Harissa Maple-Glazed Butternut Squash is the missing holiday side. Butternut squash is cut into thin hasselback fans, brushed with a sticky maple harissa glaze, roasted until caramelized, then served over herby whipped feta with crushed pecans on top. Sweet, smoky, a little spicy, and so pretty it will steal the table.
A Quick Look at the Recipe
✅ Recipe Name: Harissa Maple Glazed Butternut Squash
🕒 Ready In: ~ 60 minutes
👪 Serves: 4 servings
🍽 Calories: ~ 314 per serving (estimated)
🥣 Main Ingredients: Butternut squash, harissa, maple syrup, feta, dill, basil, parsley, chives
👌 Difficulty: Easy
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
A holiday side that steals the show. It looks fancy and takes 45 minutes in the oven.
Sweet and spicy in every bite. Maple softens the harissa, so you get heat without a burn.
Whipped feta you will want to eat with a spoon. Cool, tangy, and loaded with fresh herbs.
Easy to scale. It serves 4, and it is simple to double for a big table.
Harissa Maple Glazed Butternut Squash Video
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Ingredient Notes
Butternut Squash: A peeled squash gives the glaze direct contact with the flesh, so every slice gets sticky and caramelized. Slicing a half into Hasselback fans also opens it up, letting the glaze run into the crevices, which is why it's so delicious!
Maple Syrup: It browns at the edges of the slices and gives the squash a deep, toasty sweetness. Use real maple syrup. Pancake syrup is mostly corn syrup and will not caramelize the same way.
Harissa: It is a North African chili paste, and brands vary in spice, so taste yours first. You can use 1 teaspoon of red pepper flakes if you do not have it. If you love harissa and something sweet, my Honey Harissa Salmon uses the same idea.
Brown Sugar, Smoked Paprika, and Garlic Powder: The brown sugar deepens the glaze and helps it brown. The smoked paprika adds a smoky backbone, and the garlic powder adds a savory edge, so the glaze is not just sweet.
Herby Whipped Feta: This is where the Mediterranean comes in. Feta is blended with a big pile of fresh dill, parsley, basil, and chives, plus a little lemon, olive oil, and labneh or Greek yogurt, until creamy and green. The salty, tangy feta against the sweet, spicy squash is the perfect contrast. Feta brands vary in saltiness, so taste before adding more salt.
Candied Pecans: Pecans give you a sweet crunch against the creamy feta and tender squash. Crush them until they are chunky, not dust.
Pro tip
The Secret to Perfect Squash
Brush into the crevices. The glaze should get between the slices. That is where the caramelized edges come from.
Substitutions & Variations
No harissa? Use 1 teaspoon of red pepper flakes in the glaze. You lose the smokiness but keep the heat.
No labneh? Use full fat Greek yogurt in the same amount.
No candied pecans? Plain toasted pecans or walnuts work. They are less sweet, so the glaze carries the sweetness.
FAQ
Yes. Blend it ahead and refrigerate it. Give it a stir before serving.
I peel it so the glaze gets directly onto the flesh.
You likely cut too deep. Use chopsticks or metal straws as a guide so you stop before the bottom.
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⭐️ Recipe
Harissa Maple-Glazed Butternut Squash
Ingredients
Squash
- 1 butternut squash halved, peeled, and seeds removed
Maple harissa glaze
- ½ cup maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon harissa or 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
Herby whipped feta
- 8 oz feta
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- ¼ teaspoon salt or to taste
- ¼ cup labneh or Greek yogurt
- ½ cup fresh dill
- 1 cup loosely packed fresh parsley
- 1 cup loosely packed fresh basil
- ½ cup fresh chives
To serve
- ⅓ cup candied pecans crushed
Instructions
Prep the squash
- Preheat the oven to 425F. Cut the butternut squash in half lengthwise, peel it, and scoop out the seeds. Place the halves cut side up on a rimmed baking sheet.1 butternut squash
- Lay a chopstick or metal straw along each side of a squash half. Slice thin cuts across the squash just a little before your knife hits the guide, so the slices stay attached at the bottom. Repeat with the other half.
Glaze and roast
- In a small bowl, whisk together the maple syrup, brown sugar, harissa, olive oil, salt, smoked paprika, and garlic powder.½ cup maple syrup, 1 tbsp brown sugar, 1 tbsp harissa, 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, ½ tsp salt, ½ tsp smoked paprika, ½ tsp garlic powder
- Place the squash in a parchment-lined baking pan. Brush about two-thirds of the glaze over both sides of the squash, working it into the crevices between the slices. Save the rest for basting.
- Roast in the 425F oven for 25 minutes. Pull the pan out and baste the squash with the reserved glaze and any syrupy glaze that has pooled on the pan, getting it back into the crevices. Return it to the 425F oven for another 25 minutes, until the squash is tender and the edges are deeply caramelized.
Make the herby whipped feta
- While the squash roasts, add the feta, olive oil, lemon juice, salt, labneh, dill, parsley, basil, and chives to a food processor. Blend until smooth, scraping down the sides as needed. Taste and adjust the salt.8 oz feta, 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice, ¼ tsp salt, ¼ cup labneh or Greek yogurt, ½ cup fresh dill, 1 cup loosely packed fresh parsley, 1 cup loosely packed fresh basil, ½ cup fresh chives
Serve
- Crush the candied pecans in a zip bag. Spread the whipped feta on a platter, set the squash on top, and finish with the crushed pecans. Serve warm.⅓ cup candied pecans
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