How to Cook Acorn Squash (savory or sweet!)

Learn how to cook acorn squash in two ways: Sweet and savory. Both are super easy and make for a fantastic side dish! 

One of the greatest things about fall is SQUASH. I love it all — spaghetti, acorn, butternut, delicata. Delicata squash is my favorite and I love that you can eat the skin of it. I wrote a post about outlining how to make delicata squash if you want to learn more.

Updated – I now have a complete guide on how to cook spaghetti squash as well! I cover five different methods and tell you which is my favorite!

Also, as an aside, did you know you can make butternut squash in the slow cooker? It’s a total game-changer for soups and butternut squash mash.

More Squash: If you love squash like we do, make sure to also check out my complete tutorials on butternut squash, kabocha squash, and delicata squash!

We also love stuffing squash! Try pizza stuffed spaghetti squash or chicken fajita stuffed spaghetti squash.

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. Especially for eating just the way it is. If you’re looking to stuff the acorn squash, try making it the savory way to get a great base and layer of flavor before adding whatever stuffing you have in mind. Try our stuffed acorn squash – it’s full of great flavor!

Important to note here, is that 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, though.

So here we go.

Overview of How to Prepare Acorn Squash

1. WASH the squash.
2. Slice in half stem to end. (Read my long version for tips!)
3. Scoop out the seeds.
4. Season the squash (choose one of two ways below or go nuts!).
5. Bake for 50-60 minutes at 400°F or until fork tender.

Detailed Instructions & Tips

As always, see the recipe card at the bottom of this post for full, printable details.

First things first! WASH YOUR SQUASH. I know people don’t always wash the peel or skin of a fruit or vegetable when they don’t eat that part.

Think about this. 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.

Plus you’re handling the whole thing so your hands are getting dirty in the process and then you’re touching the part you eat. JUST WASH IT. Watermelons, oranges, squash, whatever. Wash them. Preferably with a vegetable brush (I like this one). So it’s true, I don’t typically eat the skin of an acorn squash, but I ALWAYS wash it. They grow in the dirt and dirt is gritty. The last thing you want is grit in your food.

Next up, slice your squash. This can be tricky because those suckers are HARD.

Next: Scoop out the seeds.

Okay, now you have your squash ready to season. If you’re allergic to doing dishes like I am, you’ll want to line a sheet pan with parchment paper for easy clean up. I like these parchment paper sheets because they don’t curl up.

I want you to know how to cook acorn squash two different ways – these are the basic building blocks. Sweet and Savory.

Sweet Acorn Squash

Melted butter + brown sugar (or coconut sugar or maple syrup)

Savory Acorn Squash

Olive oil + salt + pepper

For both methods, you’ll rub the inside with the the oil or melted butter and then sprinkle on either sugar or salt and pepper. All that’s left to do after that is baking and eating!

FAQs

How to Season Squash

Once you’ve mastered this basic skill of how to cook acorn squash, here are a few ways to spice it up — acorn squash is such a versatile ingredient, so make it your own!

• Sweet: Add a 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon to each half
• Sweet: Add 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon + 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg to each half
• Sweet: Swap out brown sugar for maple syrup (even amounts)
• Savory: Add 1/4 teaspoon chili powder to each half
• Savory: Add 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika to each half
• Savory: Give it an Italian twist — add 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano, 1/4 teaspoon basil, and 1 tablespoon Parmesan cheese
• Sweet and Spicy: Follow the sweet directions but add 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon and a pinch of cayenne to each half

Storage Suggestions

Keep roasted squash in a covered container in the fridge for up to 4 days.

Reheating Tips

Reheat leftovers for 45-90 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).