend to make my own version super quick, but now there are ones you can buy in the store. Whatever works for you, do it. If you have a lot leftover, make these hot honey pretzel crusted chicken fingers!
Now, the key to this hasselback squash is that you also need some crunch. Especially if you’re a texture freak like I am. So pepitas it is. You could also simple roast the squash seeds or other pumpkin seeds. Or even use hazelnuts!
This can be a side dish or heck, I would eat it as dinner. Eddie would look at me like I have ten heads but seriously, paired with a big greens salad and avocado? It’s incredible.
And the entire dish only uses five ingredients aside from salt, pepper and olive oil.
And!
You can pre-roast the squash ahead of time so you can slice it and bake when you’re for dinner. It’s allll about that ten minute meal prep.
The flavor combo is so incredible. The honey helps caramelize the squash on the sheet pan, the feta adds a contrasting tang. It’s really super delish!
And fun! And cute.
Hot Honey Hasselback Squash
Yield: 4 people
This hot honey hasselback squash is made with butternut squash, topped with creamy feta and crunchy pepitas. It’s heaven!
-
2
butternut squash - kosher salt and pepper
- olive oil for drizzling or spraying
-
1/2
cup
honey -
1
jalapeño pepper,
thinly sliced -
⅔
cup
crumbled feta cheese -
⅓
cup
salted, roasted pepitas
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Slice the squash down the center lengthwise. Remove the seeds from the inside and peel the outside. Place the squash on a baking sheet, cut-side down, and spray or brush them with olive oil.
Sprinkle all over with salt and pepper.
Roast the squash for 15 to 20 minutes, just until the squash is tender enough to slice into.
While the squash is roasting, make the honey. Heat the honey and the jalapeños in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Let the honey come to a light simmer then turn off the honey. Let it sit for 5 minutes. Strain the honey through a fine mesh sieve to remove the peppers and the seeds if you wish – or leave the peppers and seeds in.
Let the squash cool slightly until they are cool enough to manage. Place one squash on a baking sheet and lay a butter knife on each side. This will allow you to make slices in the squash without cutting the whole way through.
Make tiny slices in the squash about 1/8 inch apart. This takes some time, but looks so pretty! Gently place the squash back on the baking sheet and repeat with the remaining squash.
Brush the squash with the hot honey all over the top, letting some run down into the slices. I like to reserve some of the honey to put on after, but use as much as you’d like. Place the squash back in the oven and roast for 25 to 30 more minutes, or until super tender and soft and golden and carmelly.
Sprinkle with the feta and pepitas. You can serve as is, or pop it back into the oven for 5 or 10 minutes so the feta gets warm and slightly melty. Eat!
Those slices are so weirdly satisfying.
