These Crunchy Delicata Squash Rings with Chipotle Lime Sauce are the only way I want to eat squash this season. Each ring gets a head start in the oven so the center turns soft and sweet, then it’s dredged in a parmesan, panko, and everything seasoning coating and baked again until the outside is seriously crunchy. Dunk them into the smoky, tangy chipotle lime yogurt sauce and consider yourself warned: the tray will be empty before it makes it to the table.
Friends, if you know me, you know fall is my favorite time of year, and squash is a big part of that. But I have ZERO patience for soggy squash. You know the kind, where it comes out of the oven limp and steamy and kind of sad? I can’t do it. That’s what led me to my Parmesan Crusted Delicata Squash and my Tear Apart Crispy Parmesan Butternut Squash, and it’s what led me here, to a version that’s even crunchier AND comes with a dip.
These get baked twice. The first 20 minutes in the oven is all about the inside, so the squash softens up before it ever sees the breading. Then each ring goes through a classic three-bowl dredge (flour, egg, then the parmesan-panko mixture) and back into the oven for 15 more minutes. A light spritz of oil helps the coating turn golden without any frying, and a quick flip at the halfway point means both sides crisp up. So you get a soft, sweet center with a crust that actually crunches when you bite into it.
And the sauce! It’s Greek yogurt, fresh lime juice, chipotle powder, and a few pantry seasonings whisked together in a bowl, but it’s smoky, a little spicy, and bright enough to cut through all that parmesan. These make a great appetizer for having people over, since the whole thing happens in the oven and the sauce can be made way before anyone shows up. They’re also great as a side next to roast chicken or whatever protein you have going. This recipe happens to be gluten-free, but you can of course use regular flour and panko instead.
Why Delicata Is the Squash for the Job
If you haven’t cooked with delicata squash before, it’s one of the easiest winter squashes to work with. The skin is thin enough to eat, so there’s no peeling, and its narrow, oblong shape slices into perfect little rings once you scoop out the seeds. The flesh is sweet and tender, a little like a sweet potato, which plays really well against a salty, cheesy crust.
What You Need to Make These Crunchy Delicata Squash Rings
- Delicata Squash: Look for ones that feel heavy for their size, with firm skin and no soft spots. No peeling necessary, since the skin gets tender in the oven.
- Olive Oil: A light drizzle of olive oil helps the squash soften and brown during the first bake. Go easy here, you only need enough to lightly coat each ring.
- Kosher Salt: Salt goes on the squash before the first bake and into the chipotle lime sauce. If your everything seasoning blend is on the salty side, you can go a little lighter on the squash.
- Black Pepper: A few cracks season the squash, and a little more goes into the sauce.
- Eggs: The glue that holds the panko-parmesan coating onto each ring. My video only shows two because it stopped recording, but you’ll want all three to get through every ring!
- Gluten-Free Flour: The flour is the first layer of the dredge and gives the egg something to grip. Use any gluten-free flour blend you like, or all-purpose flour if you don’t need these to be gluten-free.
- Parmesan Cheese: Grated parmesan gets mixed right into the panko, so it toasts up in the oven and gives the crust a salty, savory flavor.
- Gluten-Free Panko: Panko is what gives these rings their big crunch, since the flakes are larger and airier than regular breadcrumbs. Gluten-free panko keeps the recipe gluten-free, but regular panko works the same way.
- Everything Seasoning: This is where most of the flavor in the crust comes from, with garlic, onion, sesame, and poppy seeds in every bite. A store-bought blend works great.
- Avocado Oil or Olive Oil Spray: A light spray over the breaded rings helps the panko turn golden and crisp in the oven.
- Greek Yogurt: Fat-free Greek yogurt is the creamy, tangy base of the chipotle lime sauce, and it adds a little protein too. If you have 2% or whole milk Greek yogurt on hand, that works and makes the sauce a bit richer.
- Lime: The juice of one lime keeps the sauce bright and balances out the smoky chipotle.
- Chipotle Powder: Chipotle powder is made from dried, smoked jalapeños, and it’s what gives the sauce its smoky heat.
- Dried Cilantro: Dried cilantro is optional, but it adds a little herby flavor to the sauce. Leave it out if you’re not a cilantro person.
- Garlic Powder: Garlic powder gives the sauce a savory depth that pairs perfectly with the lime.
How to Make Crunchy Delicata Squash Rings
To make these squash rings, start by preheating the oven to 400 F. Trim the ends off the delicata squash, then slice them into 1/2-inch rings. Use a spoon or a small cookie cutter to remove the seeds from the center of each ring. Arrange the rings in a single layer on a large baking sheet and toss them very lightly with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Bake for 20 minutes.
While the squash is in the oven, set up your dredging station. In one shallow bowl, whisk the eggs well. Add the flour to a second bowl. In a third bowl, mix together the panko, parmesan, and everything seasoning.
When the squash comes out of the oven, let it sit for a minute or two so it’s easier to handle. Dip each ring into the flour and shake off any excess, then dip it into the egg, then press it into the panko-parmesan mixture so it’s coated on both sides. Return each ring to the baking sheet as you go.
Once all of the rings are breaded, lightly spray the tops with avocado oil or olive oil spray. Bake for 15 more minutes, flipping them at the halfway point so both sides get golden and crunchy.
While the rings finish baking, make the chipotle lime sauce. Add the Greek yogurt, lime juice, chipotle powder, dried cilantro (if using), garlic powder, kosher salt, and black pepper to a small bowl and whisk until smooth. Taste and adjust as needed. Serve the squash rings hot with the sauce for dipping, and enjoy!
Frequently Asked Questions
Nope! The skin is thin and gets tender as it bakes, so you can eat it. Just give the squash a good scrub before slicing.
Once the squash is sliced into rings, the seeds come right out with a spoon. A small round cookie cutter is even faster, since you can press it into the center of each ring and pop the seeds out in one go.
Parts of them, yes. The chipotle lime sauce can be made up to 3 days ahead and stored covered in the fridge, and the flavor gets even better as it sits. You can also slice and seed the squash a day ahead, and mix the panko, parmesan, and everything seasoning together and keep it in an airtight container. For the crunchiest results, bread and bake the rings close to serving.
It has a smoky, mild heat with 1 teaspoon of chipotle powder. If you like more of a kick, add another 1/2 teaspoon, or pull it back a little if you’re serving spice-sensitive eaters.
Store leftover rings in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. To bring back the crunch, reheat them in a 400 F oven or air fryer for a few minutes, until hot and crispy. I’d skip the microwave, since it’ll make the coating soft.
If you make this recipe, please be sure to leave a review and rating below! To see more recipes and behind the scenes, follow along on Instagram, TikTok, and Youtube! I’m also now on Pinterest, so stop by and take a look at what’s new!
** Photography by Lorena Masso
Ingredients
- 2 large delicata squash
- olive oil for drizzling
- salt & pepper
- 3 eggs, my video only shows two bc it stopped recording 😒
- ¾ cup gluten-free flour
- ¾ cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1 cup gluten-free panko
- ⅓ cup everything seasoning
- avocado oil spray, or olive oil spray
Chipotle Lime Sauce
- 1 cup fat free greek yogurt
- 1 lime, juiced
- 1 teaspoon chipotle powder
- 1 teaspoon dried cilantro, optional
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- To make these squash rings, start by preheating the oven to 400 F. Trim the ends off the delicata squash, then slice them into 1/2-inch rings. Use a spoon or a small cookie cutter to remove the seeds from the center of each ring.
- Arrange the rings in a single layer on a large baking sheet and toss them very lightly with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Bake for 20 minutes.
- While the squash is in the oven, set up your dredging station. In one shallow bowl, whisk the eggs well. Add the flour to a second bowl. In a third bowl, mix together the panko, parmesan, and everything seasoning.
- When the squash comes out of the oven, let it sit for a minute or two so it’s easier to handle. Dip each ring into the flour and shake off any excess, then dip it into the egg, then press it into the panko-parmesan mixture so it’s coated on both sides. Return each ring to the baking sheet as you go.
- Once all of the rings are breaded, lightly spray the tops with avocado oil or olive oil spray. Bake for 15 more minutes, flipping them at the halfway point so both sides get golden and crunchy.
- While the rings finish baking, make the chipotle lime sauce. Add the Greek yogurt, lime juice, chipotle powder, dried cilantro (if using), garlic powder, kosher salt, and black pepper to a small bowl and whisk until smooth.
- Taste and adjust as needed. Serve the squash rings hot with the sauce for dipping, and enjoy!
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