Roasted Acorn Squash
You only need 5 ingredients for this caramelized, flavorful, and easy Roasted Acorn Squash. This is one of the simplest acorn squash recipes you can make, and it’s a great staple side dish for fall cooking. It pairs beautifully with meats like Roasted Pork Tenderloin, Prime Rib, and Glazed Spiral Ham.
Squash is one of those ingredients where you don’t have to do that much to it to make it taste good. Because it inherently has a natural sweetness to it, I find roasting to be the best method, because it intensifies and caramelizes the sweetness and flavors already in there.
There are many varieties of squash, and each one is unique in its own way. But the acorn variety is one of my favorites because of its flavor and rich flesh. I find it’s more similar to kabocha or traditional pumpkin, versus delicata or butternut. The flesh of the squash is naturally sweet and almost creamy.
What’s Great About This Recipe
Slices maximize browning – While you can always roast a squash whole, I always think it’s worth the extra effort to cut it up because it maximizes surface area for browning and caramelization. Part of what makes my Butternut Squash Soup so good is that you use Roasted Butternut Squash Cubes, which greatly enhances flavor by adding so much caramelization. Browning is good and is a great way to intensify natural flavors!
Spiced maple butter is so good – We’ll brush the slices with a simple spiced maple butter, enhancing the flavor and also giving a subtle sticky glazed exterior.
Customize it as you like – You are certainly welcome to tweak the flavor profile here, or even to roast it simply in slices with oil and salt. What’s really key here is the cooking method to get the most from the flavor that’s already there.
Preps in less than 10 minutes – I’ll show you how to trim and slice the pieces quickly and safely. The key is to cut on the flat surfaces.
Tips for Best Results
Pick good acorn squash – When you’re at the store selecting your squash, it’s fine to have a good mix between green and orange on the exterior. Look for an exterior that’s smooth, with dull instead of shiny skin, and no soft spots. The squash should be very firm when pressed with your thumb, and should also be heavy for its size. Also, you may use carnival squash for this recipe, which is a cross between acorn squash and sweet dumpling.
Use good maple syrup – Absolutely use a 100% pure maple syrup here, but also know which maple syrup you like the most. Grade B generally has a more robust flavor than Grade A, as do maple syrups that are darker in color.
Use fresh spices – Spices tend to lose their flavor rapidly as they sit in the pantry. The general rule of thumb is that they will stay potently fresh for 3 to 6 months after opening. They won’t necessarily be “bad” at that point, but less flavorful. So try to use freshly purchased cinnamon and cloves here for optimal flavor.
Step by Step Overview:
All we need to do for our roasted acorn squash is trim, scoop, and slice into pieces, brush with a simple maple butter, then bake.
Wash, Trim, and Scoop
Wash each squash well (especially if you plan to eat the skin), trim the top and bottom off, then slice the acorn squashes in half through the middle with a sharp knife. Next scoop out the inner seeds and stringy bits:
Pro tip: Using a melon baller (affiliate) to scrape out the seeds from the insides of the squash is the easiest way of removal, because its edges are sharper than a regular spoon.
How to Cut It
Lay the cut squash halves on its flat side, then cut straight down toward the cutting board with a chef’s knife to create 1″ thick slices:
Make the Maple Butter Glaze
To make the maple butter for brushing, combine pure maple syrup, butter, ground cinnamon, ground cloves, and kosher salt in a small bowl:
Microwave this mixture for about 60 seconds until the butter is melted, then stir it together and brush onto the cut side (top and bottom) of all the squash slices:
Substitutions and Flavor Swaps
The Butter: If you don’t wish to do the maple butter, you can also make this with the oil of your choice, such as coconut oil, olive oil, avocado oil, etc. Butter certainly has the best flavor though.
The Sugar: You may swap in brown sugar or coconut sugar, but know that the flavor won’t be as aromatic.
The Spices: In addition to or in place of the cinnamon and cloves, also try nutmeg, allspice, ginger, or pumpkin spice. You can also go savory with chili powder and a pinch of cayenne, with chopped fresh herbs like rosemary, sage leaves, or fresh thyme leaves, or with some parmesan cheese and pumpkin seeds sprinkled on at the end.
There should be enough maple butter to coat both sides of each squash slice:
Bake!
Roast the slices for 25 minutes on the first side, then flip them over and roast for another 15-20 minutes, until the acorn squash is soft and golden:
That’s it! It’s such a simple side dish great for the colder time of year. Feel free to customize it with the suggestions above, otherwise, enjoy!
How to Serve
Most nights I will simply place the entire hot baking sheet right at the dinner table, but you may also move the slices to a platter for a prettier presentation (I do this for a holiday table). Make sure to serve while hot and sticky.
My family will pick up the pieces like a rib and eat the flesh from the skin, which is very easy for separating the two. Sometimes if the outside isn’t heavily coated in wax and it’s fairly delicate and thin, we will simply eat the slices with the skin on. The choice is yours.
This pairs beautifully with meat entrees like Beef Wellington, Rack of Lamb, and Parmesan Crusted Pork Chops. Or for chicken, try Chicken with Forty Cloves of Garlic or Chicken Milanese.
For more fall recipes, I recommend Spaghetti Squash with Rosemary Olive Oil and Parmesan, Pumpkin Muffins, and Butternut Squash Soup. Enjoy!
Recipe FAQ and Tips
Yes, just make sure you wash the outside well before baking.
I find it pretty much impossible to peel before roasting, because of the nature of the crevices. I think it’s easier to simply peel the skin off before eating, if desired. The skin is edible, so it may also be eaten.
Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Yes, but just know that the texture won’t be as good later. Freeze in an airtight container for up to 2 months.
Did you enjoy the recipe? Please leave a 5-star rating in the recipe card below and/or a review in the comments section further down the page. Or, follow me on Facebook, Instagram or Pinterest!
Roasted Acorn Squash
Ingredients
- 2 whole acorn squashes*
- 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter**
- 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/8 tsp ground cloves
- 1/2 tsp salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375F.
- Wash each squash well, then dry with a towel.
- Trim the top and bottom off, then cut each squash in half through the center.
- Use a melon baller or spoon to remove the inner seeds and strings.
- Lay each cut half on its flat side, and cut straight down toward the cutting board to make 1-inch thick slices.
- In a small bowl, microwave together the maple syrup, butter, cinnamon, cloves, and salt for about 60 seconds, until the butter has melted. Stir well with a spoon.
- Place the cut slices on a rimmed sheet pan in a single layer, then brush the maple butter onto both sides of each piece.
- Roast for 25 minutes on the first side, then flip each slice over and bake for another 15-20 minutes, until caramelized and soft. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition is estimated using a food database and is only intended to be used as a guideline for informational purposes.
Post updated in October 2018 with new photos, writing, and tips. Originally published in October 2012. This post contains an affiliate link.
70 Comments on “Roasted Acorn Squash”
Love the maple butter idea – sounds amazing, Joanne! What I love about acorn squash is that you don’t have to peel it! SO convenient.
Great flavor, I’ll make this again and pass it on to my marzipan loving friend. We did ind it a bit of a hassle to eat so next time I will add the ingredients directly to the squash halves and bake.
Hi joanne, I made this recipe today and it turned out perfectly! I also brushed it again at the half way mark and drizzled maple syrup again at the end for extra sweetness. Thanks for sharing this!
That is wonderful Kathleen! And feel free to try it with other kinds of squash. There are so many wonderful varieties available right now =)
Awesome recipe! Love that each piece has some sweetness to it. Melts in your mouth!
So glad you enjoyed it Tavia!!
I try to add at least one new dish a year but my family insists I usually make the same things. It’s crazy you’d think they’d like something new but their creatures of habit.
I love making the turkey roulade and think it’s perfect for those looking for a lighter meal and not too much stuffing. My family loves leftovers so I purchase a huge turkey so we have enough for days after. The turkey roulade I’ll make for a nice Sunday night dinner and then we have leftovers for the next day.
Your leek stuffing sounds delicious I may have to try that inside the turkey.
Thanks for sharing these, it’s always nice to get new ideas even if my family hates me to deviate. Desserts on the other hand are always new, fattening and lots of them.
We’ll be trying something similar tonight. This looks fantastic.
Great recipe, Jo! and I LOVE the new look =)
This sounds wonderful! I love maple paired with squash!
Yum! I love acorn squash, and you’re right: fall is the perfect segue between all the fresh fruit goodness of summer and the downward spiral that is winter, haha. Oh, who am I kidding? Winter means hot chocolate and gingerbread and fruitcake (I’m a fan). So I guess it’s not all terrible.
I also love acorn squash and butternut squash and dumpling squash, etc. We went pumpkin picking this past weekend and came home with an armload of goodies. I roast mine whole, scoop out the seeds (I’m going to try your melonballer trick) and then fill the cavity with various delicious things. Yes, I miss summer but I also love fall!
After you mentioned the dumpling squash I went out to find one….SO GOOD! One of my favorites for sure. Thanks Anita!
And I tried your mellonballer trick on some acorn squash I roasted this weekend. So much easier than a regular spoon. Thank you!
Sounds perfect for this time of year 🙂
I have one laying around and all the ingredients…dinner tonight!
I love acorn squash a little sweet and a little savory. I love your step by step photos. Have you ever tried a squash stuffed with sausage and other sweet goodies? Take Care, BAM
I’m glad you mentioned it because I don’t think I’ve done anything savory with acorn squash! Sausage sounds wonderful with this. Do you have a recipe on your blog?
Easier way to fix squash. Put the squash in whole, that’s right, whole. Oven @ 350
put squash on a pan with enough water to cover just the bottom of the pan or cookie sheet.
Because ovens run different, put timer on for 45 minutes by pushing a knife in. If the knife,
goes in easily, it’s done. If you have to force the knife into the squash, leave in the oven
up to 15 more minutes. After about 5 to 10 minutes, you can begin to cut and peel and yes, scoop out the seeds. Then just butter (or not) and enjoy. This enables me to enjoy squash more often, because I could not safely cut the hard outer shell.
Hi Judy, thanks for sharing your method. My method is a little more work but by cutting the squash into slices, you get more surface area exposed and thus more caramelized goodness (and that’s my favorite part)! I agree that squashes can be hard to cut sometimes…particularly butternut, though acorn is usually not so bad. If you use a rolling pin or mallet it can help you cut through tough squashes.
This looks completely amazing. I love the flavor of maple with squash!
Looks yummy! I use one of those serrated pumpkin carving knives for squash they work wonders!