If you’re looking for a simple squash side this Thanksgiving, this recipe is sure to impress with little effort! Squash rings or wedges get baked until caramelized and topped with an insanely delicious orange rosemary pecan pesto, sweet plump cranberries, and toasted crunchy nuts. Serve leftover pesto on the side so people can add more to their plates (it’s also delicious with turkey).
P.S. The next week’s menu has a recipe using leftover pesto, so if you plan on using it all, double it!
Ingredient Highlight
Rosemary! This evergreen herb is rich in antioxidants and has been used for centuries for medicinal purposes, such as reducing muscle pain, promoting hair growth, improving memory, boosting the immune and circulatory systems.
Servings 4 People
Prep Time 15 minutes 
Cook Time 40 minutes Ingredients
- 2 lb winter squash (about two medium)(delicata and/or acorn are best), halved, seeds removed, sliced into ½-inch circles or wedges
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- ¼ cup dried cranberries or use fresh pomegranate seeds
- ¼-½ cup toasted pecans, chopped
For the pesto:
- 4 cups loosely packed spinach
- ½ cup toasted pecans
- 4 oz hunk parmesan cheese, cut into pieces (about 1 ½ cups grated)
- 4 sprigs rosemary, leaves removed (about 2 packed tbsp)
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- ½ cup olive oil
- ¼ cup lemon juice
- 2 tbsp orange juice
- Note: the pesto makes about 2 cups, so if you want to roast double the amount of squash, you’ll still have enough pesto! If not, leftover pesto is delicious with leftovers or spread on bread with some goat cheese. We’re also using it in a recipe next week (week 99).
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 450F or 425F convection (convection is best for roasting!). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Add the squash to the baking sheet and drizzle with oil and sprinkle with salt. Use your hands to toss so that each piece is coated well in oil. Spread into an even layer. Bake for 30-40 minutes, or until the squash is nicely browned.
- Bring a pot of water to a boil and add the spinach, let cook until the spinach has wilted down, about 30 seconds to 1 minute. Drain and transfer to a bowl to cool. In a high-speed blender, add the pecans, parmesan, rosemary, garlic, salt, and pepper and blend to finely chop. Drain out any excess liquid from the cooked spinach and add to the blender along with the olive oil, lemon juice, and orange juice and blend until combined. Transfer to a jar or bowl.
- Soak the cranberries in boiling water for 5-10 minutes, then drain (this helps plump them up).
- Arrange the squash on a large platter. Top with plenty of pesto. Sprinkle cranberries and pecans over top.
Items you can prep ahead (optional)
- Halve, deseed, and slice 2 lb winter squash into ½-inch circles or wedges
- Toast and chop ½ cup pecans (or 1 cup total for the pesto)
- Make the pesto
Substitutions:
- To make vegan, skip the parmesan, add 2-3 tbsp of mellow white miso paste, and increase the nuts to 1 cup.
- You could also use sweet potato or any other roasted veggie in place of squash.
Storage:
-
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer:
- Pesto: up to 4 days in the fridge or freeze for up to 2 months.
- Squash: up to 7 days in the fridge.
Leftovers + Repurposing:
- Warm up leftover squash in the microwave until just warm. Top with pesto, a squeeze of lemon, cranberries, and nuts.
- Mix it in with this week’s salad and some leftover shredded turkey.
- Leftover pesto is good on everything! Smear it on toast, mix it with some yogurt for a dip, make a leftovers sandwich with pesto, enjoy it with leftover turkey as a sauce. I could go on and on!
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