The ingredients that make this recipe so special are as basic in my pantry as salt and pepper. Zaa’tar, tahineh, and extra-virgin olive oil are my kitchen staples, but they add a degree of complexity and depth to so many dishes. And as I have recently discovered, one of the best partners to tahineh is one of autumn’s most delicious bounties – butternut squash. The sweetness and rich nuttiness of the roasted squash combined with the delicacy and tanginess of a good tahineh sauce make for a really tasty side dish. Finished with a generous topping of zaa’tar, it is nothing far from bliss.
INGREDIENTS/ SERVES 2
1 butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into cubes of your liking
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon fresh thyme, about 10 sprigs
sea salt, to your taste
a good grinding freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon paprika (smoky or sweet)
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon tahineh paste
1 tablespoon lime or lemon juice
2 teaspoons water
2 teaspoons zaa’tar
fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish
METHOD
1. Preheat oven to 220 C/ 425 F and add the squash to a bowl with the olive oil, minced garlic, fresh thyme, salt, black pepper, paprika, and cumin. Toss together the ingredients and spread onto a baking pan, making sure not to overcrowd.
2. Roast the squash for 30-35 minutes until tender and golden. In the meantime prepare your tahini sauce by combining the tahineh paste, lime juice, and water. Whisk vigorously in a small bowl until light and creamy. Set aside.
3. Transfer the roasted squash to a serving platter, drizzle with the tahineh sauce, and top with zaa’tar. Enjoy right away.
hanadykitchen.com 
I just love zaa’tar seasoning. Adding it to the sweetness of roasted squash is a wonderful idea. Nice job 🙂
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Hi Jess! Thanks for your comment. I’m glad you liked the idea! It is indeed a heavenly combination. Xx
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Ah, this looks divine! Clever to combine these flavors. Really looking forward to trying this recipe!
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Hello Emilia! I hope you’ll love it as much as I do. Look forward to your feedback. 🙂
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Hello from far-away eastern Australia to say ‘thank you’ for a very welcome recipe. Use Za’tar and tahini [my apologies: our spelling 🙂 !] all the time but have not combined them with butternut. With summer coming our pumpkin season is over but this will surely be filed for the next cooler one . . .
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Hi there! Wow, what a privilege it is to have you here from so far away. Thank YOU for your lovely greeting. Fortunately, distance is nonexistent in the blogosphere. Look forward to hearing about how you liked this recipe and sending a warm greeting right back to you in beautiful Australia. Xx
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What a great combination…love za’atar .
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Hi Jo! Thank you for your comment, dear. I love that you love zaa’tar! 🙂 And it works so wonderfully here.
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OMG! Heaven on a plate!!!
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Heaven on a plate is right! I already know you’ll love, love, love this one, Elaine. 🙂 Hope your weekend was great! X
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I do!!!! Thank you, it was lovely, I hope yours was too xx have a great week x
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Looks like an amazing dish Hanady. I have a fatoush and sumac salad yesterday. I was so excited, but it turned out to be an under spiced panzanella. This looks the business though.
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Hi David! Thank you for your comment! And sorry to hear that your fatoush salad didn’t meet your expectations. I like mine with plenty of sumac and also a dash of cinnamon. I definitely believe in being generous with spices, as you can see with this zaa’tar recipe. 🙂 It is, indeed, serious business. X
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Looks delicious 😋
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