This sweet and spicy Roasted Acorn Squash recipe will be your go-to roasted vegetable side dish. It’s the perfect fall or winter side dish, as well as part of your holiday table. Paleo and vegan friendly.
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If you are looking for more healthy acorn squash recipes, check out Mexican Stuffed Acorn Squash, Acorn Squash Bowls, and Acorn Squash Breakfast Bowls.
Why You’ll Love This
- Easy, simple, straightforward, and delicious.
- Ready in less than 45 minutes!
- New veggie side dish to add to your rotation.
- One of the best looking Thanksgiving side dishes!
Plus, Healthy Squash Recipes you must make throughout the fall and winter season!
Ingredients
This easy roasted acorn squash recipe requires a short ingredient list. We will need the following simple ingredients:
- acorn squash or carnival squash (pictured) – look for two medium-size acorn squash, heavy for their size, that are firm with dark green shiny skin (TIP: A few orange spots is okay, but if there’s a lot of orange coloring, it’s over ripe). You can also use sweet dumpling, carnival squash (pictured), or delicata squash, which all bake similarly (keep in mind different squash varieties have different a cooking time).
- oil – go for coconut oil, avocado oil, or extra virgin olive oil.
- seasonings – I love the warm and spicy blend of cinnamon, allspice, and cayenne. Chili powder or pumpkin spice are other great options.
- sea salt – don’t forget the salt to enhance all those spices. A little black pepper never hurt either.
- sugar – give it a sweet edge with coconut sugar or brown sugar. This helps the squash caramelize in the oven and adds depth to the natural sweetness.
Find the full detailed instructions with measurements in the recipe card below, at the end of this post.
How to Cook Acorn Squash
This acorn squash recipe is incredibly easy and super delicious. Here are the step-by-step instructions:
Preheat oven
Preheat oven to 375F. Grease a medium baking sheet with oil.
How to cut acorn squash
Place the whole squash on a cutting board and use a sharp knife to cut the tops and bottom off. Then, cut the squash in half vertically and remove the seeds and stringy bits with a spoon. Cut the two halves into thick slices.
Squash too hard to cut? Pierce the skin several times with a knife. Soften it whole in the preheating oven for 5-10 minutes, or microwave in 1-minute bursts until soft enough to cut.
Season squash
Place squash slices on the greased baking sheet. Drizzle with oil, then lightly sprinkle on ground cinnamon, allspice, cayenne, and coconut sugar. Use your hands to rub in the seasonings.
Bake
Bake for 20 minutes. Then flip over, sprinkle with more seasoning and sugar if you wish, and bake for another 10-20 minutes, until the flesh of the squash is tender and golden brown.
serve
Allow squash to cool on the pan before serving. Drizzle with cashew or almond butter for a nutty flavor, if your heart desires.
How to Serve Roasted Acorn Squash
If you are wondering what to pair with acorn squash, think of this as a simple fall side dish to pair with any main dish of grilled protein and vegetables. It also makes a gorgeous addition to your Thanksgiving table.
While this roasted squash is delicious as is, if you’d like to dress it up, here are some of our favorite toppings:
- Finish it with a little butter or vegan butter
- Add more fresh herbs, like parsley, fresh thyme, or rosemary
- Sprinkle it with Parmesan cheese or nutritional yeast if vegan
- Drizzle with Almond Butter Dressing
- Stuff it with whole grains, like farro, quinoa, or wild rice
- Toss it into all your fall salads, like Fall Kale Salad
- Add some crunch with pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds
- Finish it with a drizzle of maple syrup
How to Store, Freeze, Thaw, & Reheat
Leftover squash can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. It will soften over time.
Freeze: Let the slices cool completely, then transfer to a freezer-safe airtight container or plastic bag, placing pieces of parchment paper between the slices. Freeze for up to 3 months.
Thaw: Thaw overnight in the fridge.
Reheat: Pop it in the microwave in 30-second intervals or reheat in a low oven (300 degrees F) until warm.
Recipe FAQs
How to cut an acorn squash for roasting?
Use a sharp chef’s knife to cut off the stem ends, then cut it down the center vertically (with one cut side on the cutting board). Remove the seeds and flesh, then slice into thick slices.
Should I peel acorn squash before roasting?
No, there is no need to remove the acorn squash skin.
Do you eat the skin of roasted acorn squash?
Yes, the skin of the squash is edible and it becomes soft enough to eat after roasting. Plus, it helps keep the flesh of the squash together to form perfect slices.
Should acorn squash be baked cut side up or down?
This applies if you are roasting the squash halves. Cut side up will produce a firmer texture whereas cut side down will produce a softer texture.
More Winter Squash Recipes You’ll Love:
If you make this Roasted Acorn Squash recipe, be sure to leave a comment and star rating on the blog! I love hearing from you, and it helps others learn more about the recipe too. Xx Ashley
Roasted Acorn Squash
Ingredients
- 2 small acorn squash, or sweet dumpling or carnival squash
- 1-2 tablespoons melted coconut oil, or olive oil or avocado oil
- ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon allspice
- 1 ½ teaspoon coconut sugar, or brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
Optional Topping:
- cashew butter or almond butter, for drizzle
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375F and grease a medium baking sheet with oil. Set aside.
- Cut tops and bottom off of squash and slice into rings. Cut out center of each ring to remove seeds. Note: If your squash is really hard to cut, allow to soften in preheating oven for about 5-10 minutes.
- Place rings on greased baking sheet and drizzle with oil, about 1-2 tablespoons. Lightly sprinkle on cayenne pepper (to taste), ground cinnamon, all spice and coconut sugar, and salt. Use hands to rub everything in and make sure squash is evenly coated.
- Bake for 20 minutes before checking and gently flipping over. Sprinkle with more seasoning and sugar if you wish, bake for another 10-20 minutes until soft.
- Allow squash to rest/cool on pan before serving. Drizzle with cashew or almond butter if your heart desires. Enjoy!
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