How to Cook Acorn Squash Recipe
A simple and delicious recipe for baking acorn squash halves, enhanced with butter and brown sugar, yielding a tender and slightly caramelized side dish that’s perfect for fall or anytime comfort food.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
Acorn Squash
- 2 acorn squash
Butter and Sweeteners
- 4 tablespoons butter (divided)
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar (divided)
Seasoning
- Salt, to taste
- Pepper, to taste
Other
- Water (enough to slightly cover the sides of squash on baking sheet)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) to prepare it for baking the acorn squash.
- Prepare Squash: Using a sharp knife, carefully cut each acorn squash in half. Use a spoon to remove the seeds and stringy fibers from inside each half until clean.
- Arrange for Baking: Place the squash halves cut side down on a baking sheet. Add enough water to the baking sheet to slightly cover the sides of the squash to keep them moist while baking.
- Bake Squash: Bake the squash at 350°F for 35-40 minutes, or until the flesh is soft and easily pierced with a fork.
- Remove and Prepare for Broiling: Carefully remove the baking sheet from the oven and place it on the stovetop. Turn your oven’s broiler on.
- Turn Squash and Add Toppings: Flip the squash halves cut side up on the baking sheet. Place 1 tablespoon of butter in the center of each half. For a sweeter version, add 1/2 tablespoon of brown sugar on top of the butter in each squash. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste.
- Broil Squash: Return the baking sheet to the oven, positioning it under the broiler. Broil for about 5 minutes or until the butter melts, the sugar caramelizes slightly, and the edges of the squash brown lightly.
- Serve: Remove from the oven and serve the squash warm as a sweet and savory side dish.
Notes
- You can adjust the amount of brown sugar depending on your preference for sweetness.
- To make this recipe vegan, substitute butter with a plant-based alternative.
- Be careful when flipping the hot squash halves to avoid burns.
- Adding water to the baking sheet encourages moist baking, preventing the squash from drying out.
- Broiling at the end gives a pleasant caramelized finish and enhances flavor.
Keywords: acorn squash, baked acorn squash, fall side dish, roasted squash, easy vegetable recipe, autumn recipe, sweet squash
Find it online: https://yumwithmia.com/how-to-cook-acorn-squash-recipe/
