{"id":25468,"date":"2024-09-12T00:05:49","date_gmt":"2024-09-12T07:05:49","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/iamafoodblog.com\/?p=25468"},"modified":"2024-09-11T23:23:54","modified_gmt":"2024-09-12T06:23:54","slug":"how-to-roast-honeynut-squash-honeynut-squash-with-honeyed-walnuts","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/iamafoodblog.com\/how-to-roast-honeynut-squash-honeynut-squash-with-honeyed-walnuts\/","title":{"rendered":"Honeynut Squash"},"content":{"rendered":"

Honeynuts are cousins to butternuts, but trust me when I say, they\u2019re so much better.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Do you like butternut squash but sometimes think it\u2019s a bit too big? If so, super sweet and personal-sized honeynut squash is here to save the day! If you\u2019ve ever seen a what looks like a tiny version of a butternut squash you\u2019re lucky enough to have spotted a honeynut in the wild!<\/p>\n

What is honeynut squash?<\/h2>\n

Have you guys heard of honeynut squash? I\u2019ve seen it floating around on menus and the internet, but the first time I saw one in real life was at a farmer\u2019s. It felt so special \u2013 apparently I\u2019m nerdy like that. Honeynuts are kind of rare, like a unicorn squash: they\u2019re are on their way to being sold in all the grocery stores, but right now they\u2019re still kind of a farmers\u2019 market and specialty store kind of thing.<\/p>\n

Honeynuts are essentially tiny butternut squashes created to be a better tasting, tinier squash. A chef (Dan Barber) met up with a squash breeder (Michael Mazourek) and asked him why he couldn\u2019t make a smaller, tastier squash. After a couple of years, honeynuts were born.<\/p>\n

Honeynuts are not just smaller than butternuts, they\u2019re also sweeter. You don\u2019t need to peel the skins, and when roasted, they take on a caramel, almost malty flavor. The flesh is smooth and tender without any of the stringiness you get from larger squashes. They\u2019re the perfect personal-size squash and are absolutely delicious.<\/p>\n

\"roasted<\/picture><\/p>\n

The first time I saw honeynuts, I exclaimed \u201cwow, they\u2019re SO CUTE!\u201d about 16,000 times, picked through the box of honeynuts to find my forever honeynut and carefully cradled him home. I cracked him in half, scooped out his insides, roasted him to a deep golden honey color, then ate him with yogurt, pickled shallots, and honeyed walnuts. So GOOD. I felt truly blessed.<\/p>\n

How to roast honeynut squash<\/h2>\n
    \n
  1. Heat the oven.<\/strong> Heat the oven to 425\u00b0F. We\u2019re going for high heat so that the squash can caramelize and become soft and tender.<\/li>\n
  2. Halve the honeynut squash.<\/strong> Wash and dry the honeynuts then use a large sharp knife to cut them in half lengthwise from stem to base. Use a spoon to scoop out the seeds and pulpy insides.<\/li>\n
  3. Roast.<\/strong> Drizzle the cut sides with a bit of oil and season generously with salt and pepper. Roast, skin side up on foil lined baking sheet for 20-30 minutes (depending on size) or until fork tender.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    What does honeynut squash taste like?<\/h2>\n

    If you love squash, honeynut squash tastes like the best gosh darn squash you\u2019ll ever eat. It\u2019s flavorful, sweet and nutty, with a hint of caramel and malt. They\u2019re what butternut squash dream of being. Plus they have twice the amount of beta-carotene of butternut squash!<\/p>\n

    \"honeynut<\/picture><\/p>\n

    Where to buy honeynut squash<\/h2>\n

    Honeynut squash season is late September to early October. You\u2019ll find honeynut squash at local farmers\u2019 markets, Whole Foods, Trader Joe\u2019s and sometimes even your regular grocery store. They\u2019re very seasonal, so when you see them, pick some up! They\u2019re getting more and more popular so you\u2019ll probably see them popping up more and more.<\/p>\n

    How to pick a good squash<\/h2>\n

    Honeynut squash are orange when they\u2019re ripe so look for a squash with no green. You want a firm squash with no soft spots and the stem attached. They\u2019ll keep for quite some time (a couple of months in a cool dark spot) but you should eat them when they start to wrinkle because that means they\u2019re starting to dry out.<\/p>\n

    The best way to cook it<\/h2>\n

    The best way to eat a honeynut is to roast it! Roasting it brings out its intense sweet flavors. Because they\u2019re so tender, you can also cook them on the stove top, like I did in this Pan-Roasted Honeynut Squash with Creamy Garlicky Pasta.\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n

    \"A<\/picture><\/p>\n

    Can I eat the skin?<\/h2>\n

    Yes, the skin is completely edible, just like a delicata squash. This is the best part because it means no more peeling squash!<\/p>\n

    Honeynut squash vs butternut squash<\/h2>\n

    The best part of honeynut is that it\u2019s a lot easier to prep then butternut. If you hate peeling, cutting and taking the seeds out of butternuts, honeynuts are here to save the day! They\u2019re so much more tender and have a finer texture so they slice like a dream. You can also eat their skins, which are thin and similar to the skin on delicata. Win, win, win!<\/p>\n

    What can I use instead of honeynut squash?<\/h2>\n

    If you can\u2019t find honeynut squash, its closest cousin is a butternut, although butternuts aren\u2019t as sweet and a tiny bit stringier. You can also use any other winter squash.<\/p>\n

    If you love honeynut squash, try this pan roasted honeynut squash with pasta!<\/a> It\u2019s fall in a bowl: creamy, cozy, garlicky pasta with honeynuts and swiss chard.<\/p>\n

    Have you guys had honeynuts? Do you want to? Tell me all your honeynut dreams!<\/p>\n

    <\/div>
    \n
    \"honeynut<\/picture><\/div>\n<\/g><\/svg><\/span> <\/a>\n<\/path><\/g><\/svg><\/span> <\/a>\n\n

    Honeynut Squash with Honeyed Walnuts<\/h2>\n\n\n
    Super sweet personal-sized honeynut squash is here to save the day!<\/span><\/div>\n
    Serves <\/span>1<\/span><\/div>\n