Charred Winter Squash with Walnut Pesto and Radicchio Salad
Sam Muller
PUBLISHED January 26, 2026
If health is wealth, this dish is rich. Beyond that, it’s also quite beautiful—barely burnt orange squash, earthy green pesto, and a punchy purple-pink salad? Art on a plate. Savory, smoky, sweet, and brightly balanced, this is a recipe you’ll want to return to. You could peel the squash if you so desire, but I personally prefer to just wash it well before cooking. If you don’t have toasted breadcrumbs on hand for the pesto, use a little more toasted walnuts to give it body, and vice versa. Taste things as you go and make minor adjustments as needed. Serve everything with warm bread for wiping plates clean, or alongside a simple pasta for bigger dinner parties.
The following may contain affiliate links for which we earn a small commission. Thank you for supporting us in this way!
Log in, or become a member today.
Join in: enjoy 7 days free, plus 40% off your first year with access to 1,000+ highly vetted recipes from the How To Cook Everything series and beyond, essays from Mark, and original pieces from our contributors.
Get
in the Kitchen
Through our (more than a thousand, and growing) highly vetted recipes from the How to Cook Everything series, original food essays and reporting, thoughtful podcast conversations and introductions to new and responsible food products, we aim to showcase what’s possible, from farm to fork, and power a growing movement that encourages people to think about food not as a commodity, but as central to our health and happiness.
We hope you join us on this journey. We’d love to have you as a part of the Bittman community. As a member, you'll have access to:
- New recipes every week
- 1000s of recipes from How to Cook Everything and beyond
- First access to in-person events with Mark and Kate
- Exclusive discounts from our favorite brands
- Q&As with Mark and the team
Subscribe to our free newsletter
Join over 105,000 passionate individuals who receive our weekly emails. It’s 100% free and you can unsubscribe anytime. Plus, we’ll email you a sampling of what premium members receive on a weekly basis.