Name: Roasted Butternut Squash With Feta and Dates

Ingredients:

• For the vinaigrette
  • 1/2 cup olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons balsamic or red wine vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons water
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons maple syrup
  • 1 clove garlic, finely grated or pressed
  • 1/4 teaspoon fine salt, plus more to taste
• For the squash
  • 1 medium butternut squash (2 pounds)
  • 1 small red onion (6 ounces), halved and thinly sliced
  • 1/2 teaspoon fine salt, plus more to taste
  • 6 ounces feta, cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary, plus more for serving
  • 8 Medjool dates, pitted and quartered

Instructions:

• Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 500º.
• In a small jar, combine the oil, vinegar, water, mustard, maple syrup, garlic and salt.
• Screw on the lid, and shake to emulsify. Taste, and season with more salt as needed.
• Microwave the squash for 2 minutes to loosen the peel.
• Use a sharp vegetable peeler to peel the squash.
• Cut off the stem, cut the squash lengthwise in half, and scoop out and discard the seeds and pulp (or save the seeds for roasting).
• Cut the squash into 3/4-inch-thick wedges.
• Line a large sheet pan with parchment paper and place the squash and onions on it.
• Drizzle over 1/4 cup of the vinaigrette and use your hands to coat evenly.
• Arrange the vegetables in a single layer with a little space around each piece (using 2 sheet pans if necessary to avoid overcrowding the pan).
• Sprinkle with the salt.
• Layer the feta on and around the squash and sprinkle with the rosemary.
• Roast for 10 minutes, then top with the dates.
• Continue roasting for 5 to 10 minutes, or until the feta is charred in spots and the squash has cooked through but isn’t mushy.
• Transfer to a serving platter, garnish with more rosemary, and drizzle with a little more vinaigrette, to taste, if you’d like.
• Serve hot, warm or at room temperature.

Comments: 4/19/2026 - The squash was 2.6 lbs. I increased the amounts of vinegar, mustard, syrup, feta, and dates by 30%. I omitted the salt. There was too much squash to allow space between the pieces. I roasted it for total of 15 minutes. The feta was charred, but the squash was still a little chewy. We got three meals from it with side dishes of peas the first two nights. On the third day, I garnished it with cherry tomatoes.

Source: Washington Post, 15 Nov 2023

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