Roasted Acorn Squash Recipe with Rosemary and Garlic (2024)

FAQs

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

1. Place squash halves, cut sides down, in a baking dish. 2. Bake in a 350°F oven 45 to 50 minutes or until tender.

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.

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. Spoon butter and brown sugar into the cavity.

You don't have to peel it before roasting. That's right. You do not have to suffer through peeling an entire slippery butternut squash if you're going to roast it. The skin is perfectly safe to eat, and it's hardly noticeable after a nice roast in a hot oven.

Place the squash halves flesh side up on a parchment-lined sheet pan. If you don't have parchment paper, line the baking sheet with aluminum foil or leave it bare. Be sure to leave a little space between each squash half. That's it, it's ready to cook!

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.

Bake at 400°F for about 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes, until the tops of the squash halves are nicely browned and the squash flesh is very soft and cooked through. It's hard to overcook squash, it just gets better with more caramelization. Don't undercook it.

The first and most important thing to have on-hand is a very sharp chef's knife or a longer, thick utility knife. Lay the squash on it's side. Raise a knife 3-4 inches above the squash and give it a little chop to break into it. Using your other hand, press down on the top of the blade and slice all the way through.

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.

Not Using the Right Cooking Technique

Squashes behave very differently when cooked in the oven or on the stovetop. Generally, a squash that is roasted in the oven is going to have a much softer texture, one that can get mushy if mixed with other ingredients, but making it ideal for a purée, soup, or being mashed.

Why is my roasted squash dry? ›

Don't skimp on the oil.

Some are super-soft and creamy, sort of like a baked sweet potato, while others are a bit more dry and chalky. To prevent these squash from becoming too dry in the oven, make sure to coat them generously with oil.

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.

Check the squash after 30 minutes to gauge cooking. 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.