Honeynut squash are naturally sweet, adorably tiny and one of my favorite fall vegetables. And one of the best things to do with a sweet squash is to make them a little bit spicy, and that’s where this gochujang glazed honeynut squash recipe comes in!
Squash season is my favorite season because squash are just so versatile. And also they are a vegetable that gives me that starchy-potatoey fix, what’s not to love y’know? You can roast them, you can pan fry them, and we’ve seen Trader Joe’s go even as far as mac n’ cheese. But sometimes my favorite method is just a sticky glaze and a really easy roast. And this spicy-glaze recipe is exactly that.
This recipe is about the squash of course, but the squash is really just a way to showcase how versatile this gochujang glaze is. This glaze could go on tofu, on other vegetables, or on anything that you think just needs an extra layer of sweet-but-subtly spicy.
So yes, this is a squash recipe first, but it’s also a recipe I think you can tweak and change and make your own. But if you try the squash first – serve with rice and an egg and see gochujang-glazed heaven.
Table of contents
Ingredients you need for this gochujang-glazed squash recipe
This recipe is easy, just squash + glaze. Here is everything you will need:
- 5 small honeynut squash
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1″ knob fresh ginger
- 2 tbsp gochujang paste
- 2 tbsp rice wine vinegar
- 1 & 1/2 tbsp tamari
- 2 tbsp honey
- 5 sprigs fresh thyme
- Fresh cracked black pepper to taste
Let’s talk a bit about gochujang
I LOVE gochujang and I hope you feel the same way about it that I do. It is a Korean red pepper paste that is FERMENTED. A true gem. The fermentation gives it a unique flavor that you can’t replicate with other condiments.
It is simultaneously savory, sweet, and spicy. The most common preparation involves gochu-garu, glutinous rice, meju powder, yeotgireum, and salt. The sweetness comes from the starch of rice, which is then cultured with saccharifying enzymes during the fermentation process.
How to cut and prepare the honeynut squash
This part is the fun part, but it can also be a bit tricky. This recipe calls for the squash to be accordion-cut to help absorb the glaze, but it’s by no means mandatory. You can also opt to cube and glaze the squash, but I just find this method a bit more fun. Here is how I suggest cutting the squash:
- Cut the stems and ends off of the squash. Peel the squash and slice down the center. Remove the seeds.
- Lay the squash cut side down, and put two wooden skewers along the side of the squash. Use a sharp chef’s knife to cut horizontally down the squash to create an accordion cut, be sure not to slice through to the bottom of the squash, you want it to hold together.
***See images above and below for reference
Tips & tricks for glazing and roasting the squash
Now that the squash is cut and the glaze is ready (you just whisk together all the glaze ingredients), it’s time to assemble. For the first roast of the squash, I suggest adding a moderate layer of the glaze. This will cook into the squash, but it won’t weigh it down. On the second glaze, I suggest adding a more liberal layer, since this is the layer that will broil, caramelize, and turn delightfully sticky and sweet.
Looking for similar recipes?
Here are a few squash recipes that I love this time of year!
And that’s everything for this gochujang glazed honeynut squash!
If you make it, please tag me on Pinterest or Instagram so I can see! It’s my favorite thing to scroll through stories and see what you all are making.
And of course feel free to leave any questions, comments or reviews! This is the best place to reach me, and I’d love to hear from you <3
Gochujang Glazed Honeynut Squash
Equipment
- 1 chef's knife
- 2 wooden skewers
- 1 Glazing brush
Ingredients
- 5 small honeynut squash
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1" knob fresh ginger
- 2 tbsp gochujang paste
- 2 tbsp rice wine vinegar
- 1 & 1/2 tbsp tamari
- 2 tbsp honey
- 5 sprigs fresh thyme
- Fresh cracked black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F.
- Cut the stems and ends off of the squash. Peel the squash and slice down the center. Remove the seeds.
- Lay the squash cut side down, and put two wooden skewers along the side of the squash. Use a sharp chef's knife to cut horizontally down the squash to create an accordion cut, be sure not to slice through to the bottom of the squash, you want it to hold together!
- ***Note, this is also a time-intensive process, so if you are in a rush, you can skip it and cut the squash into 1" chunks to glaze.
- In a small bowl, grate in the two garlic cloves and knob of ginger. Add the gochujang paste, rice wine vinegar, tamari and honey. Whisk together until a thick glaze forms.
- Taste and season to your preference. If it is too spicy, add a splash more tamari and honey, if it is too sweet, add a splash of rice vinegar. You want it to be thick enough to brush onto the squash, but still mixable.
- Place the squash cut side down on a parchment lined baking sheet. Brush with a thin layer of the glaze. Roast in the oven for 20-25 minutes or until the squash is cooked through.
- Take the squash out of the oven and switch the oven setting to "broil." Cover the squash with a liberal layer of the glaze. The squash accordions should have pulled apart a bit, so get the glaze in the crevices.
- Sprinkle with thyme and fresh cracked black pepper. Broil for 2 minutes on high.
- Remove from the oven and serve warm!
Honestly one of my favorite ways I’ve had squash, and gochujang! Thanks for the great recipe.
So happy you liked it! Thank you for taking the time to leave a comment and review 🙂
Ok, turns out this was everything I wanted on a rainy October Sunday evening! From beginning to end, just a delightful experience!
I mean, tiny squash – adorable, cutting them into accordions – sure, a little time-consuming, but I found it meditative and then I got to pat myself on the back afterwards. When it goes under the broiler and really starts to caramelize, smells so good! ( Also I was really happy to have an excuse to turn the oven on, because it was cold ) And then it’s sweet and spicy and velvety soft with charred bits and melts in your mouth. I served it with some labne, leftover herby turkey and crusty bread, and really had a great time eating it!!
I usually don’t write such elaborate recipe reviews, but this one just made me really happy, so here we are 🙂 Thanks!
Oh this made ME so happy! Thank you for taking the time to leave such a lovely rating and review – your writing is beautiful and I really love how much you enjoyed the experience. It reminds me why I even make recipes in the first place <3 Appreciate you making it!