Loaded Maple Delicata Squash Bowl

This Loaded Maple Delicata Squash Bowl is the perfect easy weeknight dinner or lunch option! It’s loaded with couscous, spicy roasted cauliflower, maple roasted delicata squash and topped with a maple vinaigrette. Spicy, cozy, warm, the best dish for Fall!

October is officially here! This is one of my favorite months of the year – from the anticipation for the holiday season coming up, the delicious Fall recipes, and of course, all of the seasonal produce. Now, don’t get me wrong, I love pumpkin and apples SO much. I mean, just see my Cinnamon Apple Spice Muffins or my Pumpkin Spice Whoopie Pies. 

However, one of the most underrated Fall superstars in my humble opinion is SQUASH! Oh yes, squash. From zucchini, to butternut, to spaghetti squash and of course, my true love: Delicata Squash!! 

What is Delicata Squash?

I love love love this squash. I buy mine every year from Trader Joe’s where they sell it for just .99 per squash (yup, not by pound!) so it’s an amazing deal. I love how rich, creamy and just melt in your mouth it is. When you roast it, it brings out the natural sweetness and you can eat the skin which adds a wonderful texture to the meal. 

For this Loaded Maple Delicata Squash Bowl, I wanted to combine my favorite squash with some other delicious ingredients to make the best loaded bowl I possibly could dream of! Oh, and did I mention it’s vegan?! Yup. 

The base is a buttery and delicious Israeli couscous that is so delicious I could probably just eat the entire pot of it. On top, you have delicious roasted maple delicata squash using REAL maple syrup. Next, you have five spiced roasted cauliflower which is smoky, slightly spicy and the perfect companion to the sweetness of the maple syrup. For a nice texture change and crunch, I threw in half of a honeycrisp apple and finally…a super easy, pantry staple maple vinaigrette to tie everything together! Sound good? Great! Let’s get into how to make it! 

Ingredients You Need for Loaded Maple Delicata Squash Bowl: 

• Isareli (pearled) couscous 
• Delicata squash 
• Cauliflower 
• Maple syrup 
• Greens 
• Honeycrisp apple 
• Spices like: cinnamon, five spice powder, cumin, cayenne
• Olive oil 
• Salt and pepper 
• Balsamic vinegar

How to Make Loaded Maple Delicata Squash Bowl: 

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and get out a large roasting sheet pan! First let’s slice up the delicata squash and cauliflower and get it roasting as that will take the longest time. 

Carefully begin slicing your squash into large circles like this: 

Then slice them in half to make rounds and use a spoon to carefully scoop out the seeds. 

Set these aside. Slice your cauliflower into small florets. Throw these into a small bowl and drizzle with olive oil, five spice powder, cumin, salt, pepper and a pinch of cayenne. Toss until they are fully coated. Place these on half of a large sheet pan. 

In another bowl, add the delicata squash. Drizzle with olive oil, salt and then, generously add about 2 tbsp of maple syrup. Gently toss until fully coated. Place these on the other half of the sheet pan. 

Roast in the oven at 400 for 15 minutes. Remove, turn and flip the veggies carefully and then roast for an additional 15 minutes. 

While the veggies are roasting, make the couscous! Begin by boiling about 1 and ¾ cups of water in a kettle. Add a drizzle of olive oil to a medium sized pot. When hot, add the couscous into it. Toast the couscous until it’s light brown. By now, the water should be done boiling so add it directly to the pot of couscous. Cover this and let it cook on low for about 6-7 minutes, stirring every once in a while. Once it’s done, leave the cover on the pot and let it sit for 5-10 minutes before serving. The water should be completely evaporated! For extra flavor, add a tbsp of butter, salt, pepper and garlic powder. SO yum. 

Next, quickly dice up half of an apple for your bowl. If desired, to a pan, add a drizzle of olive oil and let it get warm. When warm, add a few large handfuls of greens and let them cook through. 

Now to assemble the bowls! First, add a generous helping of the buttery couscous. On top, add some greens, the cauliflower, roasted maple delicata squash and of course the chopped apple. You can certainly eat it as is but if you want to take it up a notch, add on a super simple maple vinaigrette! 

Combine maple syrup, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, garlic powder, a hint of cinnamon and a pinch of salt. Mix together until combined. Generously dress the bowl with vinaigrette. Aaaaand you’re all set! Eat up and enjoy this loaded bowl of goodness!

Did you enjoy this recipe? Here are a few others you might like: 

Thai Peanut Butternut Squash Bowl 

Roasted Garlic Couscous Breakfast Bowl 

Winter Vegetable Buddha Bowls

Thank you so much for following along here, friends! Want to see more? Be sure to follow ourbalancedbowl on Instagram and tag me with your photo if you end up making a recipe! You can also post a photo of your recipe to the Our Balanced Bowl Facebook page! Like a recipe that you saw? Follow me on Pinterest here! I always love to see your re-creations! If you do make a recipe, it would make my whole day if you were to rate and comment so I can get your feedback! Lots of love! – Haylie