This Sautéed Delicata Squash with Crispy Sage recipe is warm and comforting and a perfect side dish for a holiday meal or a quick weeknight dinner. Delicata squash cooks quickly, has a sweet, earthy flavor and pairs perfectly with crispy fried sage leaves.
This is an ideal recipe for fall or winter, especially a holiday like Thanksgiving or Christmas. You can prep the squash ahead of time and sauté them just before serving. The recipe takes about 15 minutes to cook, so you can easily make it while your turkey or holiday roast rests out of the oven.
Delicata squash is often underappreciated and underutilized. Butternut and acorn squashes get most of the attention, but you should add delicata to your rotation (if it's not already). One unique aspect of delicata squash is its thin skin, which is edible when cooked. There is no need to peel the skin ahead of time!
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Ingredients that Matter
This recipe is all about fall and winter flavors. Fresh delicata squash holds well stored in a cool dark location. You can easily find most of the other ingredients at your local grocery store. Here are the ingredients you will need for this recipe:
- Delicata Squash. This small, cylindrical winter squash has a sweet, vegetal flavor. Because of its thin skin, it does not need to be peeled. Once cooked, you can eat the skin (technically you can eat the skin of other winter squashes, too, but delicata becomes super tender and delicate). Look for squash without blemishes or soft spots. They should have yellowish skin with green stripes.
- Sage. This is one of those love it or hate it herbs, so hopefully you fall into the love it category! All winter squash love sage, however. In this recipe sage is used twice. First, whole sage leaves are fried in oil and butter until crispy to provide a garnish and to flavor the oil. Sage is used again just before serving to add a bright, fresh sage flavor to the dish.
- Olive Oil & Butter. The fat of choice for this recipe is butter, but adding a bit of oil increases the smoke point, meaning the butter won't burn as the sage fries and the squash sautés.
- Parmesan. Finishing the dish with some grated parmesan adds a lovely pop of salty umami flavor to the sweet sautéed squash.
- Pecans. The dish is finished with chopped pecans for flavor plus some crunchy texture.
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
This recipe comes together in about 15 minutes. You can prep out the squash a day or two ahead of time and store in the refrigerator. Here is how the recipe comes together:
Cut the squash in half lengthwise then use a spoon to scoop out the seeds and inner membrane.
Thinly slice the squash halves into halfmoons, about ¼-inch thick.
Add oil and butter to a large skillet and heat over medium. Add sage leaves and fry until crispy, about 2-3 minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat and transfer sage leaves to a paper-towel lined plate.
Return the skillet to the stovetop and heat to medium high. Add the sliced delicata squash and cook until browned on one side, about 2-3 minutes.
Stir the squash and continue to cook until golden brown on all sides and tender. Add chopped fresh sage and pecans and cook until fragrant, another 1 minute.
Transfer mixture to a serving platter and garnish with more pecans, crispy sage and grated parmesan cheese.
Hint: If you are doubling this recipe for a larger holiday party, cook the squash in two batches. The squash doesn't need to be in a single layer, but it shouldn't be overly crowded.
Substitutions
You can make some simple substitutions to this recipe based on your dietary needs.
- Dairy-Free- Skip the parmesan cheese and don't use butter if you want to make this recipe dairy-free. Instead of butter, you can use coconut oil or more olive oil.
- Vegan- Like the dairy-free option, you can make this recipe vegan by skipping the parmesan cheese and butter.
- Nut-Free- Make this side dish nut-free by replacing the pecans for a toasted seed like sunflower or, better yet, pumpkin seeds!
Variations
Flavor wise, you can make simple changes to this Sautéed Delicata Squash recipe based on your dinner menu, try:
- Spicy - Add some heat to the dish with a big pinch of cayenne pepper or crushed red pepper flakes. Sprinkle onto the squash as they cook in the hot oil.
- Warm Spices - Warm spices like cinnamon, nutmeg or even cumin go very well with winter squash, especially delicata squash.
- Sweetness - Finish the sautéed squash with a tablespoon or two of maple syrup to bring out the natural sweetness of the squash.
You can even drizzle on our Maple Dijon Dressing to finish this recipe.
Equipment
Reach for a large stainless steel skillet, like this Cuisinart 12-inch Skillet with Glass Lid. You can also use a cast iron skillet, like this Lodge (12-Inch) Cast Iron Skillet.
Storage
Sautéed Delicata Squash tastes best hot out of the skillet, but it's also delicious room temperature or even chilled. You can store leftover sautéed squash in an airtight container for up to 4-5 days. Reheat in a skillet or serve cold.
You can also prep out the squash ahead of time and cook just before serving. Simply store sliced squash in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
FAQ
You do not need to peel delicata squash. The skin on delicata squash is thin and once cooked, the skin becomes tender and easy to eat.
Use acorn squash instead of delicata squash. The most readily available winter squash you can use to substitute delicata squash is acorn. The taste is slightly different, but acorn is closer in flavor and texture compared to butternut squash.
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Recipe
Sautéed Delicata Squash with Crispy Sage
- Total Time: 15 min.
- Yield: 3 cups 1x
Description
This Sautéed Delicata Squash with Crispy Sage recipe is warm and comforting and a perfect side dish for a holiday meal or a quick weeknight dinner. Delicata squash cooks quickly, has a sweet, earthy flavor and pairs perfectly with crispy fried sage leaves.
Ingredients
- 2 medium delicata squash (about 10 oz. each)
- 2 Tbsp. olive oil
- 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
- ½ cup loosely packed sage leaves, plus 1 Tbsp. chopped sage, divided
- ½ tsp. table salt
- ¼ cup chopped pecans, plus more for serving
- grated parmesan cheese, for serving
Instructions
- Trim the stem ends off the squash then slice in half lengthwise. Scoop out the inners and seeds with a spoon then cut into ¼-inch thick halfmoon slices.
- Heat oil and butter in a large skillet over medium. Add ½ cup sage leaves and cook, stirring frequently, until crispy, about 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat and transfer sage to a paper towel-lined plate.
- Return skillet to medium-high heat and add the squash. Cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown on one side, about 3 minutes. Sprinkle with salt and continue to cook until golden brown on all side, another 3-4 minutes. Add remaining 1 tablespoon chopped sage and pecans and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Remove from heat and transfer mixture to a platter. Garnish with crispy sage, more pecans and grated parmesan cheese.
Notes
- Sauteed delicata squash tastes best hot out of the skillet, but you can serve room temperature or even cold.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3-4 days. Reheat in a skillet or serve room temperature or cold.
- Slice the squash ahead of time and store in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
- Leave out the cheese and swap the butter for more oil or coconut oil to make this recipe dairy-free and/or vegan.
- Prep Time: 5 min.
- Cook Time: 10 min.
- Category: sides
- Method: Sautee
- Cuisine: American
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