Maple Roasted Acorn Squash

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

You don’t have to peel the squash. Depending on the variety, the bumpy but beautiful shape can make it a challenge to peel. Acorn squash is best left with its skin on. As it bakes, the skin softens and adds good texture.

The marinade for the squash is what makes the flavors special. With just 5 ingredients including maple syrup and cayenne pepper, it enhances the natural sweetness of the squash while giving it a little kick.

You can substitute with another type of winter squash. Delicata squash, kabocha squash, and red kuri squash are all good options, again no peeling required.

The Ingredients

This is what you need (find the full ingredient list in the recipe card below):

• Acorn Squash: When you’re looking for acorn squash at the grocery or market, find squash that feel heavy for their size. The skin should be smooth, and they shouldn’t have any soft spots.
• Maple syrup adds some sweetness that balances with the savory ingredients. It gives the roasted squash essence of fall-winter flavors.
• Cayenne pepper, kosher salt and black pepper season the marinade.
• Walnuts & pumpkin seeds: This recipe isn’t just about roasting the squash. The toppings you add after it’s out of the oven are important too. These ingredients give the soft squash nutty crunch.
• Pomegranate seeds have a sweet, tart and juicy bite. You can substitute with dried cranberries.
• Goat cheese is creamy, tangy and a little unexpected. I have also tested this recipe with crumbled feta, which has a more salty taste.
• Scallions & parsley. Together they do the work of onions and herbs adding fresh aromatics to this roasted veggie side dish.

How To Make Maple Roasted Acorn Squash

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Prep and cut the acorn squash.

1. Whisk together the marinade including the oil, maple syrup, cayenne pepper, salt and black pepper.

2. Add the squash slices to the marinade tossing them around in the mixture, ao they are well coated. I like to do just do this with my hands.

3. Arrange the squash on a sheet pan. Do not line it with parchment paper and make sure the slices are not overlapping. They will brown better if they maximize contact with the pan.

4. Roast the squash. Start with 20 minutes. Flip over the slices and continue roasting for another 15-20 minutes. The squash should be tender, golden and browned at the edges.

5. Put the roasted squash on a serving plate and top with toasted walnuts, pomegranate seeds, pumpkin seeds, goat cheese, scallions and chopped parsley.

Serving

This is a great fall side that also feels appropriate served all the way through winter. The pomegranate seeds give it something a bit holiday, so think of this dish for Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Recipe Tips

• Try to the squash slices the same thickness. This helps them all bake in the same amount of time.
• Keep an eye on the squash as it roasts. Watch out for hot spots in your oven. You may need to rotate the sheet pan or lightly drape a piece of foil over one or more of the wedges if they are browning too quickly.
• You can repurpose leftovers in a salad. Take inspiration from this fall harvest salad or this roasted squash salad.

More Roasted Winter Squash Side Dishes

Miso-Glazed Red Kuri Squash
Parmesan Herb Roasted Acorn Squash
Easy Roasted Honeynut Squash

Looking for more roasted veggie inspiration? Check out my seasonal guide with recipes for pastas, salads, sides and more.