Crunchy Sesame Crusted Delicata Squash
Crispy and crunchy, these sesame delicata squash snacks are such lovely treat. The squash themselves are sweet and soft, and they are totally covered in black and white sesame seeds. There is the added flavor of just a pinch of nutmeg. These squash are not just delicious, but so pretty and fun. Almost like little vegetable doughnuts! Watch out, they’ll be flying off the pan before they’ve even cooled down.
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Let’s Talk Sesame
Sesame is a small flowering plant, with origins in Africa and India. The seeds of the plant are used in lots of formats, including whole, as oil, or ground into paste. It is the oldest plant used for oil, and has one of the highest fat contents of any seed. Sesame plants are also draught tolerant, so it could be a very helpful plant as climate change progresses. It contains a good amount of minerals like iron, magnesium, phosphorus, and calcium. Additionally it has good amounts of several B vitamins. Sesame is most commonly found in Middle Eastern and Asian cuisines. They have a rich, nutty flavor. They work well in both sweet and savory dishes.
However there has been an increase of sesame allergies over the recent years. The US FDA requires that top allergens be labeled on foods- those consist of dairy, eggs, shellfish, fish, peanuts, tree nuts, wheat, and soy. But sesame is going to be added to that list early next year. In the United States, about 0.25 percent of the population has been diagnosed with a sesame allergy, but it is suspected that the actual number is roughly twice that. One key reason for the increase of sesame allergies in the United States is that we simply have access to more foods with sesame than we used to. As hummus and furikake make their way to our tables, more people are learning they have a sesame allergy. If you do have a sesame allergy, this post is not for you. If you don’t, let’s stick massive amounts of them on squash!
Looking for Sesame Recipes? Try one of these!
- Sesame Cucumber Spring Vegan Millet Recipe
- Crispy Sesame Spiced Tahini Quinoa
- Vegan Crown Daisy Recipe in Tahini Sauce
- 15-Minute Sesame Roasted Snap Peas
- Sesame Blistered Shishito Peppers
- Roasted Mini Eggplants in Tahini Sauce
How to Make Sesame Crusted Delicata Squash
I want to go ahead and point out that this recipe isn’t budget friendly- sesame seeds are fairly expensive, so using half a cup of them for one squash isn’t the most economically sound choice. I get my sesame seeds from Penzey’s spices, who has good sales to watch for. But if you love sesame and have the seeds to use it’s a delicious option. These crunchy delicata rounds are made by first cutting your squash into slices. The seeds are stuck to the squash using a thin batter, made from ground flax, flour, salt, nutmeg, and tahini, which reinforces that sesame flavor even more. The batter needs to be set aside for a few minutes to thicken, and optimize its sticky qualities. From there, dip the squash rounds in the batter and shake off any excess- if you have too much batter on the squash, the seeds will fall off and not stick. Dip the battered squash in the seeds, coating the entire top and bottom with seeds. The squash gets roasted in the oven and flipped halfway through, so they get nice and crunchy. These squash would be amazing with a dipping sauce- maybe a sesame ginger dressing- but mine didn’t make it long enough to make one before they were all eaten.
Crunchy Sesame Crusted Delicata Squash
Ingredients
- 1 large delicata squash
- 1 tbsp. ground flax
- 1 ½ tbsp. all-purpose flour
- ¼ tsp. salt
- Pinch of nutmeg
- 2 tsp. tahini
- ¼ cup water
- ½ cup sesame seeds (I used half white and half black sesame seeds)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a baking sheet with a silicone mat (or parchment paper). Slice the delicata squash into rings, between a quarter and half inch, and remove the seeds.
- Add the flax, flour, salt and nutmeg to a mixing bowl and mix. Add the tahini and water, and whisk to combine. Let the batter sit for 5-10 minutes, to let the flax hydrate. Place the sesame seeds in a second bowl. One by one, dip the squash into the batter, shake off excess, and dip into the sesame seeds to coat both sides. Place the coated squash on the prepared baking sheet.
- Roast your sesame squash for 20 minutes, remove from the oven and flip. Cook for another 20 minutes, remove from the oven and serve warm.
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