Hot honey winter squash and chickpeas bring the perfect blend of sweet heat to this dinner for two. Roasting a delicata squash and chickpeas tossed in hot honey with warm spices, creates a crispy, caramelized texture making this sheet pan dinner as satisfying as it is flavorful!
I love how winter squash transforms with a little hot honey and a warm oven. For this cozy dish, I roast delicata squash with garam masala, thyme, and a pinch of red pepper flakes for that sweet-and-spicy kick. Then I toss chickpeas and red onion in more hot honey and let them get crispy right alongside the squash.
Yep, one sheet pan and fewer dishes for Mark (my husband) to clean up after our meal!
Once everything’s golden and caramelized, I stuff the chickpeas into the delicata squash and finish it off with a dollop of creamy yogurt and a bit more honey drizzled over the top. Paired with an apple and spinach salad, it’s a perfect and easy stuffed delicata squash dinner for two that’s both hearty and packed with flavor.
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What Does Delicata Squash Taste Like?
Delicata squash has a mild, sweet flavor that’s often described as a cross between butternut squash and sweet potato. Its creamy, almost buttery texture makes it perfect for roasting, and unlike other winter squash, its skin is tender and edible—no peeling required! Roasted delicata squash caramelizes beautifully, enhancing its natural sweetness and making it the perfect complement to savory, spicy flavors like hot honey.
This year, we grew a bumper crop of delicata squash, which has been fun to cook with and led to the inspiration for this recipe. With so much on hand, I wanted to find a new way to bring out its unique sweetness, and roasting it with hot honey and spices turned out to be the perfect
How to Shop for Delicata Squash
When shopping for delicata squash, look for smooth, firm skin and deep yellow coloring with green stripes—this indicates it’s ripe and ready to cook. Choose squash that feels heavy for its size, as this suggests it’s dense and has good moisture content. Avoid any with soft spots, cracks, or mold. Since delicata squash is only available in the fall and winter, it’s worth picking up a few to enjoy throughout the season while they’re at their best.
What Is Hot Honey?
Hot honey is the ultimate blend of sweet and spicy—basically, honey infused with chili peppers to create a unique, versatile condiment that works on everything from pizza to roasted veggies. In this recipe, I use Mike’s Hot Honey, a brand that’s taken the food world by storm with its bold, chili-forward flavor.
Mike Kurtz, the founder of Mike's Hot Honey, was first inspired to make his own version in 2004 after studying abroad in Brazil, where he discovered jars of chili-infused honey at a pizzeria. He was hooked and, years later, began experimenting with different peppers and honey types back in college. Eventually, he landed on a recipe that’s a lot hotter than what he’d first tried in Brazil, with a serious kick that shines in every drizzle. Mike’s Hot Honey brings the perfect touch of heat to this roasted winter squash and chickpea dish, balancing out the sweetness of the squash with a hint of fiery warmth.
Ingredients you'll need
Let’s talk ingredients! This gluten free hot honey winter squash and chickpeas keeps things simple but full of flavor, with a few pantry favorites and some seasonal stars.
- Delicata squash - We’re starting with delicata squash, which brings that natural sweetness and buttery texture. Of course you can use any winter squash like butternut, sweet dumpling, acorn or patty pan squash
- Chickpeas – grab a can of chickpeas for a boost of protein. We will roast them alongside the squash – because who doesn’t love a good crispy chickpea?
- Spices - we’ve got a little garam masala this is a “warm spice” blend of ground spices that typically includes cinnamon, cardamom, cumin, cloves and peppercorns. Plus, some fresh thyme, and crushed red pepper flakes to bring that cozy, warming vibe.
- Hot Honey – to tie everything together with just the right amount of sweet heat.
- Whole-milk yogurt or sour cream as a finishing touch.
See recipe card for quantities.
How to make hot honey winter squash and chickpeas
Step 1 | Drain and Dry Chickpeas
First, preheat your oven to 425°F. Grab two sheet pans—line one with parchment paper and place a clean kitchen towel or paper towels on the other. Drain your chickpeas, then spread them out on the towel-lined pan and gently pat them dry. Leave the pan with the chickpeas on the back of the stove to air-dry while you get the other ingredients ready. This will help them crisp up nicely in the oven!
Tip
When roasting chickpeas and winter squash in a convection oven, reduce the temperature by about 25°F (15°C) from the standard roasting temperature. The convection fan circulates hot air around the ingredients, helping them cook more evenly and speeding up the roasting process.
This results in a shorter cooking time—check both the chickpeas and squash a few minutes earlier than usual. For crispy chickpeas, toss them with hot honey, garam marsala and salt before roasting, and shake the pan halfway through to ensure they brown evenly.
For the winter squash, cut it into uniform pieces for even cooking, drizzle with olive oil, and season to taste. Enjoy your delicious, crispy snacks and side dishes!
Step 2 | Roast Delicata Squash
Now, place the delicata squash on the parchment-lined sheet pan. Brush the cavity and the edges with olive oil to get it nice and golden. Then sprinkle the inside with ½ teaspoon of garam masala, ¼ teaspoon salt, some fresh thyme sprigs, and a pinch of red pepper flakes for a hint of spice.
Pop it in the oven to roast for 20 minutes—this gives it a head start so it’s perfectly tender by the end.
Step 3 | Prepare Hot Honey Chickpeas
While the squash is roasting, toss the chickpeas and red onion together in a medium bowl. Add the remaining ¼ teaspoon of garam masala, another ¼ teaspoon of salt, and a tablespoon of hot honey for that sweet-heat factor. Mix everything well to coat the chickpeas and onions evenly.
After the squash has roasted for 20 minutes, slide it to one side of the baking sheet and spread the chickpea mixture on the other half. Roast everything together for another 30 minutes, stirring the chickpeas halfway through, until the squash is golden and the chickpeas and onions are deliciously crispy.
Step 4 | Stuffed Delicata Squash
Once everything’s out of the oven, sprinkle both the chickpea mixture and the squash with a little vinegar and fresh herbs for brightness. Don’t forget to remove the thyme sprigs from the cavity of the squash! Gently toss the chickpeas with a final drizzle of hot honey, adjusting the seasoning with more salt, honey, or vinegar to taste.
Finally, stuff the chickpea mixture into the squash’s cavity, and if you’re in the mood, add a dollop of creamy yogurt for a cool, tangy finish. Serve and enjoy this warm, comforting dish that’s perfect for two!
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Common questions about this recipe
You've got questions... I've got answers! If you have a question about this recipe that isn't answered below, feel free to leave it in the comments, and I'll jump in there to help you out.
Yes, chickpeas and garbanzo beans are different names for the same type of bean, the kabuli chickpea. The word "chickpea" comes from the Latin word cicer arietinum, which is the scientific name for the plant. The word "garbanzo" comes from the Basque word garbantzu, which means "dry seed".
Chickpeas are naturally gluten-free and can be a good option for people with gluten-related issues. They are also high in protein!
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Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with gluten free hot honey winter squash and chickpeas:
Hot Honey Winter Squash and Chickpeas Recipe
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Ingredients
- 14.5 ounce can chickpeas (preferably “no salt added”), drained and rinsed
- 1 Delicata squash or acorn squash unpeeled, halved through the stem and seeded
- ¾ teaspoon garam masala
- ½ teaspoon fine salt plus more as needed
- 2 thyme sprigs
- ⅛ teaspoon red-pepper flakes
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil plus more as needed
- 1 small red onion chopped (scant ½ cup)
- ½ teaspoon apple cider vinegar or rice wine vinegar, more as needed
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro leaves ,dill sprigs, or a combination
- 1 Tablespoons hot honey plus more to taste
- plain whole-milk yogurt or sour cream, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. If you have a convection oven it will not only speed up roasting of the squash but help crisp up the chickpeas. Line one sheet pan with parchment paper and another with paper towels. Place chickpeas (reminder: rinse and drain them first) on the towel-lined sheet pan, pat them dry, and set aside.
Prep the squash:
- Place the squash on the parchment-lined pan. Brush the cavity and sides with olive oil and sprinkle the inside of the squash with ½ teaspoon garam marsala, ¼ teaspoon salt, thyme sprigs, and red-pepper flakes. Roast for 20 minutes.
Season Chickpeas:
- In a medium bowl, combine chickpeas, red onion, remaining ¼ teaspoon graham marsala ¼ teaspoon salt and 1 tablespoon hot honey, and toss until well combined. Remove the squash from the oven and push to one-half of the baking sheet and spread chickpeas on the other. Roast for an additional 30 minutes, stirring chickpeas halfway. Roast until the squash is golden brown and tender, and the chickpeas and onions are slightly crispy.
Finish and Serve:
- Remove the pan from the oven, sprinkle chickpea mixture and the squash cavity with vinegar and herbs. Don’t forget to remove the thyme stems. Drizzle chickpeas with more hot honey. Taste and adjust seasoning with more salt, honey, or vinegar, to taste. Toss to combine and stuff into squash. Top with yogurt, if desired.
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