Easy Roasted Acorn Squash Recipe - The Carefree Kitchen (2024)

FAQs

How long does it take to bake acorn squash at 350 degrees? ›

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Place squash in a shallow baking pan, cut-side down. Bake in preheated oven until tender, about 30 minutes.

Next time you roast a squash like acorn, butternut or honeynut, try leaving the skins on and give them a nibble. Be sure to scrub the skin well, Joyce recommends, to remove any dirt or debris. The pleasantly chewy texture may just surprise you, plus you can never go wrong with more fiber.

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.

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.

Is it better to roast butternut squash face up or down? I personally prefer to roast my butternut squash with the cut-side-up. In my opinion, roasting it cut-side-up allows for the butternut squash to caramelize, rather than just steam and cook.

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.

Putting it cut-side down creates a sort-of steam chamber for the flesh, helping it cook faster and retain moisture (no dried out squash here!).

A squash with soft spots and is soft to the touch, is a sign that the squash has gone bad. And if it starts to leak fluid, that's a sure sign that the squash is spoiled. Likewise, if the flesh and seeds of the fruit are mushy and slimy, that's a clear sign that it shouldn't be eaten.

The 7-5/8" Petite Chef is a good knife for cutting acorn squash. Its sharp, long blade and comfortable handle allow for more control while cutting.

After softening the squash, add to cold water and chill for 5 minutes until able to handle. The safest way to peel an acorn squash is to use a vegetable peeler. You can peel it while whole, or cut it down into slices or wedges and then peel.

Can diabetics eat acorn squash? ›

A hearty side dish or precursor to a soup, roasted winter squash is a delicious and versatile fixture in the diets of people with diabetes. Though technically classified as fruits, acorn squash and butternut squash are considered starchy vegetables that can serve as healthy replacements for russet potatoes.

Butternut Squash

Per cup, butternut also offers 3 grams of fiber to benefit gut health. Due to it's high antioxidant activity, and presence of the carotenoid zeaxanthin, research has suggested butternut squash may help protect your eyes from macular degeneration, support heart health and play a role in immune function.

Like other winter squash, acorn squash are highly nutritious, providing a quality source of vitamins, minerals, and fiber. One cup (205 grams) of cooked acorn squash offers ( 2 ): Calories: 115. Carbs: 30 grams.

Like most plants in the Cucurbita family, they cannot handle even a light frost (which occurs at 32 degrees Fahrenheit). Acorn squash seedlings will need to be transplanted out 1-2 weeks after the last frost when soil temperatures are consistently at least 60 degrees Fahrenheit.

Butternut squash, cut into 1-inch cubes, should be perfectly roasted after about 25 to 35 minutes in an oven heated to 400 degrees F. When it's done, the squash should be lightly browned and easily pierced with a fork.

When growing acorn squash, plant five or six seeds per hill, but wait until the soil temperature rises to 60 F. (15 C.) and all danger of frost is past since the seeds need warmth to germinate and the plants are extremely frost tender. These vines prefer temperatures between 70 and 90 F.