Honey Roasted Carnival Squash Recipe (2024)

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Learn how to cook carnival squash in the oven with our simple honey roasted carnival squash recipe. Healthy, gluten-free, dairy-free, and refined sugar free. It's a WHOLE LOTTA YUM!

Honey Roasted Carnival Squash Recipe (1)

What Does Carnival Squash Taste Like?

Carnival squash has a sweet, nutty flavor. It’s similar to other winter squashes, such as butternut squash and acorn squash.

Carnival squash can be roasted, steamed, puréed, or added to soups and stews and could sub in as the squash for our maple buttercup squash and our butternut squash soup.

Serve the roasted carnival squash with breaded turkey cutlets and arugula quinoa avocado salad.

Ingredient Notes

Honey Roasted Carnival Squash Recipe (2)
  • carnival squash
  • olive oil
  • honey
  • sea salt
  • ground black pepper
  • fresh sage leaves

** Please see the recipe card at the bottom of the post for the exact quantities **

Equipment

  • Baking sheet to roast the carnival squash
  • Parchment paper or foil for easy pan clean-up and even roasting

Diet Adaptions

The roasted carnival squash recipe is already gluten-free, low carb, dairy-free, and refined sugar free.

  • Vegan- use maple syrup instead of honey
  • Whole30/Paleo- use maple syrup instead of honey

How to Cook Carnival Squash

Honey Roasted Carnival Squash Recipe (3)

Prep Ingredients

  1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Add parchment paper to a baking sheet and set it aside.
  2. Cut off the ends of the carnival squash, stand it upright, and cut the squash in half lengthwise down the center. Scoop out the seeds.
  3. Cut the squash into ¾" half rings, keeping the peel on. In a small bowl combine the olive oil, salt, pepper, honey, and sage. Place the squash. Drizzle the oil mixture over the top of the squash and toss to combine right on the pan.

Cook

  1. Roast the carnival squash for 20-25 minutes, turning it halfway through the cooking time. To test for doneness, the squash should be able to easily pierce with a fork.
  2. Add more salt and pepper to taste, plus fresh herbs to garnish. Enjoy!

Recipe Tips

  • While there are many types of squash that can be easily peeled with a vegetable peeler, with all of the lines and groves in carnival squash, peeling isn't recommended. This type of squash is best cut into slices and roasted or cut in half like you would with acorn squash.
  • Maple syrup can be used instead of honey.
  • This recipe will also work with other types of squash such as buttercup/kabocha, butternut, acorn squash, or delicata squash.
Honey Roasted Carnival Squash Recipe (4)

Common Questions

Do you eat the skin of carnival squash?

The skin of carnival squash is edible, but it can be tough. If you’re not a fan of eating the skin, you can peel it off before cooking or just eat the flesh of the squash.

Is carnival squash the same as delicata squash?

No, carnival squash and delicata squash are not the same. Delicata squash is longer and thinner than carnival squash, with a yellow and green striped exterior. The flesh of delicata squash is also a bit sweeter than carnival squash. Both squashes can be roasted, pureed, or steamed.

How to store?

The roasted carnival squash will keep up to 4-5 days in the fridge.

More Squash Recipes

  • Maple roasted buttercup squash
  • Air fryer butternut squash
  • Butternut squash and Brussel sprouts
  • Pressure Cooker spaghetti squash
  • Air fryer spaghetti squash
  • Baked butternut squash

Please leave a review if you make our recipe! We love feedback from readers, plus it helps others too.

Come connect with us on Instagram! Be sure to tag us (wholelotta.yum) when you make a recipe. You can also find us on Facebook, and Pinterest.

Honey Roasted Carnival Squash Recipe (5)

Roasted Carnival Squash Recipe

Yield: 6 servings

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes

Learn how to cook carnival squash in the oven with our simple honey roasted carnival squash recipe. Healthy, gluten-free, dairy-free, and refined sugar free.

Ingredients

  • 2 lb carnival squash
  • 3 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 tablespoon honey
  • 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage leaves

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Add parchment paper to a baking sheet and set it aside.
  2. Cut off the ends of the carnival squash, stand it upright, and cut the squash in half lengthwise down the center. Scoop out the seeds.
  3. Cut the squash into ¾" half rings, keeping the peel on.
  4. In a small bowl combine the olive oil, salt, pepper, honey, and sage.
  5. Place the squash. Drizzle the oil mixture over the top of the squash and toss to combine right on the pan.
  6. Roast the carnival squash for 20-25 minutes, turning it halfway through the cooking time. To test for doneness, the squash should be able to easily pierce with a fork.
  7. Add more salt and pepper to taste, plus fresh herbs to garnish. Enjoy!

Notes

While there are many types of squash that can be easily peeled with a vegetable peeler, with all of the lines and groves in carnival squash, peeling isn't recommended. This type of squash is best cut into slices and roasted or cut in half like you would with acorn squash.

Maple syrup can be used instead of honey.

This recipe will also work with other types of squash such as buttercup/kabocha, butternut, acorn squash, or delicata squash.

Did you make this recipe?

Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Pinterest

Honey Roasted Carnival Squash Recipe (6)

More Side Dishes

  • Sweet Potato Casserole with Streusel Topping
  • Jiffy Corn Casserole
  • Sage and Onion Stuffing
  • Baked Butternut Squash in the Oven

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Honey Roasted Carnival Squash Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Do you eat the skin of carnival squash? ›

Carnival. LOOKS A cross between the acorn and sweet dumpling varieties, this squat, small, lobed squash has an edible multicolored skin. USES Nutty, with hints of maple, it's excellent for roasting slices for salads or sides, or baking stuffed. Shaved thin or grated, this and many other squash can be used raw.

Do you eat the skin of honeynut squash? ›

Like delicata squash, honeynut squash has thin, edible skin. There's no need to peel it! Slice each squash in half lengthwise and use a spoon to scoop out the seeds. Next, make a quick dressing with olive oil, apple cider vinegar, pure maple syrup, cinnamon, salt, and pepper.

What is the difference between acorn squash and carnival squash? ›

The carnival squash is actually a hybrid of the sweet dumpling and acorn squash. It usually has a cream-colored background covered with stripes and speckles of green and orange. Warm temperatures tend to yield greener squash.

Is carnival squash like butternut squash? ›

Carnival squash is a small variety of winter squash, with a very thick skin (most often yellow and orange colored with green markings). The yellow flesh is similar in taste and texture to sweet potatoes or butternut squash.

What do carnival squash taste like? ›

Much like butternut squash, carnival squash is nutty and sweet in flavor. You only need to season it lightly with salt, pepper, and a little butter, but it is also delicious sprinkled with a little brown sugar or a drizzling of maple syrup before cooking, which can be done in the oven or the slow cooker.

What squash can you not eat the skin? ›

Never: Spaghetti Squash

Its skin is tough and doesn't become tender when roasted, so skip the skin of a spaghetti squash when you tease out its cooked strands of pasta-like flesh.

What is the difference between honeynut squash and butternut squash? ›

Honeynut squash has a similar shape and flavor to butternut squash but averages about half the size and is sweeter. It has two to three times more beta-carotene than butternut squash. Honeynut squash can be roasted, sautéed, puréed, added to soups, stews, and braises, and has enough sugar content for desserts.

What are the benefits of carnival squash? ›

Carnival squash contains potassium, vitamins A and C, calcium, magnesium, folate, omega-3 fatty acids, and omega-6 fatty acids.

What is the best squash to roast? ›

Tan and smooth, the versatile butternut squash has sweet, nutty flesh that works well in baked, boiled, and steamed preparations, but it's particularly well suited to deep roasting. A butternut squash can keep for up to six months.

Which squash has the most flavor? ›

Honeynut Squash: The sweetness and flavor made this a clear winner. Delicata Squash: This is actually tied with acorn squash and both are similar in texture and flavor which is why they are ranked at the top.

Can I freeze carnival squash? ›

​How to Freeze: Last up to 4-6 months

Peel and cut the squash into chunks of any size. Spread the pieces in a single layer on a baking sheet and place in the freezer. When completely frozen, transfer the squash to a freezer safe container with 1/2-inch headspace to allow for food expansion.

What is the sweetest squash? ›

The mustard color flesh of the kabocha squash is very sweet and rich tast-ing. Its texture is floury dry, like a balance between a sweet potato and a pumpkin. It has the highest sugar content of any squash, and is excellent baked as a side dish or stuffed.

What kind of squash smells like a cucumber? ›

Buttercup: Sometimes confused with Kabocha squash, Buttercup is a compact squash with paler green striations. Fresh, uncooked Buttercup smells like a clean, fragrant cucumber.

Do you take the skin off squash? ›

Some squash skin is edible, while other types of squash have tough skin that can be removed before cooking. Remove the skin of butternut, hubbard, buttercup, and turban squash. If you enjoy the taste, leave the skin on acorn, spaghetti, kabocha, and zucchini squash.

Are you supposed to eat the skin of yellow squash? ›

The peel is edible and mild. Squash can be eaten raw or cooked. Try yellow squash: Baked into your favorite desserts for extra moisture.

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