16 Acorn Squash Recipes for Fall Dinners and Feasts (2024)

FAQs

How long to bake an acorn squash at 350 degrees? ›

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Place acorn squash halves cut-side down onto a cookie sheet. Bake in the preheated oven until flesh begins to soften, about 30 to 45 minutes. Remove squash from the oven and transfer one squash half, cut-side up, to a deep baking dish.

Good news: you don't need to peel acorn squash. Its hard, grooved skin softens significantly as it cooks, and it's edible, too. If you do want to remove the skin, wait until after you cook it, at which point it will peel right off.

Freezing raw squash:

Use a paring knife or a vegetable peeler to remove the skin. Cube the squash into smaller, like-sized pieces and arrange them in a single layer on a baking sheet. Once the squash pieces are completely frozen, transfer them to a freezer-safe container or storage bag.

Most recipes say to either bake or roast butternut squash—but what's the difference? While both cooking methods will turn the tough, raw gourd into a soft, sweet ingredient, roasting butternut squash is the more common process for achieving browned, crispy edges and a creamy interior.

Things to Watch Out For

Acorn squash is a starchy vegetable, meaning it's higher in carbs than non starchy ones, like broccoli and spinach. If you're watching your carbs, limit acorn squash to one cup or about 25% of your plate.

Acorn squash has more carotenoids than any other food. Carotenoids are a powerful antioxidant that help fight inflammation and prevent cell damage.

Acorn squash is packed with both soluble and insoluble fiber. Though they have different functions in your body, both play important roles in digestive health. Insoluble fiber adds bulk to your stools while soluble fiber softens them, preventing constipation and supporting regular bowel movements ( 13 ).

You'll know when the squash is done when you can easily insert a fork in the flesh. You want it tender, yet not mushy. If the squash is already cut in half, you can easily test if it is done by sticking a fork in the flesh of the squash. If it's fork-tender, it's done cooking and ready to eat.

Klein explains that the best types of squash to feed your dog are butternut squash, pumpkin, zucchini, and acorn squash. In particular, zucchini is the squash most easily digested by dogs.

For most winter squash, store at 50º to 55º F with relative humidity of 60 to 70 percent. The one exception, again, is Acorn squash, which should be kept at temperatures less than 55. Higher temperatures cause the flesh to become stringy. Avoid storing squash in higher humidity, which can promote rot.

Can you freeze uncooked acorn squash? ›

If you've wound up with more acorn squash than you can eat before it spoils, you can safely store it in the freezer, packaged in freezer-safe containers or storage bags for later use.

Once cut, wrap raw pieces in plastic wrap, refrigerate, and use within four days. Cooked acorn squash can be sealed and refrigerated up to four days. Before freezing, acorn squash must be cooked.

If storing Acorn squash, curing will not be necessary. Once cured, squash store best in cooler, dark environments, such as a shelf, cabinet or drawer in a pantry or closet. Wrap the individual squash in cloth or paper and ensure that they are not touching each other to prevent bruising.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Place the squash on a sheet pan and drizzle with the olive oil, salt, and pepper and toss well. Arrange the squash in one layer and roast for 25 to 30 minutes, until the squash is tender, turning once with a metal spatula.

Gather the ingredients and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Place squash, cut-sides down, in a 9x13-inch baking dish. Pour 2 cups water into the dish around the squash halves. Bake in the preheated oven until tender and easily pierced with a fork, about 1 1/2 hours, adding more water as needed.

Summer squash (Cucurbita pepo) is a warm-season crop that grows best at average temperatures between 65 and 75 °F. Squash seeds do not germinate well in cold soil. In the spring, do not plant this crop until after the last chance of frost has passed, and the soil temperature is 60 ºF, 4-inches below the surface.

The squash is done when tender.

The squash is ready when you can easily pierce a fork through the flesh all the way to the peel. The flesh will also separate easily into spaghetti-like strands.