Recipe Overview
Why you’ll love it: Learn how to cook acorn squash in two ways: sweet and savory. Both are super easy and make a fantastic side dish!
How long it takes: just over an hour
Equipment you’ll need: sharp knife, cutting board, baking sheet
Servings: 2
Learning How To Cook Squash
One of the greatest things about fall is SQUASH. I love it all: spaghetti, acorn, butternut, delicata, and so on. I’ve written a few tutorials for how to cook squash and I thought it was time to give you a guide for acorn squash. Be sure to take a look at how to make delicata squash, how to cook spaghetti squash, my comprehensive tutorial on butternut squash and kabocha squash. I cover five different methods, tell you which is my favorite and why, and I also include recipes for each.
I know cooking a squash can be somewhat intimidating but it’s really so easy! I cover one method in this post but with two variations: sweet and savory. (I’ll let you in on a secret, the sweet variation is my favorite.) If you’re looking to stuff the acorn squash, use the savory prep method to get a great layer of flavor before adding whatever stuffing you have in mind.
These are not fancy techniques; we’re covering the basics. Once you get the basics down, you can spice things up a little. We’ll talk about that in a bit.
Did you know you can make butternut squash in the slow cooker? It’s a total game-changer for soups and butternut squash mash. We also love stuffing squash! Try pizza stuffed spaghetti squash or chicken fajita stuffed spaghetti squash.
“My first time cooking (and eating) acorn squash. I’m glad I chose this recipe. Delicious!”
How to Prepare Acorn Squash (Overview)
- WASH the squash.
- Slice in half stem to end. (Read my long version for tips!)
- Scoop out the seeds.
- Season the squash.
- Bake for 50 to 60 minutes at 400°F or until fork tender.
Detailed Instructions & Tips
Wash the squash. I know people don’t always wash the peel or skin of a fruit or vegetable but when you cut the squash in half, the knife goes through the (dirty) skin and into the flesh part that you’re going to eat. So now it’s dirty, like the skin. Scrub the outside well using plain water and a vegetable brush (I like this one).
Cut the squash. This can be tricky because those suckers are HARD.
Cutting Tip
Microwave the whole squash for 3 minutes and then let it cool enough so you can handle it. Microwaving the squash softens the skin, making it easier to cut. It adds a few minutes to your prep time but if you’re saving your fingers, it’s worth it.
If you don’t want to microwave the squash, carefully cut off the stem end of the squash, and then set it on that end so you have a flat, steady surface when you cut the squash in half.
Remove the seeds and stringy membranes. Make your life SO easy and use a grapefruit spoon. The serrated edge is perfect for scraping out the insides of squash.
Season the squash. Now you have your squash ready to season. I want you to know how to cook acorn squash two different ways: sweet and savory. Once you have the squash halves prepped, line a sheet pan with parchment paper. (I like these parchment paper sheets because they don’t curl up.)
Sweet Acorn Squash
Melted butter + brown sugar (or coconut sugar or maple syrup)
Rub the inside surfaces of the squash with melted butter, then sprinkle on the sweetener of your choice. Bake and enjoy!
Savory Acorn Squash
Olive oil + salt + pepper
Rub the inside surfaces of the squash with olive oil or melted butter and season with salt and pepper. Bake and enjoy!
You can! I personally prefer not to, as I find it slightly tough (compared to a delicata squash, for example). However, when roasted, the skin does soften and is completely edible. However, the cooked flesh peels away from the skin easily with a fork, if you choose not to eat the skin. Often, an acorn squash half is a just the right size for a single serving, so I like to serve it as is (see the photo below).
Once you’ve mastered this basic skill of how to cook acorn squash, there are many ways you can vary the recipe to make it your own. Here are a few ideas but I’m sure you’ll think of lots more!
- Sweet variations: Add a ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon to each half. If you want, add ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg as well. Instead of brown sugar, you can use maple syrup or coconut sugar.
- Savory variations: Add ¼ teaspoon chili powder or smoked paprika to each half (or both!). Give it an Italian twist if you like. Add ¼ teaspoon dried oregano, ¼ teaspoon basil, and 1 tablespoon Parmesan cheese to each half.
- Sweet and spicy combo: Add ¼ teaspoon cinnamon and a pinch of cayenne to each half, along with melted butter and brown sugar.
Uncooked squash: Squash lasts for quite awhile (months, even!) at room temperature. If it has soft mushy spots or is slimy and mushy when you cut it open, those are good indicators that it has gone bad and should be discarded.
Cooked squash: Refrigerate roasted squash in a covered container for up to 4 days. It can be frozen for up to a year. If you happen to have a lot of squash (maybe you have a garden or scored a great deal at the farm market!), this is a great way to preserve it.
Reheat: Reheat leftovers for 45 to 90 seconds in the microwave until warm. You can also use the oven (400°F for about 10 minutes or until warm), or the air fryer (380°F for about 5 minutes, or until heated through).
How To Cook Acorn Squash
Ingredients
Savory version:
- 1 acorn squash (or as many as you like)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ⅛ teaspoon salt (more if desired)
- ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper to taste (more if desired)
Sweet version:
- 1 acorn squash
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar or coconut sugar (more if desired)
Instructions
- Place oven rack right below the middle position in your oven. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Wash the outside of the squash. Cut squash in half from the stem to the bottom (see note). Don’t try to cut through the stem; when you get to the stem, just crack the squash in half and it will separate.1 acorn squash
- Scrape out seeds and stringy bits. I use a grapefruit spoon for this!
- Season squash. For savory, rub inside with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. For sweet, rub inside with melted butter and sprinkle with brown or coconut sugar. Place on prepared baking sheet, cut side up.1 tablespoon olive oil, ⅛ teaspoon salt, ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper to taste, 1 tablespoon butter, 1 tablespoon brown sugar or coconut sugar
- Place in preheated oven and roast for 50 to 60 minutes or until very tender. I test it by poking it with a fork. There should be little to no resistance.
- Enjoy immediately.
Notes
- Pro tip: To make slicing the squash in half easier, microwave the whole squash for 3 to 5 minutes, and cool until you can easily handle the squash.
- Storage: Refrigerate roasted squash in a covered container for up to 4 days, or freeze for up to one year (thaw before reheating). Uncooked squash can be stored in your pantry for a month or two (make sure it’s dry before you store it and remove it from plastic).
- Reheating: Reheat leftovers for 45 to 90 seconds in the microwave until warm. You can also use the oven (400°F for about 10 minutes or until warm), or the air fryer (380°F for about 5 minutes, or until heated through).
- Nutrition information below is calculated for the savory version.
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Did You Make This?Share a comment and rating below! I love hearing what you think!
I I take squash cut in half deseed then put in pot on stove with salted water, then serve it with butter or fill it with feta or sweetcorn an grated cheese an put in oven
Sounds delicious!
I left the skin on and half way through cooking cut it like a cantaloupe and dipped it in the butter brown suger mixture and added salt. Delicious.
So glad you liked it!
QwI use my microwave daily for heating food and easy cooking , I even cook scramble eyes with butter cheese, green onions and bell pepper almost daily, but none of my family got cancer. In fact my Mom died at age of 101, she did not get cancer even I cook in the microwave most of the time. She died of old age and suffered of pain in her chest for (2) two hours only before she left us, So, my dear Rachel microwave is not really bad to use. I think you’ll get cancer
with the kind of food you eat, the environment where you live and also the way you take care of your health. Thanks a lot for all the great recipes you share us. More power to you and keep up the delicious recipes you are
sharing us. I love you. By the way I am 73 years old and very healthy.
Thank you for the kind comment!
Microwave tip was a great idea and haven’t even thought of that after all these years! Worked like a charm and with just 2 minutes in there. Thanks!
I’m so glad it was helpful! Thank you for letting me know!
My husband and I are participating in a year long pre-diabetes education class to learn strategies to prevent type 2 diabetes. One participant reported her use of fresh squash instead of oatmeal, cream of wheat or cereal. I think it’s a great idea, and I appreciate all the feedback about everyone’s variations of your recipe. I was thinking I’d like my acorn squash, baked as directed, but filled with apple slices or chunks of apples that have been tossed with a little brown sugar, butter and cinnamon, or just tossed with a little pure maple syrup and cinnamon. Hmmmm, how about some fresh pineapple chunks?
All of those ideas sound delicious! Acorn squash is a great base for so many flavors.
Hey Rachel, I haven’t made acorn squash in awhile and was checking my memory. Excellent results! Thx for sweet and savory!!
Well I have to say the microwave witch is just that. Why would someone bother to write something so negative. Wonder what she’d do if they put themselves out there and got that type of comment!?!?
Keep giving us your recipes and tips. They’ve found a good home with me and my friends
Thank you so much for your support!
I spread butter inside halved acorn squash with a spoon, then sprinkle dried minced onion, freshly grated black pepper. I put water in my casserole dish….about half way up sides of acorn and microwave on high for 45 minutes to 60 minutes. Check if soft at 45 minutes. Yum!
Sounds yummy!
I like em stuffed , rice ,sausage,
garlic , onion , celry, mozz. Great tip to microwave . But really chicken little,1hr.@ 400 is gonna kill most bacteria unless of course it comes from ET.
Yes, I like them stuffed too – this is one of my favorite stuffed squash recipes. I still like to wash the dirt and grit off of the outside of the squash before slicing it, but you’re free to do whatever you please!
I’m cooking savory right now, really looking forward to dinner! I used olive oil salt pepper and smokey paprika.
I hope you loved it, Tammy!
I saw an ad with these cut in slices they looked great and easier to eat. Have you ever prepared them sliced?
I have done that before! You can see that recipe here – you could also slice them in the other direction.
400 degrees for butter? Hope you like smoke.
Have you tried this recipe? Many people have made it with great success.
Ibaked mine as offered. No SMOKE in my oven– Added garlic and onion powder– a pinch was great as savory and BUTTER!!
Awesome! So glad you liked the recipe, thanks for taking the time to leave a comment, David!