Name: Roasted Butternut Squash with Pistachios and Feta
Total time: 1 h 15 min
Ingredients: 3 pounds butternut squash; 3 tablespoons cold-pressed extra-virgin olive oil; Salt and pepper; 1 tablespoon tahini; 1½ teaspoons lemon juice; 1 teaspoon honey; 1 ounce feta cheese , crumbled (¼ cup); ¼ cup shelled pistachios , toasted and chopped fine; 2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint

Why This Recipe Works

For a more balanced and nutritious approach, we used a light hand with bold-flavored pistachios and briny feta. First, to get perfectly cooked squash, we peeled it to remove not only the tough outer skin, but also the rugged fibrous layer of white flesh just beneath, exposing the vibrant orange, supremely tender flesh full of beta-carotene. To encourage the natural sugars in the squash to caramelize, we used a hot 425-degree oven, placed the squash on the lowest oven rack, and increased the roasting time to evaporate moisture. We added our flavorings: pistachios for crunch and some heart-healthy fat, mint for brightness, and feta for tang and richness. Spiked with a touch of honey and lemon juice, tahini (another good source of healthy fats plus calcium and iron) was the perfect topping and made for a simple, beautiful presentation.

Before You Begin

This dish can be served warm or at room temperature. For the best texture, be sure to peel the squash thoroughly, removing all of the fibrous flesh just below the skin.

Instructions

1 Adjust oven rack to lowest position and heat oven to 425 degrees. Using vegetable peeler or chef's knife, remove squash skin and fibrous threads just below skin (squash should be completely orange with no white flesh). Halve squash lengthwise and scrape out seeds. Place squash cut side down on cutting board and slice crosswise into ½-inch-thick pieces.

2 Toss squash with 2 tablespoons oil, ½ teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper and arrange in single layer on rimmed baking sheet. Roast until bottoms of squash toward back of oven are well browned, 25 to 30 minutes. Rotate sheet and continue to roast until bottoms of remaining squash are well browned, 6 to 10 minutes.

3 Flip each squash piece and continue to roast until very tender and bottoms are browned, 10 to 15 minutes.

4 Transfer squash to serving platter. Whisk tahini, lemon juice, honey, remaining 1 tablespoon oil, and pinch salt together in bowl. Drizzle tahini mixture over squash and sprinkle with feta, pistachios, and mint. Serve.