This Ottolenghi butternut squash with red onion and tahini sauce is topped with za'atar. It 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.
This roasted butternut squash with caramelized red onion is bursting with fall flavor. Just like this Ottolenghi Green Bean Salad recipe, it's also loaded with amazing Middle Eastern spices and ingredients!
Bonus: you don't even have to peel the squash! A huge timesaver! It's roasted at a very high heat, so the skin will get nice and brown and have a lot of flavor and texture.
For more butternut squash recipe ideas try my Butternut Squash Lasagna or this Winter Squash Gratin.
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Ottolenghi butternut squash ingredients
- Butternut squash: Look for a large, ripe butternut squash that is heavy for its size with no soft or brown spots. It should be dark beige with a hint of orange in color.
- Red onion: Choose medium-sized red onions that are firm to the touch, with no mushy spots coming through.
- Tahini: Tahini is a sesame paste used in a lot of Middle Eastern recipes. You don't need a lot for this recipe, but it keeps well in the refrigerator for a very long time.
- Za'atar: We'll sprinkle the za'atar over the top after the vegetables are roasted to add great flavor and aroma, and a bit of tang from the sumac in it. Don't just save it for vegetables, try grilled za'atar chicken, and sprinkle it on hummus or salads!
- Lemon juice: Will be the base of our tahini sauce, giving us a bit of acid to balance the sweetness of the squash and caramelized onions.
- Garlic: We'll smash the garlic and let it sit in the tahini sauce, so you get the essence of garlic, but not a strong flavor.
- Olive oil, salt, water: We need the olive oil for roasting, the salt for seasoning, and the water to thin out the tahini sauce so it is easy to drizzle over this deliciousness!
How to make Ottolenghi butternut squash with red onion
Adapted from Jerusalem by Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi.
Step 1: Chop the butternut squash and red onion
Preheat oven to 475°F. Leave the peel intact and chop the butternut squash into chunks about 1 inch think. Chop the red onion into wedges about ยผ inch thick.
Step 2: Transfer to sheet pan
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.
Step 3: Roast
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.
Step 4: Make the tahini sauce
Add the tahini, lemon juice, water, crushed garlic clove and a pinch of salt to a small bowl. Whisk together until smooth. It should be the consistency of honey, not hummus. If it's too thick, add a bit more water.
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Tahini sauce may look curdled, but keep going!
Tahini has a tendency to look like it's curdling when mixed with other liquids. Do not panic! Keep whisking and it will all come together and smooth out.
Step 5: Drizzle tahini sauce and sprinkle za'atar
Remove the butternut 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.
Expert tips
- You can peel the squash if you prefer: If you'd like to peel the squash, that's fine, but turn the oven temperature down to 425°F.
- Substitute other winter squash varieties: This recipe would work well with almost any winter squash or with other winter vegetables like carrots, parsnips, turnips, etc.
- Don't cut the onions too small: We really want big, chunky chunks of onion, so they will cook at about the same rate as the butternut squash.
Make ahead and storage
- Make ahead: You can make the tahini sauce up to 3 days ahead. Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container. Let it sit at room temperature for about 10 minutes to loosen up before serving.
- Storage: Store leftover butternut squash and onions in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat in a 350 degrees F oven or in the microwave. Store the tahini sauce separately.
FAQ
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.
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.
No, you don't. You can eat the skin of roasted 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.
More vegan squash recipes
Make these as part of a vegan Thanksgiving menu, or make them as weeknight recipes—I often do!
- Maple Roasted Acorn Squash has just 5 ingredients and it's full of fall flavor!
- Another no-peel, vegan butternut squash recipe, Butternut Squash Salad will spice up a weeknight dinner.
Debra's Details: Ottolenghi butternut squash with red onion is vegan, and full of Middle Eastern flavors!
- Made with just a few simple ingredients and pantry staples.
- The sweetness of the butternut squash and caramelized red onions is balanced by the lemony tahini and tangy za'atar.
- Easy prep: No peeling the squash, and just mix up the sauce in a bowl.
- It's a fabulous Thanksgiving recipe idea that's not the same-old, same-old.
- It's vegan, vegetarian, plant-based, gluten-free and dairy-free!
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Recipe
Ottolenghi Butternut Squash with Red Onion and Tahini Sauce
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Ingredients
- 1 large butternut squash
- 2 red onions
For the tahini sauce
- 3 ½ tablespoons tahini paste
- 1 ½ tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1 garlic clove crushed
- 1 tablespoon za'atar
- kosher salt
- olive oil
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 475°F. Chop the butternut squash into chunks about 1 inch think. Leave the peel intact.
- Chop the red onion into wedges about ยผ 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.
Notes
- You do not need to peel the squash: You can absolutely eat the skin of butternut squash and cooking it at this high temperature will get it nice and roasted and crispy.
- Tahini sauce might look curdled, keep going: Tahini has a tendency to look like it's curdling when mixed with other liquids. Do not panic! Keep whisking and it will all come together and smooth out.
- What is za'atar? Za'atar is a Middle Eastern spice blend that includes oregano, sesame seeds and sumac. You can find Za'atar online on Amazon, at specialty markets, and also at Whole Foods.
- Recipe adapted from Jerusalem by Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated as an estimate. Calorie accuracy is not guaranteed.
Tamar says
I love these Mediterranean flavors!