Baked Acorn Squash

If you've never baked acorn squash before, you’re in for a real treat. It seems that this winter squash often plays second fiddle to butternut squash and pumpkin, but it’s a stellar addition to your fall and winter cooking repertoire.

Not as sweet as butternut and not as earthy as pumpkin, it has a mild flavor that makes it an excellent accompaniment to pretty much any main dish. Cut in half and roasted until lightly caramelized, it’s a not-too-sweet side dish that’s perfectly portioned; people love getting their own individual squash half to scoop into. Read on to learn more about acorn squash and how best to prepare it.

Ingredients for Baked Acorn Squash

Our recipe uses just three ingredients (not counting salt and pepper)—acorn squash, butter, and brown sugar—to keep the flavor focus squarely on the squash.

What Is Acorn Squash?

About the size of a small cantaloupe, acorn squash is a winter squash that’s typically dark green, often with a pretty orange splotch on one side. It's roughly acorn shaped (hence the name), with deep ridges that run lengthwise from the flatter stem end to the slightly pointed opposite end.

The dense flesh is golden orange in color, with a mild, slightly sweet, buttery flavor. Like other winter squashes, its skin is tough and typically not eaten, and it contains seeds and membranes inside a central cavity; you’ll scoop those out and discard them before cooking the squash.  

How To Select and Store Acorn Squash

You’ll find acorn squash year-round in most grocery stores, but it's at its in-season peak in the fall and early winter.

Look for squash with a dull rind; a shiny rind indicates it was picked too soon and will not have as rich of a flavor. Make sure there are no cracks or soft spots, and check to see that the squash feels heavier than it looks.

Once you get the squash home, you can store it in a cool, dry place for at least a month. 

How To Cut Acorn Squash

You’ll need a sharp, heavy knife (such as a chef’s knife) and a little elbow grease. If you’re accustomed to cutting into spaghetti squash, you’ll be heartened to know that halving an acorn squash is much easier. Make sure your cutting board won’t slip around; you can place a kitchen towel or slightly damp paper towel under it to keep it in place.

• Step 1. Place the squash on its side on your cutting board, rolling it until it lands in a steady position.
• Step 2. You’ll want to cut the squash down one of the indentations, so choose the one that lines up roughly with the middle of the stem.
• Step 3. Starting toward the stem end of the squash, pierce the tip of the knife down into the "trough." Work the knife in a little deeper, and then work your way down the line, turning at the bottom of the squash to have the knife go up the other side (your knife will stay in the squash the whole time as you rotate the squash). You most likely won’t be able to cut through the stem; it’s typically very, very tough.
• Step 4. Cut as close to the stem as you can on both sides, remove the knife, and pry the squash open with your hands.
• Step 5. Scoop out the fibrous membranes and seeds and discard them.

How To Bake Acorn Squash

If you have experience roasting any vegetable or squash, these steps will be familiar. But here's a quick how-to guide for baking acorn squash.

• Step 1. Preheat oven: You’ll begin by preheating the oven to 425°F and lining a sheet pan with parchment paper. This moderately high oven temperature will lead to some irresistible caramelization on the squash.
• Step 2. Season squash halves: After cutting the squashes in half, arrange the halves cut side up on the pan; brush with a little butter and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
• Step 3. Bake squash: Then turn the squash over, cut side down. This will help the flesh to steam in the oven so that it gets tender while also lightly caramelizing the edges.
• Step 4. Flip squash: After 20 minutes, you’ll remove the squash from the oven, turn it over (cut side up), brush it with more butter, and sprinkle it with brown sugar.
• Step 5. Finish baking squash: Then you’ll return it to the oven for 15 to 20 minutes, until it’s perfectly tender. The melted butter will mingle with the sugar and pool in the squash’s cavity, and as you scoop up bites with a spoon, you can drag them through that yummy buttery goodness. 

Baked Acorn Squash Variations

Our recipe is simple and highlights the inherently sweet-nutty flavor of the squash. You can embellish it with other ingredients if you’d like to give it a little more oomph. Here are some tasty ideas:

• Brown the butter for toasty-nutty notes.
• Sprinkle on a little cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice for a dessert-like feel. 
• Or sprinkle with a little cumin, smoked paprika, and/or cayenne pepper for a more savory take.
• Top with toasted chopped pecans for crunch.
• Sprinkle on some grated Parmesan cheese for added richness.
• Add chopped fresh thyme or rosemary for woodsy-herby flair.