Baked Acorn Squash Halves

Name: Baked Acorn Squash Halves
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 1 Acorn Squash; Unsalted butter; 2 tablespoons Dark brown sugar (or light brown!); ¼ teaspoon Kosher salt (or a generous sprinkle); Pinch Cinnamon (optional but delicious); Pecans (toasted and chopped, optional for serving)

These Baked Acorn Squash Halves are baked with a little butter, salt and brown sugar for a slightly indulgent side dish! This baked acorn squash recipe is incredibly easy to prepare and reheats nicely for leftovers.

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Brown Sugar Baked Acorn Squash Silver Spoon

Minimize the prep and make my baked acorn squash halves for dinner tonight! Simply slice in half, scoop out the seeds, season and bake in a preheated oven for a delicious side dish the whole family will love!

I make this recipe whenever I don’t want to slice the squash for my healthy roasted acorn squash or I want just a little bit of indulgence. These baked acorn squash halves pair beautifully with wild rice and roasted chicken or they can be a fun alternative to sweet potato casserole at Thanksgiving! Don’t feel like roasting a whole chicken? Make my Foolproof Rosemary Chicken in under 10 minutes instead!

Table of Contents

How long does it take to cook an acorn squash in the oven?
How do you cut an acorn squash for baking?
Do you leave skin on squash when roasting?
Can you roast acorn squash seeds?
What to serve with Baked Acorn Squash halves?
Ingredients
Substitutions
Frequently Asked Questions
Chef Lindsey's Recipe Tips
Recipe

How long does it take to cook an acorn squash in the oven?

Acorn squash halves cook in the oven between 15-30 minutes. The bake time will vary particularly depending on the size of the acorn squash and the baking dish you chose. Mine baked in under 20 minutes in the cast iron pan! For faster cooking, try slicing the squash and roasting the squash slices!

How do you cut an acorn squash for baking?

Time needed: 5 minutes.

Easily cut your acorn squash into halves for a delightful and simple side dish!

Carve squash
On a sturdy cutting board, slice off the top and bottom of the squash. Place cut side down on the cutting board and slice in half lengthwise exposing the seeds. Scoop out the seeds and set aside for roasting or discard.
Season
Place cut halves skin side down in a cast iron pan or in a baking dish. Place butter, brown sugar, salt and cinnamon in the center of each squash half.

Brown Sugar Baked Acorn Squash Butter Cubes

Do you leave skin on squash when roasting?

I prefer to leave the skin on when roasting acorn squash owing to it being difficult to peel when raw, and roasting in the skin locks in the moisture. The skin is also edible and roasting makes it soft and tender.

Can you roast acorn squash seeds?

You can absolutely roast acorn squash seeds! Separate the seeds from the strings, toss in a little oil, salt and pepper and roast in a 350°F oven until golden brown.

What to serve with Baked Acorn Squash halves?

These buttery, brown sugar baked acorn squash halves go perfectly with roasted chicken or my foolproof rosemary chicken. What's more, complete the meal with healthy quinoa pilaf or wild rice! I also love these baked squash with lemon roasted cauliflower, roasted turkey and Nana’s cranberry sauce. It’s not just for Thanksgiving, people!

Ingredients

Acorn Squash: Choose an acorn squash that is firm and heavy for its size. I think the smaller ones are sweeter and have better flavor. If roasting multiple squash, try to choose ones that are similar in size so they roast in the same amount of time.
Kosher Salt: Not only does the kosher salt heighten the flavor but, equally important, it helps keep the squash tender. Don’t omit completely. Back it down to a generous, three finger pinch at the least.
Butter: Unsalted butter allows you to control how much salt is going into the squash, so you can salt it just how you like it.
Dark Brown Sugar: Using dark brown sugar adds sweetness along with a little moisture.
Cinnamon: I use Saigon cinnamon but basically any cinnamon will do in this baked acorn squash recipe.

Substitutions

Butter: You can indeed omit the butter or you can use a vegan butter to easily make this baked acorn squash recipe vegan.
Dark Brown Sugar: Substitute light brown sugar or even granulated sugar! Use whichever you have on hand!
Cinnamon: I use a pinch of cinnamon here to lean into the Sweet Potato Casserole vibe, but you could use pumpkin pie spice, nutmeg or even just a tiny pinch of ginger.
Pecans: Just a sprinkle of toasted pecans add a little crunch and a little nuttiness. It is a welcome addition to the smooth, sweet squash.
Kosher Salt: Don’t forget the salt! A pinch of kosher salt will heighten all those flavors and round out the baked acorn squash. You could also use salted butter and omit the salt.
Acorn Squash: You could use this same recipe to cook butter n ut squash or even kabocha squash. Just remember the larger the squash, the longer to bake and the more seasonings you’ll want. I would also pierce the skin on both of those varieties with a fork to allow the steam to escape.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you store baked acorn squash halves?

Store baked acorn squash halves in a sealed, air-tight container in the refrigerator.

How long will acorn squash halves keep after baking?

Baked acorn squash halves will last one week when refrigerated or one month frozen. The faster these acorn squash halves were cooled and stored properly, the longer they will stay fresh.

Can I bake my acorn squash halves ahead of time?

You can bake acorn squash halves ahead of time but I prefer to bake them right before serving and then use the leftovers in salads and lunch the next day.

Brown Sugar Baked Acorn Squash Two Halves

Chef Lindsey's Recipe Tips

The key take away from the YouTube video for this recipe is that the particular amounts of the ingredients that you use don’t really matter. If you want it to be sweeter and more indulgent, use more butter and sugar. You are driving this flavor-train!

Recipe