Classic Baked Acorn Squash

By KSmitherman

Ingredients

• 1 Acorn squash
• 1 Tbsp Butter
• 2 Tbsp Brown Sugar
• 2 teaspoons Maple Syrup
• Dash of Salt

Details

Servings 2
Adapted from simplyrecipes.com

Preparation

Step 1

The weather has finally decided to cool down around here and the first acorn squash have appeared at our local farmers market. Acorn squash are wonderfully easy to prepare - just cut them in half, scoop out the seeds, add a little brown sugar and/or maple syrup, and bake for a little over an hour. From Google Definitions,

Choose squash that are heavy for their size and have a hard, deep-colored rind free of blemishes or moldy spots. The hard skin of a winter squash protects the flesh and allows it to be stored longer than summer squash. It does not require refrigeration and can be kept in a cool, dark place for a month or more, depending on the variety. Once the seeds are removed, winter squash can be baked, steamed or simmered. They're a good source of iron, riboflavin and vitamins A (more than summer squash) and C.

Preheat oven to 400°F.

Using a strong chef's knife, and perhaps a rubber mallet to help, cut the acorn squash in half, lengthwise, from stem to end. Use a spoon to scoop out the seeds and stringy stuff in the center of each half. Score the insides of each half several times with a sharp knife. Place each half in a baking pan, cut side up. Add about a 1/4 inch of water to the bottom of the baking pan so that the skins don't burn and the squash doesn't get dried out.

Coat the inside of each half with 1/2 a Tbsp of butter. Add a dash of salt if you are using unsalted butter. Add a Tbsp of brown sugar to the cavity of each half. Dribble on a teaspoon of maple syrup to each half.

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My husband and love Acorn squash. We make it a heartier dish by adding a handful of chopped walnuts to the center under the sugar and butter.

I've never understood why people put sugary stuff on their squash. Especially acorn, which is one of the sweeter varieties of this wonderful, versatile vegetable. I simply bake it with salt, pepper and a slab of butter in the middle. Or, if I want to serve it later, I scoop out the flesh after baking, put it in a microwave-safe dish, place pats of butter over it, and put it in the frig to be warmed in the microwave when needed. I always do this at Thanksgiving when oven space is at a premium. Please - I implore you! Try squash just once without the maple syrup or brown sugar. I'm sure you'll agree that its sweet enough without the added calories.

Hi Beth - You're welcome. This recipe is pretty easy, you just need to make sure to cook the squash long enough.

If I want to make plain acorn squash, do I need to alter the instructions apart from eliminating step 3? Also, what is the reasoning behind cutting the acorn squash lengthwise - does it not work to cut it horizontally? I am planning on serving the plain squash as a gluten-free "bread bowl" and putting chili inside, so you can scoop out some cooling, sweet squash with each bite of spiciness. Yummers!

Thanks for the 2 great tips - about adding 1/4 inch of water to the bottom of the baking sheet so the skins don't burn and also on scoring and then microwaving for 30 seconds to faciliate easier cutting.

To make a healthier squash, we use Orange juice instead of butter. Helps to soften and moisten the squash w/o the fat.

Hopefully someone can help me. I'm planning on making this for thanksgiving but I have never had it before, neither has the rest of my family. So, when the squash is cut in half, how do you serve it to a large group of people? Slice it, scoop it out, what? Obviously I will make a few squashes but I have no clue how to dish it out.

When I serve acorn squash, I usually serve 1/2 to 1/4 (one 1/2 cut in half makes a nice wedge) of a squash to each person, depending on the size of the squash and how much other food is being served. If you have a lot of other food on Thanksgiving (as we always do), then you could cut each squash half into thirds, so that you would get 6 nice wedges from each whole squash. I think the wedges make a nice presentation.

Yum! This recipe with the suggestions have been quite helpful in baking my first acorn squash. I'm thinking of adding apples and pecans. Can't wait. The orange juice suggestion instead of butter sounded lovely!

The squash is also easy to cut if you leave it in the oven while preheating, maybe 10 minutes. I don't have a microwave, so this is what I do.

This is the way I've prepared acorn squash all my life, and while I came here tonight looking for a new technique, the memories (and of course, your prose) drove me to make it this way again. For me, this is comfort food.

A friend suggested that a less labor intensive way to prepare/cook the squash would be to bake them whole the day before my dinner party and not cut them in half until I'm ready to warm them and add final seasoning just before serving. I'm planning to fill each one with a scoop of Hoppin' John...for new Year's luck. I can't find a recipe though that suggests preparing them ahead of time this way and wonder if anyone else has tried this.

A great meal with acorn squash is to cut the top off, and just enough off the bottom so it stands on it's own. Scoop out the insides and fill with a puree soup or my favorite is a french canadien pea soup, and put the top back on. Bake in the oven for approx. 1hr depending on the size of the acorn..you get the soup and can eat the delicious bowl. (I try to stay away from soups made of other squashes to make this one more pronounced) enjoy

I'm a new member and this is only my second time at having acorn squash. My first time was a couple of years ago at the in laws and I liked it so much I kept going for more! It made my mother in law happy because everybody else was fussy and skipping the squash. This is my second time and again I love it! I love it even more! What an exciting discovery! I am so into this! I'm the only one so far in my family to like it and it's a good thing since I get more for myself! Not for long though since I have a 9 month baby who loves butternut squash in the jar. I just had leftovers for lunch (a whole half of squash as a side dish with a goat cheese omelette). It was excellent and I was more excited about the leftover squash than the omelette! Someone asked if you should eat the skin... I totally do! Couldn't imagine not eating it! It's adding just enough texture with the rest of the soft sweet flesh. Will do this again and again and again!

My Grandma showed me this recipe 40 years ago. She adds 4 half strips of bacon crosswise on each half of squash. Adds great flavor to the squash.

I have always used butter, brown sugar, salt & pepper to coat the pieces. going to add a little Triple Sec this year, thanks. QUESTION: If I par-cook/microwave the squash then cool/store it before baking will it compromise its consistency &/or flavour? Oven space is scarce and 'My oven runneth over'.

My MIL makes her squash this way, except that she ALSO does a butternut squash, scoops out the innards after cooking, and combines them. Amazing.

I used to make my acorn squash with brown sugar also, BUT for some of you that don't really care for the really sweet squash...try just butter (or margarine) salt & pepper, make sure while cooking it baste the squash with the melted butter already inside the squash every 10 minutes its soooooo good! My grandma has been making it this way for years & years. It brings out the natural sweetness already in the squash. Hope you enjoy let me know what ya think anyone :o)

You can put nutmeg mixed in with butter or even olive oil or grapeseed oil instead of the syrup/sugar combo and it will have a nice zing to it!

I leave out the Maple Syrup but add Worchester Sauce then top that with shredded cheese.

I made this tonight and added fried beans and corn (with chopped onions, garlic, and hot pepper) in the middle. Was so good!

My uncle used to make this and he put ground beef in the center. I don't know if he added it at the beginning or waited until later. Has anyone ever heard of this tried it? It was delicious and used as a main dish with a green salad.

Posted by: Heather on July 7, 2009 5:54 PM

Sooo good! Thank you I love acorn squash the walnuts do sound delicious as an add-on. I made this tonight and was a success! Most of all its very easy to prepare. I love your site Elise!

2. Two things to do with seeds: (A) If you're baking the squash, you can leave them there til the last 15 min, then tease them to the top with a fork so you can butter/spice them up for a crunchy topping. (B) If you just like roasted seeds, leave them in the squash while you bake. Easiest way to remove them for roasting is to take 2 forks and lift them out. Fork tines at an angle to each other make good shears to lop off the strings. I save seeds in the freezer til I have lots to roast.

Place the squash cut side down with water in pan and bake you get a moist squash. Just flip it over when done and place butter /sugar in side and mix right in the shell before spooning out/ you can also make in the microwave it take about 20 mins on high using the same method with a deep dish plate or pie plate.

You don't have to cure acorn squash, the butternuts and thicker skinned gourd types typically get "cured". And like most starchy foods, the starches of all squash sweeten over time. I tend to hold off on eating home grown squashes and keep them cool for a month or so before eating. The maple syrup touch sounds good, sometimes I also add fruit juices-orange, mango etc to the pan. Squash is great sweetened and unsweetened.

My mother-in-law taught me to bake the squash cut side down in a baking pan with a couple of inches of water in it. Then when they're nearly done, turn them over and add the butter and whatever else you want in the center. (I use loose browned sausage along with a little bit of brown sugar and butter.) BUT the very best way to serve acorn squash is in PIE...yes, pie! Use your pumpkin pie recipe but substitute the meat of the squash for the pumpkin, and it is absolutely delicious! I cook the squash, cool, and spoon it into baggies--equal to the amount of pumpkin the pie recipe calls for--and then I'm set for making pies later.

I like to balance out the sweetness of squash (or sweet potatoes) with something salty/savory, so I like to add butter with fresh-grated Parmigiano-Reggiano. Yummy! I love Fall!

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