Learn how to cook acorn squash with this easy recipe! Roasted with olive oil, maple syrup, and herbs, it's a simple, delicious fall or holiday side dish.
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This roasted acorn squash recipe is my favorite way to cook acorn squash. It’s a delicious, easy side dish for the holidays, Thanksgiving, or any fall meal. Halved and baked in the oven with olive oil and maple syrup, the squash is perfectly tender and beautifully caramelized, with a sweet and savory flavor that I absolutely love. A sprinkle of fresh herbs takes it over the top.
If you’re learning how to cook acorn squash for the first time, this recipe is a great one to start with. It highlights this fall veggie’s best qualities—its creamy texture and sweet flavor—but that’s not all. It’s the starting point for countless other acorn squash recipes, like my stuffed acorn squash and acorn squash soup. Once you master this recipe, you’ll be well on your way to cooking acorn squash like a pro!
Can you eat acorn squash skin?
Yes, you can eat acorn squash skin. Like delicata squash skin, it’s often thin enough to enjoy with the roasted squash flesh.
If you find that your squash has particularly thick skin (I often notice this with carnival squash, a colorful variety), you still don’t need to peel it. You’ll be able to easily eat it out of the skin after roasting. Simply wash the squash before cutting it!
How to Cut Acorn Squash
For this recipe, you’ll cut the squash in half vertically, from the stem end to the pointed tip.
Place it on a cutting board on one of its ridged sides, and use a sharp knife to cut through it.
If the squash is too hard to cut, you can soften it in the oven or microwave. Pierce the skin several times with a knife, then microwave it whole in 1-minute bursts or bake it for 10 minutes in a 425°F oven to make it easier to work with.
Once you cut the squash in half, use a spoon to scoop out the seeds.
How to Cook Acorn Squash in the Oven
Here’s how to cook acorn squash in 4 easy steps:
- Season the squash. Place the squash halves on a parchment-lined baking sheet, and brush them with a mixture of olive oil and maple syrup. The olive oil helps the squash soften in the oven, while the maple helps it caramelize and brings out its sweet flavor. Season with salt and pepper.
- Roast cut side down for 20 to 30 minutes at 425°F. The edges of the squash that make contact with the hot pan will caramelize.
- Flip the squash and season again. You’ll get some delicious pooling of the maple/oil mixture in the hollows of the squash halves. I like to add fresh herbs at this point too.
- Roast cut side up until tender, 10 to 15 minutes. This allows moisture to escape from the squash, concentrating its flavor.
Season to taste and serve!
Find the complete recipe with measurements below.
Seasoning Variations
- For a sweeter twist, dust the squash with warm spices like cinnamon and/or nutmeg when you flip it.
- To lean into the savory flavors, sprinkle it with a little Parmesan cheese in the last few minutes of baking.
What to Serve with Roasted Acorn Squash
This baked squash recipe is a delicious fall side dish. Add it to your Thanksgiving table alongside classic sides like stuffing and mashed potatoes, or serve it as part of a simple weeknight dinner. It pairs well with pastas, soups, and more. Try it with one of these recipes:
Storage Tips
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat them in the microwave or a 325°F oven.
More Winter Squash Recipes
If you love this recipe, try one of these delicious squash dishes next:
Roasted Acorn Squash
Ingredients
- 3 medium acorn squash, halved vertically and seeded
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Chopped fresh sage, rosemary, and/or thyme leaves, optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Place the acorn squash halves on the baking sheet cut side up.
- In a small bowl, combine the olive oil and maple syrup and whisk until thick and smooth. Brush about half onto the cut sides of the acorn squash, using just enough to lightly coat the squash. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and rub with your hands to coat. Place the squash cut side down and roast for 20 to 30 minutes, or until caramelized around the edges.
- Remove from the oven and flip the squash halves cut side up. Brush with the remaining maple mixture. Sprinkle with the herbs, if using. Return to the oven and roast, cut side up, for 10 to 15 more minutes, or until completely tender.
- Season to taste and serve.
I made it exactly as prescribed and it came out delicious
So glad you loved it, Bob!
I bought a few flavored olive oils and use them on roasted squash. The rosemary flavored is my fav for this recipe. I have a Tuscan herb I’m going to try next. So flavorful!
This is almost how I make it….cook with cut side down until easily pierced with fork..20 min in my oven..then flip add butter, drizzle of maple syrup, then apple sauce (usually cinnamon flavored) into squash return to oven til sauce is warm….becomes a very yummy dessert side with anything
Sounds delicious, Nicki!
Absolutely splendid and healthy 🙂
First-rate recipe! So simple and quick and delicious.
I’m so glad you loved it!
im not a lover ofsquash except pumpkin. but I am now! i Love this recipe and I now Love acorn squash!
Suggest rosemary be added in recipe ingredients. Im eating this twice a month now
Hi Sue, so glad you love the acorn squash!
Cutting vertically from stem to end means cutting it in half the wrong way. I think you mean cut it in the middle of the squash leaving the stem and end intact?
No, look at the pictures, not just this recipe but all of them, they are clearly cut from stem to end.
Don’t swap the maple syrup for honey like I did. I guess honey is combustable and you will have burnt, uncooked squash
Such a classic recipe. You can’t go wrong with it! Love the images on this page… they make my mouth water.
works for me! I really like the idea of apple cider vinegar dressing.with it too, thank you!
ÃŒ love anything Apple cider vinegar I’m trying this method today
I love how pretty your presentation was. I found three different colors of acorn squash, and followed your directions to the letter. I had to cook them at home, deliver to Mom’s for Thanksgiving, where we reheated in the oven, with a piece of foil over the top. My young niece says that she is going to have to cook White Acorn squash all the time now. (I’m going to forward her a link to your recipe).
Hi Kim, I’m so glad everyone enjoyed them!
This is fucking delicious.
I’m glad you enjoyed it 🙂
Happy Friday, I am presently roasting acorn squash simply. My method is you way of temperature oven. My seasoning: coating with maple syrup, cinnamon and pumpkin spice with Everything Seasoning sprinkle.
It smells so warm and cozy in here. Thank you. I also like others of your recipes I will experience. God BLESS.
I hope you enjoy the squash and I’m glad you’re enjoying the aromas!
The maple roasted acorn squash was delicious!
I didn’t have fresh herbs so I used the dried variety I had in hand. Turned out great This recipe is a keeper!
Great vegetarian recipe, i want to try this at home!
Great vegetarian recipe!
The combination of vegetarian food with a menu that can make the stomach full, a very good recipe, I really like it
I’d never had acorn squash before but since going vegetarian, I’ve been expanding my diet to include all sorts of new vegetables! This was super delicious!
Hi Haley, I’m glad you loved it!
It looks really great. I want to try it. Thank you.
I’ve been wanting to try acorn squash as it’s now abundant at the Farmers’ Market, but didn’t really know what to do with it. I’m looking forward to trying out some of these recipes!
It’s such a great versatile squash – I hope you enjoy it!