Name: How To Roast Acorn Squash - Simple and Easy
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 35 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 2 medium acorn squash; 1 tablespoon olive oil; 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

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This post will show you how to roast acorn squash so it comes out perfectly every single time. It is so easy to do and roasted acorn squash makes a great healthy side dish or addition to any meal that is flavorful, delicious, and healthy!

3 pieces of cut acorn squash on a white platter with square pieces of butter on them.

It is almost fall and squash season is upon us. This is definitely my absolute favorite time of year for delicious comforting recipes that everyone will love. So in this post, I will show you how to roast acorn squash.

It is an amazing fall recipe that you can use over and over again.

You will see how easy and simple it is and all the wonderful ways you can use roasted acorn squash. Like with this Vegetarian stuffed acorn squash that is a reader favorite!

Why you will love this acorn squash recipe!

It is so easy and crazy good!
Step-by-step instructions for how to roast acorn squash perfectly every time!
Inexpensive and simple
Healthy and flavorful
Great for meal prep!

Golden cooked squash on a cooking sheet on parchment paper.

How to pick a good acorn squash

Here are a few important things to look for when selecting a ripe acorn squash.

Make sure that it is firm with no soft spots.
Dark green in color with some bright orange color as well.
Heavy and medium in size.
Dull and smooth skin that is not shiny

Ingredients you will need

Acorn squash – medium in size
Olive oil – you can also use avocado oil
Kosher salt – for some flavor

Two whole acorn squash on a marble surface with a small bowl of salt and a bowl of olive oil in front of it.

Do I need to peel the squash before I cook it?

You do not need to peel acorn squash before you cook it in this recipe. The skin is actually very delicious and healthy so there is no need to peel it.

How do you cut acorn squash?

To cut an acorn squash you want to first make sure that you have a sharp kitchen knife. Grab the stem and stand the acorn squash upright. Cut straight down the middle in between one of the indentations of the squash from the stem down to the pointed bottom of the squash. This should then give you two equal halves of the squash.

How to roast acorn squash

Prepare the squash – cut the squash in half then season it with olive oil salt and pepper. See above for a more detailed description of how to cut the acorn squash.
Season and roast – place the seasoned squash onto a lined baking sheet, cut side down, and roast it in the oven at 375-400 degrees F (depending on your oven) for 30-35 minutes, per the recipe card below.
Serve – once the squash is done cooking, remove it from the oven and top it with butter, a pinch of cinnamon, or your favorite toppings.

Cut acorn squash halves on a white board with a spoon scooping seeds out of one of the squash.

4 halves of squash on brown paper on a silver pan.

Expert tip: Place the squash cut side down on the baking sheet so it gets nice and caramelized when it cooks. It is so flavorful and delicious!

Recipe Tips

Make sure to select a ripe acorn squash. See tips for picking the best squash above in this post.
Select squash that is the same size so they cook at the same time.
Cut the squash into even-size halves so they cook evenly.
Season the squash before roasting it for the best flavor.

It’s so easy to roast acorn squash and it is so good and good for you. You can fill it with anything like sausage and veggies or rice and veggies and make it a complete meal all on its own.

Ways to use roasted acorn squash

Serve it as a delicious side dish with some chicken thighs or pork tenderloin.
One of the best ways to enjoy roast acorn squash is to stuff it with your favorite veggies and meat or even some chili.
Enjoy it as a healthy snack topped with some almond butter, cinnamon, and honey or maple syrup.

Can you freeze acorn squash?

Actually, you can freeze acorn squash after it is cooked. Once you roast the acorn squash, let it cool completely then transfer it to a freezer-friendly bag and store it in the freezer for up to 6 months. When you are ready to use it, defrost it overnight in the refrigerator and reheat it in the oven at 350 degrees for 10-15 minutes.

Round specked plate with a half of squash with butter on it with another plate of squash and small yellow bowl of salt behind it.

Learning how to roast acorn squash can be a very valuable skill since you can apply the same method for cooking almost any type of squash, which is great!

More delicious squash recipes to try!

Place with golden squash on it with a fork in the squash with more squash in front of it and behind it.

Did you try this recipe for how to roast acorn squash? If you did then please leave a rating and comment below. I would love to hear how it turned out!

How To Roast Acorn Squash – Simple and Easy

Author: Amy
Total Time: 35 minutes
Yield: 4 servings 1x
Diet: Vegan

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Description

This post will show you how to roast acorn squash so it comes out perfectly every single time. It is so easy to do and roasted acorn squash makes a great healthy side dish or addition to any meal that is delicious and flavorful.

Ingredients

Scale

2 medium acorn squash
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 375 -400 degrees F (depending on your oven) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set it aside.
Prepare the squash – Stand the acorn squash upright and use a sharp kitchen knife to cut it down the center into two even halves. Then use a spoon to scoop out the seeds. You can discard the seeds or roast them later.
Season – brush each half of the squash with olive oil and sprinkle each with some salt for extra flavor.
Cook – place the cut, seasoned squash, cut side down on the prepared baking sheet and roast it in the preheated oven for 30-35 minutes. Until a fork or knife can easily be inserted in the center of one of the acorn squash.
Serve – Let the squash cool for a couple of minutes then top it with some butter and cinnamon or any toppings you prefer.

Equipment

baking sheet

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knife