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Honeynuts are cousins to butternuts, but trust me when I say, they’re so much better.

Do you like butternut squash but sometimes think it’s a bit too big? If so, super sweet and personal-sized honeynut squash is here to save the day! If you’ve ever seen a what looks like a tiny version of a butternut squash you’re lucky enough to have spotted a honeynut in the wild!

What is honeynut squash?

Have you guys heard of honeynut squash? I’ve seen it floating around on menus and the internet, but the first time I saw one in real life was at a farmer’s. It felt so special – apparently I’m nerdy like that. Honeynuts are kind of rare, like a unicorn squash: they’re are on their way to being sold in all the grocery stores, but right now they’re still kind of a farmers’ market and specialty store kind of thing.

Honeynuts are essentially tiny butternut squashes created to be a better tasting, tinier squash. A chef (Dan Barber) met up with a squash breeder (Michael Mazourek) and asked him why he couldn’t make a smaller, tastier squash. After a couple of years, honeynuts were born.

Honeynuts are not just smaller than butternuts, they’re also sweeter. You don’t need to peel the skins, and when roasted, they take on a caramel, almost malty flavor. The flesh is smooth and tender without any of the stringiness you get from larger squashes. They’re the perfect personal-size squash and are absolutely delicious.

The first time I saw honeynuts, I exclaimed “wow, they’re SO CUTE!” about 16,000 times, picked through the box of honeynuts to find my forever honeynut and carefully cradled him home. I cracked him in half, scooped out his insides, roasted him to a deep golden honey color, then ate him with yogurt, pickled shallots, and honeyed walnuts. So GOOD. I felt truly blessed.

What does honeynut squash taste like?

If you love squash, honeynut squash tastes like the best gosh darn squash you’ll ever eat. It’s flavorful, sweet and nutty, with a hint of caramel and malt. They’re what butternut squash dream of being. Plus they have twice the amount of beta-carotene of butternut squash!

How to roast honeynut squash

1. Heat the oven. Heat the oven to 425°F. We’re going for high heat so that the squash can caramelize and become soft and tender.
2. Halve the honeynut squash. Wash and dry the honeynuts then use a large sharp knife to cut them in half lengthwise from stem to base. Use a spoon to scoop out the seeds and pulpy insides.
3. Roast. Drizzle the cut sides with a bit of oil and season generously with salt and pepper. Roast, skin side up on foil lined baking sheet for 20-30 minutes (depending on size) or until fork tender.

Where to buy honeynut squash

Honeynut squash season is late September to early October. You’ll find honeynut squash at local farmers’ markets, Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s and sometimes even your regular grocery store. They’re very seasonal, so when you see them, pick some up! They’re getting more and more popular so you’ll probably see them popping up more and more.

How to pick a good squash

Honeynut squash are orange when they’re ripe so look for a squash with no green. You want a firm squash with no soft spots and the stem attached. They’ll keep for quite some time (a couple of months in a cool dark spot) but you should eat them when they start to wrinkle because that means they’re starting to dry out.

The best way to cook it

The best way to eat a honeynut is to roast it! Roasting it brings out its intense sweet flavors. Because they’re so tender, you can also cook them on the stove top, like I did in this Pan-Roasted Honeynut Squash with Creamy Garlicky Pasta. 

Can I eat the skin?

Yes, the skin is completely edible, just like a delicata squash. This is the best part because it means no more peeling squash!

Honeynut squash vs butternut squash

The best part of honeynut is that it’s a lot easier to prep then butternut. If you hate peeling, cutting and taking the seeds out of butternuts, honeynuts are here to save the day! They’re so much more tender and have a finer texture so they slice like a dream. You can also eat their skins, which are thin and similar to the skin on delicata. Win, win, win!

What can I use instead of honeynut squash?

If you can’t find honeynut squash, its closest cousin is a butternut, although butternuts aren’t as sweet and a tiny bit stringier. You can also use any other winter squash.

If you love honeynut squash, try this pan roasted honeynut squash with pasta! It’s fall in a bowl: creamy, cozy, garlicky pasta with honeynuts and swiss chard.

Have you guys had honeynuts? Do you want to? Tell me all your honeynut dreams!