18 Amazing Acorn Squash Recipes That Taste Like Fall (2024)

Acorn squash is easy to spot in harvest displays and at farm stands because of its iconic shape, distinct ridges, and dark green skin. They are readily available in a handy size (about two servings per squash), which lends well to one of our favorite preparations: halved, seeded, and roasted until golden brown, withbutter and brown sugarmelting into a pool inside. The result is a delicious, buttery half for each person to enjoy.

What to Do With Acorn Squash

Acorn squash is more neutral and less intensely sweet than butternut or hubbard squash. This means it is complemented by the richness of butter, cream, cheese, or a generous coating of olive oil before roasting or baking. Like many winter squashes, acorn squash pairs well with a wide spectrum of flavors—sweet, spicy, and savory.

And like other winter squash, it's versatile and can be roasted or puréed, even pickled or marinated, and served as part of a relish tray or antipasto platter. It has one special feature not found in other winter squash—its perfect shape and size are ideal for stuffing. Used as a cup for grains and other stuffings, acorn squash is an ideal vegetarian option for a holiday table.

Acorn Squash Skin

The thin skin of the acorn squash makes it easier to cut and peel than many larger, hard-skinned squashes. Another plus: The skin of the acorn squash is actually edible, so you can cook it in the skin and eat the entire thing.

Buying Acorn Squash

Look for acorn squash in early the fall through December. When you buy acorn squash, it should have dark green skin, sometimes with yellow-orange patches or striations. Choose ones that have a smooth, taut surface, free of blemishes. Always buy squash with the stem attached. Not only does it make a pretty handle—it keeps the squash from spoiling. When you lift it up, if your squash feels light, chances are it will be dry when you cut it open. Store at room temperature for up to one month in a cool, dark place.

Our Very Best Winter Squash Recipes, Starring Acorn, Butternut, Delicata, and More

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Spicy Squash Salad With Ginger-Lime Dressing

18 Amazing Acorn Squash Recipes That Taste Like Fall (1)

Break out of your green salad rut with this lively number.

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Roasted Squash With Sesame Seeds and Cumin

18 Amazing Acorn Squash Recipes That Taste Like Fall (2)

Put a savory spin on sweet acorn squash with cumin, coriander, and sesame seeds.

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Sausages With Acorn Squash and Onions

18 Amazing Acorn Squash Recipes That Taste Like Fall (3)

Plump pork sausages mingle well with slices of sweet acorn squash in this 30-minute sheet-pan dinner.

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Baked Acorn Squash With Brown Sugar

18 Amazing Acorn Squash Recipes That Taste Like Fall (4)

Simple and delicious, this easy fall side might be our favorite way to enjoy acorn squash.

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Acorn Squash With Mixed Grain Stuffing

18 Amazing Acorn Squash Recipes That Taste Like Fall (5)

Use this brilliant stuffed squash idea as a template: Squash halves are seasoned with an aromatic spice mix and roasted, cut side down, until just tender. Then, they are filled with a flavorful, whole-grain stuffing before baking again. Try this version with its Middle Eastern accents and the crunch of juicy pomegranate seeds, and you might decide to keep it on repeat.

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Pickle-Dressed Acorn Squash and Beets

18 Amazing Acorn Squash Recipes That Taste Like Fall (6)

Steaming squash is a revelation: It can be sliced easily with the skin left intact, and it is cooked in under 10 minutes. You can marinate it any way you like. Dressed as it is here in an acidic marinade, it makes a lovely addition to a holiday relish tray, along with other vegetables and cheese.

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Acorn Squash Purée

18 Amazing Acorn Squash Recipes That Taste Like Fall (7)

Baking or steaming then blended with butter, salt, and a sprinkle of nutmeg, produces a versatile acorn squash purée. Use it in soups, sauces, and anywhere you would use pumpkin.

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Stuffed Acorn Squash With Quinoa and Pistachios

18 Amazing Acorn Squash Recipes That Taste Like Fall (8)

This main-course-worthy dish is a real looker—and it's substantial, too: Quinoa is a great source of protein. If you're serving vegans, swap the feta for some nutritional yeast, which has a mild, nutty, cheesy flavor.

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Sourdough Stuffing With Apples, Acorn Squash, and Hazelnuts

18 Amazing Acorn Squash Recipes That Taste Like Fall (9)

This enticing bread stuffing shows us how easy it is to prepare acorn squash for use in stuffing. Without peeling it first, slice it in half, scoop out the seeds, and chop the squash into cubes. Save the seeds for roasting later.

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Chicory Salad With Maple-Roasted Acorn Squash

18 Amazing Acorn Squash Recipes That Taste Like Fall (10)

Sweet, maple-glazed acorn squash balances out the slightly bitter crunch of frisée and escarole in this elegant salad. The finishing touch is a simple vinaigrette of hazelnut oil, lemon juice, and sherry vinegar.

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Acorn Squash Bisque

18 Amazing Acorn Squash Recipes That Taste Like Fall (11)

The smooth texture of acorn squash gives this puréed soup its character. Adding just a little bit of half-and-half and butter makes it extra creamy.

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Acorn Squash Lasagna

18 Amazing Acorn Squash Recipes That Taste Like Fall (12)

Ricotta cheese and puréed acorn squash make a creamy, lightly sweet filling for this unique fall lasagna. Using no-boil noodles makes the preparation quicker by half an hour.

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Roasted Acorn Squash With Cinnamon Butter

18 Amazing Acorn Squash Recipes That Taste Like Fall (13)

Roasted acorn squash wedges are lightly glazed with warm cinnamon butter for this easy, any-night side. You can make the squash up to one day ahead and simply reheat it in the oven before serving.

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Acorn Squash Soup With Kale

18 Amazing Acorn Squash Recipes That Taste Like Fall (14)

Creamy golden acorn squash soup is brightened by kale and garnished with bacon in this hearty soup. Make extra Acorn Squash Purée and freeze it for a quick batch of soup anytime.

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Glazed Acorn Squash

18 Amazing Acorn Squash Recipes That Taste Like Fall (15)

This acorn squash side dish couldn't be easier. Simply cut the squash into slices, sprinkle with salt, pepper, and brown sugar, then roast until tender. It's a crowd-pleasing dish.

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Roasted Squash With Onions and Yogurt

18 Amazing Acorn Squash Recipes That Taste Like Fall (16)

Wedges of acorn squash are roasted with red onions and topped with Greek yogurt and mint leaves. This side goes well with roasted pork, lamb, or chicken.

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Roasted Acorn Squash With Pomegranate Glaze

18 Amazing Acorn Squash Recipes That Taste Like Fall (17)

Acorn squashes are transformed by slicing them into rings and roasting. Then, brushing the rings with a glossy pomegranate glaze perfumed with peppercorns, cinnamon, allspice, and bay leaf toward the end of cooking.

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Acorn Squash Stuffed With Mushrooms and Rice

18 Amazing Acorn Squash Recipes That Taste Like Fall (18)

A hearty combination of cremini or white mushrooms and rice makes a substantial stuffing for acorn squash halves.

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18 Amazing Acorn Squash Recipes That Taste Like Fall (2024)

FAQs

Is acorn squash a fall food? ›

Look for acorn squash in early the fall through December.

What is the best tasting acorn squash? ›

Table Ace Acorn Squash is well-known as the best tasting acorn squash on the market.

How do you give squash more flavor? ›

Brown Nicely When cooking summer squash, don't be afraid of a little browning. A nicely browned surface adds great flavor. 5. Partner Strategically Finally, balance squash's milder taste with stronger flavors like chilies, curry, ginger, garlic, lemon, goat cheese and so on.

What month is acorn squash in season? ›

Seasonality: Acorn squash is in usually available year-round, with peak season from early October to December.

What is autumnal squash? ›

Description. Bred specifically for the UK climate, including the North of England, Autumn Crown Squash combines the best characteristics of colour of a butternut type along with the familiar shape of Crown Prince. These are pale orange coloured on the outside but have deep orange flesh inside.

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.

What is the most flavourful squash? ›

  1. 1 • Delicata / Sweet Dumpling. These are the most delectable of the pepo squashes, often much sweeter than their close cousins, the green acorns. ...
  2. 2 • Kabocha. ...
  3. 3 • Butternut. ...
  4. 4 • Acorn. ...
  5. 5 • Spaghetti. ...
  6. 6 • Buttercup. ...
  7. 7 • Hubbard.

Why is my acorn squash tasteless? ›

If you pick too early, the flesh will not be fully developed and the squash will lack flavor and not be that wonderfully vegetal sweet that is the wonder of butternut, honeynut, delicata, acorn, pumpkin and kabocha, among dozens of other winter squash.

Which squash tastes most like pumpkin? ›

Hubbard Squash

Because of their size, hubbards are often sold in seeded pre-cut chunks, making the squash more appealing to home cooks. Hubbards are slightly tear-shaped with dark green to pale grayish blue skins and remarkably sweet flesh with a clear pumpkin flavor.

What is the best season for squash? ›

Peak Season: Fall

Don't let the title of winter squash fool you – whether homegrown or picked locally for your farmers market or grocery store, the best time to harvest a winter squash in is the fall.

How do you cook squash so it doesn't get soggy? ›

The secret to zucchini with the best flavor and texture is roasting it in a 450°F oven. Roasting zucchini at a high temperature instead of baking or sautéing helps develop browning and a slight char on the outside, which keeps it from getting soggy.

How do you get the bitter taste out of squash? ›

It helps to know that the bitter compound is more concentrated in the stem rather than in the blossom end of the squash. To reduce the bitter flavor, peel the squash, beginning at the blossom end, and discard a couple of inches of it at the stem end.

What are some fun facts about acorn squash? ›

The Acorn squash was a favorite of early civilizations as it could be baked whole in their outdoor clay and brick ovens. Dating back to 4000 B.C., acorn squash, sometimes called Danish squash, is an edible gourd that grows on a vine.

What are the benefits of eating acorn squash? ›

This squash has a lot of antioxidants, which can boost your immunity and help your body to fight off certain diseases. Acorn squash contains antioxidants like vitamin C that help strengthen bones and blood vessels. It also has vitamin A, which helps improve the health of your lungs, heart and other vital organs.

How to tell if acorn squash is bad? ›

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.

When should I eat acorn squash? ›

A ripe Acorn Squash is heavy for its size and has smooth, dull skin, and no soft spots. A good mix between green and orange coloring is desired. Avoid an Acorn Squash that has shiny skin, which indicates it was picked before full maturity, unless the producer has applied wax.

Is squash a summer or fall vegetable? ›

Winter Squash of all sorts comes into season in early fall and usually last well into winter. Zucchini have a harvest season from summer into fall in most climates.

Is acorn squash available year round? ›

Acorn squash is a delicious type of winter squash, alongside other gourds like pumpkin, butternut squash, and spaghetti squash. As with other fall favorites, their peak season is October to March, but it's available year-round.

Is acorn a summer or winter squash? ›

Acorn squash (Cucurbita pepo var. turbinata), also called pepper squash or Des Moines squash, is a winter squash with distinctive longitudinal ridges on its exterior and sweet, yellow-orange flesh inside.

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