Roasted Butternut Squash with Red Onion, Tahini and Za'atar

This roasted butternut squash recipe makes an excellent Thanksgiving side dish, but it's simple enough to make for weeknight dinners, too. It's gluten-free, vegetarian, vegan, and packed with Middle Eastern flavors.

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Do you have vegan guests coming to your house for Thanksgiving or Christmas? Are you feeling intimidated? Are you afraid all that you can offer them will be some lettuce and a piece of fruit?

Finding really flavorful vegan recipes for Thanksgiving and Christmas can be intimidating if you're not used to cooking them all the time. Fear not, this dish will save you. It also works for people who are gluten-free or vegetarian.

I'm always looking for interesting Thanksgiving side dishes. Roasted butternut squash, carrots, parsnips, and brussels sprouts are already weeknight staples in our house during fall and winter.

So then all that's left for holiday meal planning are the gooey, cheesy dishes that taste great, but are sometimes a little too rich, or don't jive with everyone's dietary restrictions.

The flavors of tahini and za'atar combine in this recipe to make a vegan Thanksgiving side dish that will wow everyone at the table. Regardless of their respective diets, all of your guests will love how good this tastes, and won't notice what's 'missing.'

You don't even have to peel the butternut squash for this recipe. A huge timesaver! That's why I also love this recipe for weeknight dinners.

So don't be intimidated! Be confident and wow them all by taking traditional flavors and combining them with unexpected Middle Eastern spices to turn Thanksgiving dinner on its head. No more same old same old!

What is Za'atar?

Za'atar is a Middle Eastern spice blend made with dried thyme, oregano, sesame seeds and other spices, but the secret kick is the sumac. Put it on any kind of roasted veggies, or add it to salad dressings or marinades. You can find it at international markets or Middle Eastern food stores, you can also buy za'atar spice on Amazon.

What is tahini?

Tahini is a paste that's made from sesame seeds and used throughout Middle Eastern cooking. You've probably had it without knowing - it's what makes hummus so creamy and delicious. It's sold in jars near the nut butters or with the Middle Eastern foods.

Now, I know what you're thinking. You're saying, "Debra, I am not gonna buy a giant, expensive jar of tahini for a recipe that only calls for three tablespoons." And you're right. I wouldn't ask you to do that.

Trader Joe's carries a small jar of organic tahini that is not expensive. And once you make this sauce, you'll want to put it on everything. All. The. Time.

More Thanksgiving recipes

• Aunt Vickie's Pecan Cream Cheese Pie
• Brussels Sprouts Salad with Mache and Tarragon Vinaigrette. 

Do you have to peel butternut squash before roasting?

No, you don't. You can eat the skin of butternut squash and all winter squashes. Butternut squash does have a thicker skin, so many people remove it. In general, the thinner the skin, the more tender and easier it is to eat. A younger, smaller butternut squash will probably have a more tender skin. But if you roast any winter squash for long enough at a high enough heat, the skin will cook nicely and be tasty.

In this recipe, we are roasting the butternut squash at a very high heat, so that is going to break down the skin for us, and it will get nice and brown and add a lot of flavor and texture to this dish.

Roasted Butternut Squash with Red Onion, Tahini and Za'atar

Preheat oven to 475 degrees.

Chop the butternut squash into chunks about 1 inch think. Leave the peel intact.

Chop the red onion into wedges about ¼ inch thick.

Divide squash and onions between two sheet pans. Drizzle with olive oil and kosher salt and toss to coat. Spread out evenly on pan. Make sure the squash is skin side down.

Roast in the oven for about 30 minutes. You want the skins and the edges of the butternut squash to be nice and brown, almost blackened. Some of the very edges will get crisp and dark. Check on the onions during the roasting to be sure they aren't getting overdone. Remove them if necessary.

While the vegetables are roasting, make the sauce. Add the tahini, lemon juice, water, crushed garlic clove and a pinch of salt to a small bowl.

Whisk together until smooth. The mixture might look curdled at first, but keep going. It will come together and thicken up. If it's too thick, add a bit more water. It should be the consistency of honey, not hummus.

Remove squash and onions from the oven and transfer to a serving plate. Just before serving, drizzle with tahini sauce and sprinkle za'atar over the top.

More roasted vegetable recipes:

• Charred Broccoli with Calabrian Chili Paste, Feta and Lemon Yogurt Sauce
• Crispy Roasted Cauliflower with Parmesan and Garlic
• Roasted Vegetable Salad with Charred Lemon Vinaigrette

More butternut squash recipes:

• Butternut Squash Lasagna
• Harissa Roasted Butternut Squash Salad with Avocado and Toasted Squash Seeds

This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Read my full disclosure policy here.