Indian Spiced Roasted Squash and Cauliflower
This Indian Spiced Roasted Squash and Cualiflower is so much more than its name suggests. It is an explosion of flavors, that come together in a sheet pan or your air fryer. A hot and effortless meal. It is a seriously viable option for your Thanksgiving table. So all things being equal, once you try making it, you will be hooked.
As with everything else that has been going on, we are mixing up our Thanksgiving routine a little. It is going to be just us with an Indian style turkey dinner. On Friday we are going to have a small Friendsgiving with a little more fun and fanfare.
This does not stop the recipe testing and fun. This sheet pan roasted squash and cauliflower is at first blush an understated dish. It is finished off with a touch of brown sugar and lime. And then some cayenne and Garam Masala. The net result is flavor explosion.
As for the suash it enjoys cooking around with its fall cohorts – green apple, cranberries and thinly chopped squash. The chickpeas are option, but they do their share to add protein and a boost of flavors to the meal.
Reminding me of my school, unlike many other die hard alumni, I am not big on alumni associations. The closest I probably get to it is my elementary to high school. Maybe, because the bonds formed there are the deepest and hardest to break away from.
However, in a different context, I was sharing thoughts of school, general pride and marveling at the opportunities that I had and took for granted. The world these days is closer and smaller. Thanks to various apps things seem closer. And yet sometimes not quite so close.
The sheet pan is high on my list of seriously important cookware. There is something powerful about lining everything on a pan and turning on the oven and ending up with dinner.
The sweet and spicy seasoning is not uncommon for squash on the Indian table. Yes, we had this tonight with the Salmon Tikka Masala an all time favorite on this site. For recipes like this do not forget to pick up a copy of Spices and Seasons this year.
An easy and healthy Indian spiced take on roasted squash and cauloflower
Ingredients
- 1 medium head of cauliflower, cut into florets
- 1 medium sized kabocha squash or other squash, peeled and cut into cubes
- 1 granny smith apple, diced
- 1/2 cup chickpeas (optional)
- 1 tablespoon minced ginger
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- 1 teaspoon garam masala powder
- 1 teaspoon red caynenne powder
- 1 teaspoon powdered fennel
- 4 tablespoons olive or coconut oil
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 2 shallots quartered
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoons lime juice
- 1 tablespoon dried cranberries
- 2 tablespoons toasted sunflower or pumpkin seeds (see note)
- Chopped cilantro to finish
Instructions
- Pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees.
- Place the cauliflower, kabocha squash and apple on a baking sheet.
- In a mixing bowl mix together the ginger, turmeric, garam masala, red cayenne powder, fennel, olive or coconut oil and the brown sugar and salt and mix well.
- Cover the vegetables with this mixture. Add in the chickpeas if using.
- Place in the oven and bake for 20 minutes, until the cauliflower is tender and turning golden at spots.
- Add in the shallots and Sprinkle with the lime juice, dried cranberries and pumpkin seeds. Roast for another 5 minutes and serve immediately.
Notes
Depending on the squash, you can add in raw seeds almong with the squash to turn nice and toasty.