I’ve discovered that so many acorn squash recipes that concentrate on sugar, lacking the prospect to showcase the savory aspect of this pleasant winter vegetable. That’s why I made a decision to create a recipe that mixes the pure sweetness of acorn squash with fragrant herbs, garlic, butter, and a contact of Parmesan cheese for a real savory-packed dish good for a weeknight dinner or a seasonal get-together.
This recipe’s savory flare highlights the squash’s scrumptious, nutritious, and hearty taste with none reliance on brown sugar or an overload of butter. I’ve made this dish time and time once more for my family and friends, and so they can’t appear to get sufficient of this consolation meal of mine every fall!
Recipe Highlights
This aspect dish recipe is a favourite as a result of it’s extremely simple to make, excessive in dietary worth, and really allergen-friendly. It’s vegetarian, gluten- and grain-free, and accommodates no nuts or eggs. It’s additionally wonderful when it comes to event versatility; I can serve it as a part of my weeknight dinner, a vacation potluck, and even at a enjoyable get-together with my shut buddies.
Components To Make Savory Acorn Squash
This recipe tastes fancy sufficient for a restaurant menu, but it surely comes collectively so simply with on a regular basis substances from my pantry and fridge. Right here’s what I exploit to make among the finest acorn squash recipes I’ve give you:
- Acorn squash — This recipe was designed to make use of acorn squash, however I might use butternut squash, delicata, or one other sturdy winter squash selection. Relying on which one I used and the way huge the items have been, the baking time would alter a bit.
- Parmesan cheese — Parmesan is an easy-to-find and flavorful selection to make use of within the roasted acorn squash recipe. I might additionally use Asiago cheese, Pecorino Romano cheese, Manchego, or one other hard-aged white cheese.
- Herbs — I exploit contemporary herbs, dried herbs, or a mix of each. My favourite herb mixture for this recipe is contemporary thyme, sage, oregano, and rosemary. Nevertheless, if I don’t have contemporary herbs available, I’ll use dried Italian seasoning.
- Butter — If wanted, I can sub for the butter with ghee, extra-virgin olive oil, avocado oil, or coconut oil.
- Garlic powder — I exploit both freshly grated garlic or – if I’m in a pinch – onion powder.
- Salt — Considered one of my favourite sorts for this recipe is kosher salt.
- Black pepper
This savory and salty mixture tastes implausible when it coats the oven-roasted acorn squash. If you wish to swap it up, although, my husband has additionally added toppings like finely diced bacon items, capers, finely minced mushrooms, paprika, and cooked sausage bits. I’ve even had one good friend who needed this recipe to have slightly kick of warmth and add some cayenne pepper or chili powder to the combo.
Discover the ingredient checklist with actual measurements within the recipe card beneath.
Make It Vegan
I could make this recipe vegan just by utilizing vegan butter and a vegan Parmesan different. Once more, this simple change to fulfill particular dietary wants is a big cause I like this recipe of mine!
Not A Fan Of The Rind? No Drawback!
If I’m cooking a squash however don’t need the rind (aka the pores and skin) on it, I merely peel it or lower it off. The simplest approach I’ve discovered to do that is to make use of a vegetable peeler, and I’m going about it in the identical approach I’d with peeling a potato.
Ingredient Spotlight: Acorn Squash
Acorn squash is a starchy veggie, that means it has extra carbohydrates than lean greens, corresponding to broccoli. Acorn squash is a superb supply of:
- Dietary fiber: Unbelievable for digestion and general well being.
- Vitamin C: Helps promote immunity.
- B nutritional vitamins: Assist purple blood cell manufacturing and metabolism.
- Vitamin A: A disease-fighting protecting provitamin.
- Potassium: Helps coronary heart well being and performance.
How To Make Herb-Roasted Acorn Squash With Parmesan
Right here’s my technique for making this completely tender, oven-baked acorn squash in 5 steps:
- Preheat the oven and prep the pans: Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line one massive (or 2 medium-sized) baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Minimize the squash: Minimize the acorn squash in half, from stem to tip, and scoop out the seeds. Then, with a pointy knife, lower every half into ½-inch thick, moon-shaped slices.
- Make the topping: In a bowl, mix the Parmesan, herbs, melted butter, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper; toss till properly blended.
- Press the topping onto the squash: Unfold the acorn squash items out onto the ready sheet pan(s). Utilizing my arms, I gently press the Parmesan combination onto one aspect of every squash piece for optimum protection (it’s okay if slightly falls off). I then flip every of the acorn squash halves and repeat this step.
- Bake the squash: Bake till acorn squash items are tender and the Parmesan topping is crispy and barely browned (about 25 minutes). If desired, I’ll garnish with extra Parmesan cheese and herbs. Use a flat spatula or turner to carry each bit off of the baking dish and onto a serving tray or dinner plates.
For serving dimension and the whole instructions and ingredient quantities, scroll right down to the recipe card beneath. All of our recipes embody the diet evaluation, itemizing energy (kcals), protein, carbohydrates/carb, fiber, sugar, sodium, ldl cholesterol, and extra per serving.
Minimize Squash Like A Professional
A tricky squash – like an acorn squash – will be exhausting to chop via. Nevertheless, I’ve discovered one of the simplest ways to chop my squash efficiently each time. I merely maintain the squash firmly with one hand on my reducing board and use a chef’s knife to chop the acorn squash in half, from root to stem. Then, I place every half on the reducing board, flat aspect down, and use the identical knife to chop the squash into ½-inch thick half circles (aka half-moons). If I’m actually having a tricky time reducing it, I microwave the entire squash for 1-2 minutes to make it even simpler to lower and cube.
Learn considered one of our 5-Star evaluations:
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
This was my first expertise with acorn squash, and I LOVE IT! We grew some in our backyard this yr, and this recipe was simple and superior! Really easy to make. So DELICIOUS! And far more healthy than including maple syrup or brown sugar. Even the pores and skin tastes GREAT! I sit up for fall and this recipe. Completely scrumptious. It appears precisely as pictured. I had by no means had acorn squash and didn’t need to use sugar. Was skeptical, however, a lot to my shock, this was scrumptious. I might be making it once more. It is a tasty different to the candy brown sugar and nuts model. The night full moon was so brilliant it lit up our yard like a yardlight. I went out a number of occasions to have a look at the sky. After I got here again in, the natural aroma was scrumptious.
-Simon
How To Serve
Considered one of my favourite methods to serve this roasted acorn squash recipe is as a weeknight dinner or a aspect dish for my household’s vacation desk. I’ve additionally served this savory acorn squash recipe at potlucks, fall-time brunches, and at the same time as a essential course once I’ve hosted new dinner visitors at my dwelling. I sometimes pair this roasted squash recipe with salmon, roasted rooster, pork chops, or grilled steak. Nevertheless, I may serve it as a main-course vegetarian dish.
How To Retailer
Acorn squash, together with pumpkins, butternut squash, delicata, spaghetti squash, and extra, is taken into account a long-storing winter squash. Because of this it lasts for a very long time after harvest when saved in a cool and darkish place. Nevertheless, I’ll say that this dish is just not an ideal freezer storage choice; it’s positively higher when saved within the fridge.
If I’ve any leftovers, I can simply retailer this squash for reheating by placing it in considered one of my favourite hermetic containers for meal prep. This ensures my squash will keep contemporary for as much as 4 days within the fridge. To reheat it, I’ll place my desired portion on a baking pan and warmth for 7-9 minutes in my preheated 350°F oven or toaster oven.
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Recipe
Herb-Roasted Acorn Squash with Parmesan Recipe
This herb-roasted Parmesan acorn squash is an ideal aspect dish for any event. The savory flare highlights the squash’s scrumptious taste with out overloading it with brown sugar.
Prep: 10 minutesCook dinner: 25 minutesComplete: 35 minutes
Servings: 4 servings 1x
Directions
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
- Line one massive (or two medium-sized) baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Minimize the acorn squash in half, from stem to tip, and scoop out the seeds. Then, lower every squash half into ½-inch thick moon-shaped slices.
- In a bowl, mix the Parmesan, herbs, melted butter, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper. Toss till properly blended.
- Unfold the acorn squash items out onto the ready baking sheet(s).
- Utilizing your arms, gently press half of the Parmesan combination onto one aspect of every squash piece for optimum protection (it’s OK if slightly falls off). Flip each bit of squash and repeat with the remaining Parmesan combination.
- Bake till the acorn squash items are tender and the Parmesan topping is crispy and barely browned (about 25 minutes).
- If desired, garnish with extra Parmesan cheese and herbs.
- Use a flat spatula to carry every acorn squash slice off of the baking dish and onto a serving tray or dinner plates.
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Notes
*Might substitute the butter with ghee, olive oil, or coconut oil to make this dish match particular dietary wants
Vitamin Info
- Serving Dimension: 1/4th of recipe
- Energy: 143
- Fats: 7 g
- (Sat Fats: 2 g)
- Sodium: 210 mg
- Carbohydrate: 13 g
- (Fiber: 3 g
- Sugar: 0 g)
- Protein: 5 g
Dietary
Steadily Requested Questions
Acorn squash has a barely extra fibrous texture than butternut squash. It has a light pure sweetness, and a few would say it has a light nutty taste. The flavour is just not overpowering in any approach, which is why acorn squash roasted with a tacky herb topping like this one is a superb approach to put together this winter squash.
Sure, since you are roasting the squash in skinny(ish) slices, the pores and skin turns into tender, and you’ll eat it (lots like consuming the pores and skin of a baked potato). But when that’s not your jam, you don’t HAVE to eat it — it could actually merely be peeled away properly from the roasted squash.
Each roasted butternut squash and roasted acorn squash provide distinctive well being advantages. It’s not about one being more healthy than the opposite; slightly, it depends upon particular dietary wants. As an example, whereas acorn squash accommodates much less vitamin A than butternut squash, it has a better fiber content material.
You possibly can inform if an acorn squash is ripe by its good mixture of inexperienced and orange shade. You’ll additionally need to ensure that the squash feels heavy, has easy and boring pores and skin, and has no delicate spots. If an acorn squash is unripe, it would seemingly have shiny pores and skin and a yellow and orange coloration.
You possibly can take your squash seeds, place them on a baking pan, and sprinkle them with gentle olive oil and sea salt. Then, put them within the oven at 325 levels F and allow them to roast for about 10 minutes. You possibly can eat the seeds plain or add them to a salad with different toppings like cranberries and pecans.
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