Roasted Acorn Squash with Balsamic Chile Vinaigrette

Right when you think you know everything about how to make delicious roasted veggies, a recipe like this comes along. Roasted acorn squash is already a favorite of ours, but the Balsamic Chile Vinaigrette takes the flavor up to 11. Be sure to make extra vinaigrette to add to salads, chicken, tofu, literally anything.

Makes 4 servings as an appetizer or side dish

Ingredients

Squash

2 acorn squashes (about 1 ½ lb each)

1/4 cup Imperfect Foods Olive Oil

1 ½  tsp Imperfect Foods Seasoning For All The Things

Vinaigrette

• 1 garlic clove
• 1/4 cup Imperfect Foods Olive Oil
• 1 ½ tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 1-2 chile peppers of choice, finely chopped (we used red and green serrano peppers)
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 450F. Halve squashes lengthwise, cut off and discard the stems. Scoop out seeds and cut squash lengthwise into 1-inch-wide wedges. In a bowl or on the baking sheet, toss the squash with 1 tsp Seasoning For All The Things, ¼ cup olive oil, and salt to taste, then arrange, cut side down on 2 sheet pans, making sure not to overcrowd the pans. 
2. Roast squash, switching the position of pans in your oven halfway through roasting, approximately 25-35 minutes in total, or until squash is tender and the undersides of the wedges are golden brown.
3. Once squash is finished roasting, remove from the oven and let cool slightly.
4. While the squash is cooling, chop and mash the garlic clove with ¼ tsp of salt to form a paste. Transfer garlic paste to a bowl and add balsamic vinegar and finely chopped chile. Whisk in remaining ¼ cup oil until well combined.
5. Transfer slightly cooled squash to a large mixing bowl and toss with vinaigrette and remaining Seasoning For All The Things. Transfer to a platter and serve.

Recipe Notes and Variations

• Save the seeds! Season them with a little salt, pepper, and oil and roast until crispy. Enjoy as a snack or crunchy topper for soups and salads. 
• If you enjoyed this Roasted Acorn Squash, check out our Squash Cheat Sheet for more tips like how to make scooping out the seeds easier.