Simply Roasted Acorn Squash

Winter squash gets gorgeous.

This easy roasted acorn squash recipe is both simple, and simply beautiful.

All About This Roasted Acorn Squash Recipe

Acorn squash recipes tend to gravitate toward stuffed acorn squash. Not this. This baked acorn squash recipe is stripped down, super easy, and lets this bright winter squash get all the attention.

Here, acorn squash gets sliced into rounds, spread on a sheet pan and baked simply with olive oil, maple syrup, salt, and pepper.

This dish makes a fantastic accompaniment to cozy mains like a perfect roast chicken, or even as part of a salad.

Can You Eat Acorn Squash Skin?

Yes, you can eat acorn squash skin! That’s part of what makes this recipe so easy.

How to Bake Acorn Squash

Acorn squash makes a beautiful and nutritious side dish, and takes very little effort to prepare.

1. First, give the squash a good rinse under the sink. The skin is edible, so you want to make sure it is very clean.
2. Next, cut the acorn squash. No matter how you want to cut the acorn squash, start by trimming off the top and bottom. I use rings here, but you can also cut the remaining squash into halves or wedges.
3. Scoop out the seeds and membrane.
4. Drizzle with olive oil, maple syrup, and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
5. Roast the acorn squash in a 400 degree Fahrenheit oven until fork tender. The amount of time will very depending on how you slice it. These rings will take about 35 to 45 minutes.

What Does Acorn Squash Taste Like?

Acorn squash tastes similar to butternut squash and other winter squash: mildly sweet with a slightly earthy note.

But acorn squash is a little softer, with a higher moisture content of other winter squash. This means that acorn squash flavor is a little milder than some other winter squash.

The skin of winter squash can be eaten. It does not really have a flavor, but adds texture to the final dish.

Easy Roasted Acorn Squash: Recipe Steps

1. Rinse the squash. The skin is edible, so make sure it is clean.
2. Next, cut the acorn squash. Trim about a 1/2 inch from the top and bottom of the squash, or as much as necessary to reach the interior membrane.
3. Scoop out the seeds and membrane.
4. Slice the acorn squash into 1-inch thick rings, and place the rings on a lightly-greased sheet pan.
5. Drizzle with the olive oil, maple syrup, salt, and pepper.
6. Roast the acorn squash in a 400 degree Fahrenheit oven until fork tender, about 35 to 45 minutes.
7. Arrange the squash on a serving plate. Garnish with an additional sprinkle of salt and pepper, and the Aleppo pepper, if using. Serve hot.

Enjoy this easy baked acorn squash recipe, a favorite fall and winter side dish.

Love this roasted acorn squash recipe? You’ll also love these seasonal favorites:

• Perfect Roast Chicken
• Harvest Kale and Butternut Squash Salad
• Favorite Pecan Pumpkin Bread
• Creamy Pumpkin Pasta With Prosciutto and Sage

Print Recipe

Roasted Acorn Squash

This roasted acorn squash recipe makes a lovely and simple way to enjoy winter squash.

Prep Time10 mins

Cook Time40 mins

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Keywords:: acorn squash, baked acorn squash recipe, easy, roasted acorn squash, side dish, vegan, vegetarian, winter squash

Servings: 4 people (as a side dish)

Ingredients

• 1 whole acorn squash
• 2 tablespoons good olive oil
• 4 teaspoons (1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon) pure maple syrup
• ¼ teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste/garnish
• 12 turns black pepper
• 1 large pinch Aleppo pepper or hot red pepper flakes
• 1 tablespoon pumpkin seeds (optional)

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 400°F.
• Rinse the squash and make sure it is clean of any dirt. Trim about a 1/2 inch from the top and bottom of the squash, or as much as necessary to reach the interior membrane. Scoop out the seeds and membrane. Slice the acorn squash into 1-inch thick rings, and place the rings on a lightly-greased sheet pan.
• In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, maple syrup, salt, and pepper, and drizzle it over the squash.
• Roast the squash until fork tender, about 35 to 45 minutes. Arrange the squash on a serving plate. Garnish with an additional sprinkle of salt and pepper, perhaps another light drizzle of maple syrup, and the pumpkin seeds and Aleppo or red pepper, if using. Serve hot.