Roasted Squash with Garlic Yogurt and Parsley Sauce
This is a recipe I love to make in fall. I find that red kuri squash is quite sweet, so I like to serve it with a tangy sauce: here, I top it with a Greek yogurt cream with roasted garlic dip, a lemony parsley sauce, and roasted hazelnuts.
You’ll see, both side dips actually only take 5 minutes to make. All in all, it’s a quick, healthy, vegetarian meal that we love to make at home during squash season.
Recipe for Roasted Squash with Garlic Yogurt and Parsley Sauce
Roasted Butternut Squash
- ½ red kuri squash
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp paprika
- 1/4 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/4 tsp dried thyme or herbes de Provence
- Salt and pepper
Roasted Garlic Yogurt Cream
- 1 head garlic
- 1 drizzle olive oil
- 3/4 cup Greek yogurt 0% fat or regular
Lemony Parsley Sauce
- 2 large handfuls of flat-leaf parsley
- 1 spring onion
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- Juice of 1 lemon
To Serve
- 1/4 cup hazelnuts
- A few flat-leaf parsley leaves
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Preheat the oven to 400 °F (200 °C), or 350 °F (180 °C) convection.
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Wash the squash, cut it in half, and scoop out the seeds. Cut one half into ¾-inch (2 cm) wedges and arrange them on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
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In a small bowl, mix the olive oil, garlic powder, paprika, smoked paprika, dried thyme or herbes de Provence, salt, and pepper. Brush the squash on both sides with the spiced oil.
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Slice the top off the head of garlic, set it on a square of parchment paper, drizzle with olive oil, and wrap it up tightly. Place it on the baking sheet with the squash.
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Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, turning the butternut squash halfway through baking.
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Meanwhile dry-roast the hazelnuts in a skillet, then coarsely chop them. Blend the flat-leaf parsley, spring onion, olive oil, lemon juice, and salt in a small food processor. Mash the roasted garlic cloves into the Greek yogurt with a pinch of salt and pepper, then stir to combine.
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Spread the roasted garlic yogurt cream on a large plate, place the red kuri squash on top, add the parsley pistou, then sprinkle with hazelnuts and a few parsley leaves.
Calories: 595kcal | Carbohydrates: 39g | Protein: 17g | Fat: 45g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 32g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 5mg | Sodium: 74mg | Potassium: 1549mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 5323IU | Vitamin C: 58mg | Calcium: 245mg | Iron: 4mg
Roasting the Squash
To roast my red kuri squash, I use my basic recipe for Oven-Roasted Red Kuri Squash. I cut it in half, scoop out the seeds, and then cut it into half-moons with the skin on (yes, you can eat the skin—it’s actually full of vitamins!).
Then I like to brush the squash with a little spice marinade. I roast it for 35 to 40 minutes at 400 °F (200 °C) or 350 °F (180 °C) with the convection setting, depending on the size of the pieces, flipping them halfway through.
The Roasted Garlic Yogurt
While I’m putting a squash in the oven, I like to add a whole head of garlic, which I drizzle with olive oil and wrap in parchment paper. It will slowly caramelize, and then all I have to do is mash it and mix it with a little yogurt and salt to make a side dip.
My Lemony Parsley Sauce
To be honest, I wasn’t quite sure what to call this sauce: I just blend together some fresh parsley, a spring onion, the juice of one lemon, and some olive oil. It’s so simple but so flavorful and balances the sweetness of the squash well.
In French, I called it a parsley pistou. It refers to the Provençal pistou, which is simply basil blended with olive oil and garlic.
Appetizer, Sharing Plate or Dinner?
All three! I serve this recipe either as an appetizer —as a dish to share in the middle of the table—and everyone helps themselves.
And sometimes, I serve it as a main course for dinner—it makes for a balanced vegetarian meal to which I can add a little panko-breaded tofu to add some protein.
FAQ
Yes, butternut squash works well too, but its skin is thicker. I’ll explain how to prepare it in my article on how to cut and peel a butternut squash.
You can use any kind of yogurt; personally, I often use Greek yogurt—either 0% fat or regular—depending on whether I’m in the mood for a healthier or less healthy meal. The thicker it is, the better your yogurt topping will hold up on top of the butternut squash.
Yes, you certainly can! However, if you’re using fresh garlic instead, one clove is enough. Fresh garlic is much stronger than roasted garlic. As for garlic powder, it works too, but I prefer to use it in the marinade because it has a slightly unusual taste in the yogurt sauce.
If you make this dish, let me know in the comments how you served it, and don’t forget to rate the recipe—it really helps me out.
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