Why You’ll Love This
Roasted acorn squash deserves a place at your table this season! Thanksgiving, Christmas, or any night of the week. It’s a simple side dish yet so easy to make, almost nutty in flavor, and is a hearty side dish. This acorn squash recipe uses only four ingredients. We also love to serve these fast mashed potatoes, baked macaroni and cheese, and roasted green beans and mushrooms side dishes.
What is Acorn Squash?
Acorn squash is also called pepper squash or Des Moines squash. It is a winter squash with typically dark green skin on its exterior and sweet, yellow-orange flesh inside. It’s considered a winter squash, but acorn squash belongs to the same species as all summer squashes. It’s packed with nutrients, high in antioxidants, and high in vitamin C, all of which are great for boosting immunity.
How to Cut Acorn Squash
Use a very sharp knife and a nonslip cutting board to carefully cut the squash in half, from stem to tip. Be very careful with this step, as it can rock and make you slip with the knife. I’ve been known to use a rubber mallet with this part. Scoop out the seeds and stringy pulp with a spoon inside each half until clean.
How to Make Roasted Acorn Squash
Preheat the oven to 425ºF. You can score the flesh in a cross-hatch pattern if you like, but it’s unnecessary. Rub one tablespoon of butter on the inside flesh of each half. Sprinkle with salt and freshly ground pepper. Place the squash cut side up (flesh side) in a large roasting pan. Fill the bottom of the pan with about 1/4-inch of water. Bake for about 1 hour to an hour and 15 minutes, until the flesh is nicely browned and fork tender/soft. Remove and let cool just a bit before serving. You can scoop it out or serve it in its naturally beautiful shell.
Roasted Acorn Squash Serving Suggestions
Serve them as a side with pork, chicken, turkey, or beef.You can also serve it with a hearty grain like farro, quinoa, or steamed rice. Toss in some roasted vegetables like Brussels sprouts or broccoli, and you have a meatless meal.
Tips
Use a roasting pan with high sides. I don’t recommend a sheet pan because the water keeps the squash from drying out and scorching on the bottom.
Variations
Want to make it sweet? Sprinkle some brown sugar over each half instead of salt and pepper. Drizzle a little maple syrup over them.Just a little sprinkle of cinnamon and nutmeg helps bring out the natural sweetness of the acorn squash.Use olive oil instead of butter.You can also add this baked acorn squash to casseroles, chili, salads, cooked beans, or cooked rice.Sprinkle some freshly shredded parmesan cheese over them for an even nuttier flavor!
