Name: Baked Acorn Squash With Brown Sugar
Prep time: 5 min
Total time: 60 min
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons butter, plus more for surface; 2 medium acorn squash, (about 1 ½ pounds each); 2 tablespoons light-brown sugar; Coarse salt and ground pepper

Prep Time:

5 mins

Total Time:

1 hr

Servings:

4

A favorite fall side dish, acorn squash with brown sugar is easy and delicious. It only requires a few minutes of prep: preheat the oven, halve the squash and scoop out the seeds, then place the squash halves cut side down on a buttered baking sheet. The squash bakes until soft and caramelized (you need to flip it once and add the sugar), leaving you time to focus on the rest of dinner.

Acorn squash has a mild, sweet, almost honeyed flavor that is enhanced by roasting with butter and brown sugar. This simple side pairs well with any protein and with stews or casseroles. It's sure to be a go-to recipe you make on repeat until spring.

cooked acorn squash on a platter — Grant Webster

Buying Acorn Squash

When shopping for acorn squash, choose ones that feel heavy for their size, are blemish- and mold-free and have their stem attached—the stem helps prevent the squash from drying out. The squash should be firm and not have any soft spots. Its skin should dark green and may have a patch of yellow or orange where they were on the ground before picking.

Storing Before Cooking

Like other winter squash, whole acorn squash store very well. Keep them cool and dry and they will last a month or more.

How to Cut Acorn Squash

Acorn squash are ridged and rounded, and one end tapers to a point, making them challenging to cut or peel. All you need to do to prep squash for this recipe is wash and pat dry, then halve them crosswise.

Set the squash on a cutting board and position it on its side, rolling it around to find the most stable position so it won't move when you cut it.
Use a sharp chef's knife and hold it with a firm grip when halving the squash, cutting crosswise through the middle of the squash. Keep your fingers out of the way in case the squash rolls away from you.
Scoop out the squash seeds and fibers using a large sturdy spoon.
Slice a small piece off the bottom of each squash half so it sits level.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons butter, plus more for surface
2 medium acorn squash, (about 1 ½ pounds each)
2 tablespoons light-brown sugar
Coarse salt and ground pepper

Directions

Grant Webster

Preheat oven and prep baking sheet:

Preheat oven to 425°F. Generously butter a rimmed baking sheet. Halve squash crosswise. Scoop out seeds; discard. Slice a small piece off bottom of each squash half just enough to level.

Grant Webster
Transfer squash halves to sheet; bake:

Set squash halves, scooped sides down, on prepared sheet. Bake until golden, 20 to 25 minutes.

Grant Webster
Turn squash, add butter and sugar:

Turn squash; prick insides all over with a fork. Divide 2 tablespoons butter and sugar among halves; season with salt and pepper.

Grant Webster
Bake

Bake squash until flesh is easily pierced with the tip of a paring knife, 25 to 30 minutes. Serve warm.

Grant Webster

Frequently Asked Questions

Do you remove the skin from an acorn squash before cooking?

No, there's no need to peel an acorn squash before you bake or roast it. Even better, the skin separates easily from the flesh once the squash is cooked—and when you eat a baked acorn squash half, you can simply scoop the flesh out as you eat, the skin is like a bowl. Or you can eat the cooked skin, it's edible.

Why cook squash cut side down?

Most baked acorn squash recipes start by placing the halves cut side down on the baking dish. This puts the cut side of the squash in contact with the hot baking sheet and promotes caramelization on the cut side of the squash which both looks and tastes good.