Is honeynut squash good for you?

Like other winter squash , honeynut squash is loaded with nutrition. As its deep orange flesh suggests, it's high in antioxidants, particularly beta-carotene, which helps support eye health, immunity and healthy skin. Honeynut squash also delivers fiber, vitamin C and potassium. You'll get even more nutrition—protein, fiber, healthy fats and more—by roasting the squash seeds .

Is this recipe vegetarian?

As long as you eat dairy, yes, this recipe is vegetarian.

What’s the best way to cook honeynut squash?

You can cook honeynut squash in much the same way you cook other winter squash varieties, but the honeynut has some advantages. Its small size lends itself well to simply halving it before you cook it, and its tender skin is thin and edible, so it does not need to be peeled. You can steam, mash and stuff honeynut squash, but simply roasting it as we do here, with minimal embellishments, lets its naturally sweet and nutty flavor shine.

Where can I find honeynut squash?

Honeynut squash can be found in large well-stocked grocery stores and farmers markets from September through December. While some winter squash can withstand long shelf lives, honeynut squash is more delicate and quickly loses its flavor as it sits, which makes it hard to find out of season.

What is honeynut squash?

Honeynut squash is a relatively new hybrid version of butternut squash. It has the same shape as butternut squash, but it's much smaller, about the size of a medium potato. Its skin is bright orange as well as the flesh, which has a sweet and nutty flavor. In 2009, Chef Dan Barber of Blue Hill challenged vegetable breeder Michael Mazourek to "breed a butternut squash to actually taste good" so that cooks wouldn't have to add so much added sugar (like maple and honey) to get a delicious-tasting butternut. Mazourek's response was this adorable tiny squash: the honeynut squash, which does indeed taste like a sweeter butternut squash.

Roasted Honeynut Squash

Name: Roasted Honeynut Squash
Prep time: 10 min
Total time: 40 min
Ingredients: 2 medium honeynut squash, halved lengthwise and seeded; 4 teaspoons butter; 0.25 teaspoon salt; 0.25 teaspoon ground pepper; 0.25 teaspoon ground cinnamon; 4 teaspoons pure maple syrup (optional)

Prep Time:

10 mins

Additional Time:

30 mins

Total Time:

40 mins

Servings:

4

Yield:

4 servings

Nutrition Profile:

Gut Healthy Anti-Inflammatory Diabetes-Friendly Nut-Free Healthy Immunity Low-Sodium Low-Fat Soy-Free High-Fiber Heart-Healthy Vegetarian Egg-Free Gluten-Free Low-Calorie

Jump to Nutrition Facts

Roasted Honeynut Squash will become a staple of your holiday gatherings. Roasting enhances the sweetness of honeynut squash, which is loaded with antioxidants and vitamin A. Butter adds a little richness, while sweet, earthy cinnamon adds the holiday feeling to this dish. Keep reading for our expert tips, including how to safely cut the squash.

Tips from the EatingWell Kitchen

These are the key tips we learned while developing and testing this recipe in our Test Kitchen to make sure it works, tastes great and is good for you too!

When selecting a squash, choose one with smooth, fresh-looking, deep-orange skin that shows no signs of green on the stem or skin. Once you bring them home, you can store squash in a cool, dark place for 2 to 3 months.
If you decide to use maple syrup, you can make cross-hatch cuts in the cut sides of the squash to help the sweetness penetrate more deeply.
Although this recipe includes maple syrup, it would also be delicious with savory herbs, cheese and nuts. Feel free to experiment with freshly grated or dried garlic and dried herbs like thyme and rosemary, as well as some grated Parmesan cheese or chopped pecans on top.
If you have leftovers, refrigerate them in an airtight container for about 3 days.

Nutrition Notes

Like other types of winter squash, honeynut squash is rich in vitamins A and C, fiber and potassium. This means that it’s a great thing to add to your plate to help support your immune system—which is especially helpful around the holiday season when you want to be healthy. The fiber helps fill you up and keeps you satisfied—plus keeps things moving through (and out) your gut.

Prepping Honeynut Squash

Each one serves just one to two people (finally a squash we aren't eating for days!), and they're so easy to prepare. Here's how:

Steady the squash as best you can on a cutting board. Insert the tip of a large heavy chef's knife into the center of the squash in a lengthwise direction. Place a folded kitchen towel between your hand and the spine of the knife and apply pressure to work your knife through one half of the squash. Spin the squash 180 degrees and repeat the process on the other side.

Overhead photo of honeynut squash being sliced in half, using a linen over the knife. — Photographer: Fred Hardy, Food Stylist: Margaret Monroe Dickey

Use a spoon to scoop out the seeds and the first shallow layer of flesh for a smoother surface. You can clean the seeds and roast them like you would pumpkin seeds, or discard them.

Overhead photo of honeynut squash seeds being scooped out. — Photographer: Fred Hardy, Food Stylist: Margaret Monroe Dickey

Our favorite way to flavor honeynut squash is with a simple combination of butter, cinnamon, salt and pepper. But feel free to experiment with any flavor profiles that excite you! We just recommend about 1 teaspoon of butter or oil and a sprinkling of seasoning (about 1/4 teaspoon) per squash half.

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Ingredients

2 medium honeynut squash, halved lengthwise and seeded
4 teaspoons butter
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground pepper
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
4 teaspoons pure maple syrup (optional)

Directions

Preheat oven to 425°F.
Arrange squash halves cut-side up on a large rimmed baking sheet. Place 1 teaspoon butter in each cavity. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and cinnamon. Roast until tender, 25 to 30 minutes. Drizzle with maple syrup, if desired.

Photographer: Fred Hardy, Food Stylist: Margaret Monroe Dickey

Equipment

Large rimmed baking sheet

Frequently Asked Questions

Is honeynut squash good for you?

Like other winter squash, honeynut squash is loaded with nutrition. As its deep orange flesh suggests, it's high in antioxidants, particularly beta-carotene, which helps support eye health, immunity and healthy skin. Honeynut squash also delivers fiber, vitamin C and potassium. You'll get even more nutrition—protein, fiber, healthy fats and more—by roasting the squash seeds.
Is this recipe vegetarian?

As long as you eat dairy, yes, this recipe is vegetarian.
What’s the best way to cook honeynut squash?

You can cook honeynut squash in much the same way you cook other winter squash varieties, but the honeynut has some advantages. Its small size lends itself well to simply halving it before you cook it, and its tender skin is thin and edible, so it does not need to be peeled. You can steam, mash and stuff honeynut squash, but simply roasting it as we do here, with minimal embellishments, lets its naturally sweet and nutty flavor shine.
Where can I find honeynut squash?

Honeynut squash can be found in large well-stocked grocery stores and farmers markets from September through December. While some winter squash can withstand long shelf lives, honeynut squash is more delicate and quickly loses its flavor as it sits, which makes it hard to find out of season.
What is honeynut squash?

Honeynut squash is a relatively new hybrid version of butternut squash. It has the same shape as butternut squash, but it's much smaller, about the size of a medium potato. Its skin is bright orange as well as the flesh, which has a sweet and nutty flavor.

In 2009, Chef Dan Barber of Blue Hill challenged vegetable breeder Michael Mazourek to "breed a butternut squash to actually taste good" so that cooks wouldn't have to add so much added sugar (like maple and honey) to get a delicious-tasting butternut. Mazourek's response was this adorable tiny squash: the honeynut squash, which does indeed taste like a sweeter butternut squash.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

114	Calories
4g	Fat
21g	Carbs
2g	Protein

Nutrition Facts
Servings Per Recipe 4
Serving Size 1/2 squash
Calories 114
% Daily Value *
Total Carbohydrate 21g	8%
Dietary Fiber 4g	13%
Total Sugars 4g
Protein 2g	4%
Total Fat 4g	5%
Saturated Fat 2g	12%
Cholesterol 10mg	3%
Vitamin A 18954IU	379%
Vitamin C 37mg	41%
Folate 48mcg	12%
Sodium 153mg	7%
Calcium 89mg	7%
Iron 1mg	7%
Magnesium 61mg	14%
Potassium 628mg	13%

Nutrition information is calculated by a registered dietitian using an ingredient database but should be considered an estimate.

* Daily Values (DVs) are the recommended amounts of nutrients to consume each day. Percent Daily Value (%DV) found on nutrition labels tells you how much a serving of a particular food or recipe contributes to each of those total recommended amounts. Per the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the daily value is based on a standard 2,000 calorie diet. Depending on your calorie needs or if you have a health condition, you may need more or less of particular nutrients. (For example, it’s recommended that people following a heart-healthy diet eat less sodium on a daily basis compared to those following a standard diet.)

(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a special diet for medical reasons, be sure to consult with your primary care provider or a registered dietitian to better understand your personal nutrition needs.

Additional reporting by

Carrie Myers, M.S.,