Simple roasted honeynut squash topped with a sweet buttery streusel is an easy side dish that gets rave reviews!
Yes I adore my fall squash casseroles topped with a nutty streusels, especially my Butternut Squash Casserole and my Butter Pecan Pumpkin Souffle. I can’t do a fall or winter holiday meal without them. But sometimes I don’t have the room in my schedule to devote to a full on casserole, and that’s where this little beauty of a recipe comes in. I developed Honeynut squash streusel so I could get those same addictive flavors in a much (much!) more user friendly way.
what’s honeynut squash?
Honeynut squash is a small, sweet winter squash that looks just like a mini butternut squash. It was developed in New York through natural crossbreeding to enhance its flavor and sweetness. Honeynut squash has a deep orange flesh and a thin, edible skin, making it easy to prepare in lots of different ways.
what you’ll need to make honeynut squash streusel
- honeynut squash
- if you can’t find honeynut squash small acorn squash, delicatata squash, or other small squash will work.
- butter
- flour
- brown sugar
- pecans
- you can also use walnuts, hazelnuts, or a combination.
- salt and fresh cracked black pepper
how we make it
step 1. prep your squash
Cut the squash in half and scoop out the seeds. (Save the seeds to roast ~ they’re delicious!)
step 2. season your honeynut squash
Add a small pat of butter to each squash, and season with salt and pepper.
step 3. bake
Bake the honeynut squash until just tender, basting with the butter several times during baking. Test for doneness with the tip of a sharp knife; it should glide in easily.
step 3. make the streusel
I use a food processor for ease, you can do this by hand, just be sure to get the crumble really well combined. You want a very fine texture for your honeynut squash streusel.
step 4. top the squash with streusel
Top each roasted squash with a generous amount of streusel (fill up those wells!)
step 5. bake again
Pop the squash back in the oven for another 10-12 minutes to allow your honeynut squash streusel to get nice and golden.
why we love honeynut squash streusel!
This is an easy side dish that definitely has that ‘wow’ factor.
It gives much the same flavor experience of a squash or sweet potato casserole, with so much less work.
Honeynut streusel can be prepped ahead and baked off when you’re ready to eat.
There’s something adorable about mini single serving anything!
Honeynut squash streusel faqs
Yes, for sure! Look for small individual serving sized squash like small acorns. With larger squash like butternut you can slice it into serving pieces after baking.
You can simply leave them out. Or you might try oats, granola, or seeds like sunflower or pepitas.
Yes, reduce it by up to a half. Also experiment with maple sugar.
Great idea! If you want a different flavor profile altogether you can make a savory honeynut squash streusel. Consider adding grated cheeses and herbs to breadcrumbs and moistening with butter or olive oil.
This is such a fun delicious recipe, I can’t wait for you guys to try it! Let me know what you think in the comments ~ I’m obsessed with this dish 🙂
Honeynut Squash Streusel
Equipment
- parchment paper or foil
- food processor optional
Ingredients
streusel topping
- 1/2 cup all purpose flour
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar
- 4 Tbsp unsalted butter, soft
- 3/4 cup chopped pecans
squash
- 4 Honeynut squash
- 4 Tbsp salted butter
- salt and fresh cracked black pepper
Instructions
streusel topping
- I use a food processor or convenience, but you can do this by hand if you prefer. I load everything into the processor and pulse until it becomes an even, fine crumble. Refrigerate while you prep your squash.
squash
- Preheat oven to 425°F Line your baking sheet with parchment paper or foil.
- Slice the squash in half lengthwise. You’ll need a large sharp knife. Just slice the squash from stem to stern. Scoop out the seeds and stringy parts.
- Place the squash halves, cut side up, on your lined baking pan. Add a pat of butter to each of the 4 cavities and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- Roast the squash, basting with the melted butter, until tender, about 30 minutes, depending on the size of your squash.
- Remove the squash from the oven and top each half generously with the streusel. I like to mound it up because it will shrink down as it bakes. Note: you may not need all of the streusel depending on the size of your squash. Extra streusel can be frozen.
- Pop the squash back in the oven for another 10-12 minutes until the topping is golden. If you notice that you didn't put quite enough on and it is shrinking down during baking, just add more about halfway through.
- Serve the squash right away, while piping hot.
Notes
Nutrition
more winter squash recipes
- Butternut Squash Risotto
- How to Roast a Whole Butternut Squash
- Cacio e Pepe Spaghetti Squash
- The Perfect Butternut Squash Soup Recipe
- Whipped Kabocha Squash with Vanilla Bean and Nutmeg
