Roasted Crookneck Squash Recipe
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Jump to RecipeRoasted crookneck squash is tossed with olive oil, salt, pepper, and spices – baked to perfection until golden brown! This summer squashrecipe is easy, delicious, and full of flavor.
A great recipe for crookneck squash, summer squash, Italian yellow squash, or any variety.
Want more tasty squash recipes? Try our maple roasted spaghetti squash, penne with zucchini, or our butternut squash ricotta soup!
This year we grew crookneck squash in our garden, and it really thrived! We got so many of these vibrant yellow curved squashes and couldn’t wait to cook them. They are sweet, almost buttery, and have a soft texture similar to yellow summer squash.
I love using them in a few different recipes: veggie curry, in a summer vegetable soup, or in a stir fry. My go-to recipe is simply roasting them with some salt and pepper, and their sweet flavor was able to shine!
This has been our favorite way to make crookneck squash, it’s simple and easy.
Why This Recipe Works
- It’s earthy, sweet, and full of natural flavor from the squash – it really shines!
- This recipe is simple, and only has a handful of whole ingredients.
- It’s easy, cooks of any skill level can successfully make this dish.
- This squash ready in 30 minutes, making it weeknight friendly.
- It’s a great late summer / early fall side dish the whole family will love!
This is one of my favorite crookneck squash recipes! The one thing I learned about picking crookneck squash is to pick it early. The most tender squashes are ripe at about 6-8 inches in length.
I waited for one to get to about 12 inches, and the skin was a little tough. The smaller they are, the softer they will be!
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Crookneck Squash: a delicious yellow squash that is available in the late summer and early fall! It has a U-shaped neck to it, in the shape of a crook. I use about 3 small to medium squashes for this recipe.
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil: I like to use this delicious olive oil which has a fantastic flavor and deep color- it’s really inexpensive online here, so I keep a few liters stocked up in my pantry. For the quality of oil you get, it’s an excellent value, I would highly recommend!
- Garlic Powder: Also a major pantry staple ingredient that gets used in our house daily! I love this garlic powder and add it to a lot of recipes that I would use fresh garlic in too.
- Sea salt & black pepper
Be sure to visit the recipe card below for full ingredient amounts and recipe instructions!
Variations and Additions
- Instead of the garlic powder, you can try different spices or spice blends to give you crookneck squash some great flavor. Try Italian seasonings, rosemary and thyme, a cajun spice blend, or even steak spice for new flavor profiles.
- You can also add other varieties of squash to your roasing pan, like zucchini, yellow squash, butternut squash, or delicata!
- Add a sprinkle of parmesan cheese to your roasted crookneck squash for a tasty side dish!
How to Make This Recipe
Step 1: Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Slice your squash: for smaller parts like the neck I like to slice into coins. For larger parts, I halve the squash, and slice into half moons.
Step 2: On a sheet pan, add the squash, olive oil, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
Step 3: Toss well until the squash is completely coated.
Step 4: Roast for 25-30 minutes, flipping halfway during cooking. Squash should start to turn golden brown at the edges. Serve immediately and enjoy!
Recipe FAQs
If the squashes are small (6-8 inches) I like to leave the skins on when roasting, they are delicious and similar in texture to a zucchini or yellow summer squash. They are thin and edible. If you have a larger squash with bumpy flesh it can get tough, so try peeling the larger part of the squash.
I like to start by washing the squash and trimming the ends off. I divide the thinner neck with the thicker bottom of the squash – and slice the neck into thin coins. I like halving the larger bottom of the squash and cutting each half into half moons.
This tasty oasted crookneck squash pairs well with grilled protein, pastas, or with salads. It also makes a delicious side dish for holiday meals, as part of a roasted squash medley!
More Roasted Vegetable Ideas
- Roasted Root Vegetables with Thyme & Rosemary
- Sheet Pan Baked Hash Browns
- Roasted Delicata Squash Pasta
- Sheet Pan Gnocchi with Butternut Squash
- Roasted Acorn Squash Seeds
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If you made this recipe, please leave a star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below. I’d love to hear from you!
Roasted Crookneck Squash
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 small crookneck squash 6 to 8 inch long
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon Sea Salt
- 1/4 teaspoon Black Pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Slice your squash: for smaller parts like the neck I like to slice into coins. For larger parts, I halve the squash, and slice into half moons.
- On a sheet pan, add the squash, olive oil, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
- Toss well until the squash is completely coated.
- Roast for 25-30 minutes, flipping halfway during cooking. Squash should start to turn golden brown at the edges. Serve immediately and enjoy!
Notes
- Instead of the garlic powder, you can try different spices or spice blends to give you crookneck squash some great flavor. Try Italian seasonings, rosemary and thyme, a cajun spice blend, or even steak spice for new flavor profiles.
- You can also add other varieties of squash to your roasing pan, like zucchini, yellow squash, butternut squash, or delicata!
- Add a sprinkle of parmesan cheese for a tasty side dish!
Nutrition
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A fall favorite but great anytime of the year
Yummy
absolutely delicious :p
I just made this and WOW! Who knew what a treasure crook neck squash could be? My roasting took slightly less time because I sliced the squash pretty thin. I used the pink salt (worth. it.) and threw on some dried thyme for good measure. I want to eat the whole pan!
Hi – can roasted yellow neck squash be frozen to use in making soup at a later date? Thank you!
Thank you for the recipe! This is my first crooked neck squash and I’m wondering if you leave the rind on or peel it?
Hi Chelsey,
So glad you are trying it! If you have a smaller squash with thin skin – you can leave it on. If it’s a larger squash with thick bumpy skin, then I’d recommend peeling it.
Let me know how it turns out!
– Kelly
my husband and I can’t get enough of this!!!! we think it is sooo much better than French fries!!!!
An inexpensive but yummy side
Thanks for the recipe for orange squash
This is simple yet super