Ottolenghi Butternut Squash with Red Onion and Tahini Sauce

Roasted butternut squash and red onions topped with tahini and za'atar on a white plate.

Ottolenghi Butternut Squash with Red Onion and Tahini Sauce

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: Middle Eastern

Diet: Gluten Free, Low Lactose, Vegan, Vegetarian

Keyword: butternut squash and red onion, ottolenghi butternut squash, ottolenghi butternut squash red onion, ottolenghi butternut squash tahini

Prep Time: 10

Cook Time: 30

Total Time: 40

Servings:

Calories: 189kcal

This Ottolenghi roasted butternut squash recipe with red onion and tahini sauce is great for Thanksgiving or weeknight dinners. It’s gluten-free, vegetarian, vegan, and packed with Middle Eastern flavors.

Print Recipe

US Customary - Metric

Equipment

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 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.

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.

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

Nutrition