Easy Roasted Acorn Squash
This is one of my favorite acorn squash recipes! Brown sugar roasted acorn squash wedges are topped with a mixture of brown butter, cranberries, and walnuts. They’re the perfect fall or holiday side dish! This acorn squash recipe with brown butter is one of my favorite fall recipes. It’s ridiculously simple to make and looks stunning on the table! The brown butter is absolutely delicious with the sweet cranberries, nutty walnuts, and the sweet and savory acorn squash. Our readers have been making it for years, and many have even saved it as one of their favorite Thanksgiving recipes. For more delicious winter squash recipes, try our cinnamon roasted butternut squash or parmesan roasted delicata squash. Key Ingredients Acorn Squash: When I’m shopping for acorn squash, I look for one with smooth, firm skin that’s free from cracks, soft spots, or blemishes. Just like other winter squashes, it should feel heavy for its size. And if you’re wondering, you can eat the skin after roasting! It gets nice and tender. Brown Sugar or Maple Syrup: I like adding brown sugar to the squash before roasting it so it cooks and caramelizes in the oven. If you prefer, you can substitute maple syrup. Butter: I usually use salted butter, but unsalted works, too (you might just want to add a pinch of salt to the finished dish). Walnuts and Cranberries: I love the texture of chopped walnuts and dried cranberries in this recipe. Feel free to get creative and substitute other nuts and dried fruits if you like! Acorn Squash: When I’m shopping for acorn squash, I look for one with smooth, firm skin that’s free from cracks, soft spots, or blemishes. Just like other winter squashes, it should feel heavy for its size. And if you’re wondering, you can eat the skin after roasting! It gets nice and tender. Brown Sugar or Maple Syrup: I like adding brown sugar to the squash before roasting it so it cooks and caramelizes in the oven. If you prefer, you can substitute maple syrup. Butter: I usually use salted butter, but unsalted works, too (you might just want to add a pinch of salt to the finished dish). Walnuts and Cranberries: I love the texture of chopped walnuts and dried cranberries in this recipe. Feel free to get creative and substitute other nuts and dried fruits if you like! How to Make Roasted Acorn Squash I love roasting my acorn squash in wedges, but you can also slice them (like we do for roasted delicata squash). Rub the squash with olive oil, salt, and brown sugar, and then roast it in the oven until tender (it takes about an hour). When you are ready to serve, you’ll cook butter, walnuts, and dried cranberries in a skillet on the stove until the butter bubbles and starts to smell toasty (like brown butter). Then, spoon it all over the roasted squash. So good! Easy Roasted Acorn Squash PREP 15 mins COOK 1 hr TOTAL 1 hr 15 mins PREP 15 mins COOK 1 hr TOTAL 1 hr 15 mins This recipe is one of my favorite ways to cook acorn squash. We roast acorn squash wedges in the oven with brown sugar and then spoon over brown butter, cranberries, and walnuts for serving. This is a perfect fall side dish and is stunning on a holiday table! 8 Servings You Will Need 2 medium acorn squash 1 tablespoon olive oil Salt and fresh ground black pepper 3 tablespoons brown sugar or maple syrup 3 tablespoons butter 1/4 cup walnuts, chopped and lightly toasted 1/4 cup dried cranberries Directions 1Preheat the oven to 400°F (204°C). Set aside a large baking dish or rimmed baking sheet. 2Cut the squashes in half. Then, use a spoon to scoop out all the seeds from the middle. Carefully cut each half into 2 wedges. 3Place the wedges in a large baking dish and brush all sides with olive oil. 4Scatter the brown sugar evenly on top and season with salt and pepper. 5Bake until the acorn squash wedges are soft and caramelized around the edges, about 1 hour. 6When the squash has roasted, add the butter, walnuts, and cranberries to a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook until the butter bubbles and takes on a toasty aroma, then spoon the browned butter, cranberries, and walnuts over the squash. 1Preheat the oven to 400°F (204°C). Set aside a large baking dish or rimmed baking sheet. 2Cut the squashes in half. Then, use a spoon to scoop out all the seeds from the middle. Carefully cut each half into 2 wedges. 3Place the wedges in a large baking dish and brush all sides with olive oil. 4Scatter the brown sugar evenly on top and season with salt and pepper. 5Bake until the acorn squash wedges are soft and caramelized around the edges, about 1 hour. 6When the squash has roasted, add the butter, walnuts, and cranberries to a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook until the butter bubbles and takes on a toasty aroma, then spoon the browned butter, cranberries, and walnuts over the squash. Adam and Joanne's Tips Acorn squash skin: You can eat the skin after roasting! It gets nice and tender. Roast the seeds: You can roast acorn squash seeds the same way you would pumpkin seeds. Use our roasted pumpkin seeds recipe for guidance. The nutrition facts provided below are estimates. Acorn squash skin: You can eat the skin after roasting! It gets nice and tender. Roast the seeds: You can roast acorn squash seeds the same way you would pumpkin seeds. Use our roasted pumpkin seeds recipe for guidance. The nutrition facts provided below are estimates. Nutrition Per Serving Serving Size 1 wedge / Calories 144 / Protein 1g / Carbohydrate 18g / Dietary Fiber 2g / Total Sugars 6g / Total Fat 9g / Saturated Fat 3g / Cholesterol 11mg AUTHOR: Joanne Gallagher We’re Adam and Joanne, a couple passionate about cooking and sharing delicious, reliable recipes since 2009. Our goal? To inspire you to get in the kitchen and confidently cook fresh and flavorful meals.More About Us Previous Post: Essential Pumpkin Pie Spice Next Post: Easy Pumpkin Butter