How to Cook Acorn Squash (savory or sweet!)

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.

How to Prepare Acorn Squash (Overview)

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.
5. 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.

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!

Can you eat the skin of acorn squash?

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).

Recipe Variations

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.

Storage & Reheating

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).