Description
This Garlic Butter Roasted Patty Pan Squash is an easy and quick dinner side with simple garlic butter flavor and the best golden edges. It is healthy enough for meal prep and cozy enough for weeknight dinner or holiday tables. These ideas also work for potluck or brunch when you want tender squash with a savory roasted finish and very little effort.
Ingredients
- 8 small squash about 2 pounds small patty pan squash
- 4 tablespoons melted unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 4 cloves minced fresh garlic
- 3 quarter teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 half teaspoon black pepper
- 1 half teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 third cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- Start by trimming the 8 small patty pan squash and cutting them into uneven halves and thick wedges. The pieces should look natural with some scalloped edges left wide and some centers exposed. This first visual change turns the whole squash into roast ready pieces with pale interiors and yellow green skins showing together.
- Add the melted butter and olive oil and minced garlic and salt and black pepper and smoked paprika and lemon zest into a mixing bowl. The mixture should look glossy with little garlic pieces and red paprika streaks suspended through the butter. This step creates the flavor coating before it touches the squash and the color changes from plain melted butter to a speckled savory mixture.
- Add the cut squash pieces into the garlic butter and turn them until the cut sides look shiny and lightly speckled. Some pieces should be fully coated while a few edges stay only partly covered. The squash changes from dry pale pieces into glossy seasoned pieces with garlic bits caught in the ridges and paprika color clinging unevenly.
- Move the coated squash onto a sheet pan and spread the pieces into a loose uneven layer. Scatter the parmesan over the top so some pieces get heavy patches and others show more buttered squash. This step changes the bowl of coated squash into a roast ready tray with visible spacing and cheese beginning to sit on the glossy surfaces.
- Roast the squash until the centers soften and the edges turn golden brown. The parmesan should melt into uneven salty patches with a few darker spots around the tray. The food now changes from pale coated squash into cooked squash with wrinkled skins and tender interiors and crisp browned edges.
- Transfer one serving to a white plate and finish with chopped parsley. The portion should show a mix of browned edges and soft centers and melted parmesan clinging in uneven spots. This final visual change moves the roasted squash from the tray to a single portion with fresh green color and a homemade plated look.
Notes
Pro Tips:
- Use small patty pan squash because they stay tender and sweet while the cut edges brown faster in the oven.
- Do not crowd the sheet pan because tight squash pieces steam and lose the golden roasted edges that make this dish special.
- Add parmesan before roasting so it melts into salty browned patches instead of sitting dry on top after baking.
- Finish with parsley and lemon zest after roasting for fresh color and a brighter garlic butter flavor.
Storage: Store leftover Garlic Butter Roasted Patty Pan Squash in an airtight container once it has cooled. Keep it in the refrigerator for up to 4 days so the squash stays safe and ready for quick meals. Reheat the squash on a sheet pan in a hot oven until the edges warm and the butter loosens again. This method helps bring back some roasted texture better than microwaving. You can microwave leftovers for a fast lunch but the squash will be softer. Add a small sprinkle of parmesan after reheating if you want more savory flavor. Freezing is not the best choice because patty pan squash holds water and can turn mushy after thawing. For best texture enjoy the roasted squash fresh or within a few days.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Cuisine: American