Baked until tender with deliciously crispy edges, these savory Squash Appetizer Rounds are paired with a tangy, herb-infused Greek yogurt dip. This healthy, vibrant dish is the perfect festive starter for any holiday gathering!

baked squash rounds on a plate with dip

This squash appetizer rounds recipe highlights the delicata squash’s natural sweetness, which beautifully intensifies and caramelizes during roasting, creating a rich, buttery flavor. Unlike tougher-skinned squash varieties, the thin and delicate skin of delicata squash softens wonderfully in the oven, becoming tender and eliminating the need for any peeling.

Easily adapt this delicata squash appetizer with your favorite spices or enjoy it alongside a creamy hummus or spicy ranch. Beyond a party snack, these flavorful rounds can also be served as a simple and elegant healthy side dish to complement any main course!

Squash Appetizer Rounds

What are squash appetizer rounds?

These squash appetizer rounds are delectable moon-shaped slices of delicata squash – a type of summer squash that ripens during fall and winter and is therefore typically enjoyed over the holidays. 

Today’s recipe highlights the versatility of these naturally sweet and buttery squash rounds. Instead of being served as a veggie side dish, I’ve decided to showcase them as a delicious party appetizer alongside a creamy homemade Greek yogurt dip!

It’s as simple as coating the cut rounds in a garlic oil mixture, baking them till tender in the middle and crisp on the edges, and then enjoying them with your dip alongside other holiday appetizers or vegetable dippers. 

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squash with greek yogurt dip

Ingredients needed to make squash appetizer rounds 

  • Delicata squash: This is a naturally sweet squash with buttery notes. The flavor will intensify as the rounds are roasted in the oven. Feel free to use another kind of winter squash instead. 
  • Garlic oil: I’ve made my own seasoned oil to coat the cut and cored squash rounds. It’s a simple mixture of olive oil, crushed garlic, cumin, paprika, and salt. 
  • Creamy dip: Serve these delicious delicata squash rounds with a homemade dip by combining plain Greek yogurt, salt, sour cream, lemon juice, minced garlic, and fresh dill in a dipping bowl. 
  • Dippers: Add your squash appetizer rounds to a tray of your favorite veggies to dip into the creamy dip. I love broccoli, baby carrots, bell pepper, and cucumber! You could also add some crackers to the mix. 
squash rounds with a dill dipping sauce

How do you make this squash appetizer rounds recipe 

Preheat and prep:

  1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F and set a large baking pan aside. 

Make the dip:

  1. Combine the dip ingredients in a bowl. 
  2. Mix well, cover, and store in the fridge while you continue with the rest of the recipe directions.  

Prepare the delicata squash rounds:

  1. Combine all of the ingredients to make the garlic oil in a small bowl and set aside. 
  2. Using a sharp chef’s knife, cut and core the squash. 
  3. Make sure to cut the squash into 1/2-inch rounds and lay them in a large bowl. 
  4. Sprinkle the rounds with the garlic olive oil mixture until completely coated.

Bake and serve:

  1. Transfer the seasoned rounds to the large baking pan and spread them out, making sure that you don’t crowd the pan. 
  2. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until tender.
  3. Remove the rounds from the oven and serve with the chilled dip and an assortment of other veggies. 
squash rounds that are baked for an appetizer

Serving

While delicata squash is technically classified as a summer squash, it ripens during fall and winter, making this squash appetizer the perfect addition to your Thanksgiving and Christmas party snacks table alongside Turkey and Cranberry Sliders, Apple Walnut Crostini, or this Roasted Pumpkin Mini Sweet Peppers Appetizer. 

Make a double batch of the Greek yogurt dip to enjoy with a Roasted Veggie Crudite Platter alongside the roasted squash rounds. 

If you prefer, serve the baked delicata squash as a vegetable side dish to holiday Spatchcocked Turkey with Vegetarian Miso Mushroom Stuffing, Goat Cheese Stuffed Pork Tenderloin, pot roast, Meatloaf Parmesan, or roast chicken. 

dipping a squash round

Sandy’s tips and substitutions:

  • Storage: Store leftover squash appetizer rounds in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. Heat them in a lightly oiled pan over medium heat to serve again later. 
  • Freezing: You can also freeze these baked and cooled squash rounds for up to 3 months.
  • Make ahead: The Greek yogurt dip can be made 1-2 days ahead of serving and stored in the fridge. Make sure to cover the bowl to prevent the creamy dip from absorbing any food odors in the fridge. When ready to serve, give the dip a good mix. 
  • Choice of oil: While a good-quality olive oil does an amazing job of creating perfectly roasted delicata squash, you can use another oil or fat with a high-smoking point, such as avocado oil or even butter for added decadence and flavor. 
  • Touch of sweetness: Add maple syrup to the garlic oil mixture for a hint of sweetness – it’s so good!
  • Kick of heat: Level up the heat for these veggie appetizers by adding some cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes to the seasoning. 
  • Cheesy twist: Once the delicata squash rounds have been coated in the garlic oil mixture, dip them into freshly grated parmesan cheese, Pecorino Romano or Asiago cheese. Flip the rounds halfway through the baking time to ensure each side gets an even cheesy crisp. 
  • Tasty dip pairings: Pair these roasted squash rounds with this Green Goddess Dip, Greek Yogurt Ranch Dip, or Holiday Cilantro Chive Greek Yogurt Dip. They’re all equally delicious!
  • Type of squash: I love delicata squash for this appetizer recipe, but you could also use sugar pumpkins or acorn squash. 
  • Don’t overcook: Keep a close eye on the squash towards the end of baking, as the edges tend to brown faster than the centers. If they’re getting too dark before the middle is tender, simply reduce the oven temperature slightly to finish cooking.
  • Don’t discard the seeds: Scoop them out when preparing the squash and set them aside. To make a tasty snack, toss the cleaned seeds with oil and your favorite seasonings, then roast at 350°F for 12-15 minutes, tossing every 5 minutes, until crisp. Roasted delicata squash seeds can instantly become another party snack with minimal effort!
  • How to cut squash rounds: Delicata squash happens to be one of the easier types of squash to cut. Place the squash on a sturdy cutting board. Using a sharp chef’s knife, slice off both ends. Stand the squash upright on one flat end and carefully cut it in half lengthwise. Use a spoon to scrape out the seeds and stringy pulp from each half. Lay each half flat on the cutting board, cut-side down. Make ½ – inch slices across the width of each half to create the squash rounds. 
Squash Appetizer Rounds

More healthy appetizers you may want to try:

baked squash rounds on a plate with dip
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Squash Appetizer Rounds

Sandy Coughlin
Squash Appetizer Rounds Recipe is a healthy and delectable party appetizer, seasoned with garlic oil and roasted until tender with crispy edges. It’s perfect alongside a homemade Greek yogurt dip. 
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Yield: 4
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Ingredients
 

  • 1 medium delicata squash, sliced in 1/2-inch pieces (or any winter squash)
  • 1 ½ tsp cumin
  • 1 ½ tsp paprika
  • 1 ½ Tbsp crushed garlic
  • 2 Tbsp olive oil
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ¾ cup plain Greek yogurt
  • ½ Tbsp salt
  • ¼ cup sour cream
  • 1 Tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 Tbsp garlic, minced
  • 2 Tbsp minced fresh dill

Instructions
 

  • Pre heat oven to 375 degrees.
  • Combine Greek yogurt, salt, sour cream, lemon juice, garlic, and dill in bowl. Mix together and set aside.
  • Combine cumin, paprika, garlic, salt, and olive oil in small bowl. Set aside.
  • Cut and core squash. Cut into ½ inch rounds and lay in large bowl. Sprinkle with garlic olive oil until completely coated.
  • On large baking pan, spread out the rounds. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until tender.
  • Remove from oven and serve with other veggies and dip.
Cuisine: American
Course: Appetizer
Calories: 109kcal, Carbohydrates: 15g, Protein: 6g, Fat: 4g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.3g, Monounsaturated Fat: 1g, Trans Fat: 0.003g, Cholesterol: 10mg, Sodium: 1250mg, Potassium: 524mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 4g, Vitamin A: 2035IU, Vitamin C: 17mg, Calcium: 109mg, Iron: 1mg
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Squash Appetizer Rounds Recipe