Maple Roasted Acorn Squash

Sweet and tender with a lovely roasted maple flavor, Maple-Roasted Acorn Squash is a vegetarian dish that’s hearty, delicious, and easy to make. A great choice on fall menus, you can even make this delish squash side dish ahead of time. Hungry? Read on and I’ll show you all my best tips and tricks to make this great side dish perfect every time!

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Baked acorn squash with maple syrup is just so gosh darn good. The sweet syrup just does magical things when roasted with the squash, and ends up being roasty and toasty without being overly sweet. Plus, this is the perfect kind of dish – pop it in the oven and that’s it! It’s a great addition to your Thanksgiving table, or enjoy it any time you can get fresh acorn squash.

What You Need To Make Maple Roasted Acorn Squash

• Sheet pan or baking sheet – heavy duty sheet pans are a must for any home cook
• Parchment paper – parchment paper makes cleanup a breeze!
• Acorn squash – 1/2 acorn squash per person.
• Olive oil
• Pure maple syrup – spring for the real deal!
• Salt and pepper – Season to taste.

How To Tell If An Acorn Squash Is Ripe

Acorn squash are also known as pepper squash or Des Moines squash, and telling if they’re ripe or not can be a bit of a challenge. Here are some tell-tale ways to know if your squash is ripe:

• Look for hard acorn squash – the skin should be hard and firm
• Should be dark green – a ripe acorn squash will be a very dark green, getting close to black. There may be a yellowish spot on the bottom of the squash where it grew on top of the ground. That’s fine – as long as the rest of your squash is dark green you’re good to go

In most cases, acorn squash are ripe when picked because they do not ripe off the vine. Kept in a dry, cool place, an acorn squash will keep for quite a few weeks.

How To Roast Acorn Squash with Maple Syrup

Scroll down for the full recipe card with exact measurements and printable instructions.

Cutting the acorn squash is the trickiest part of this recipe because the skin is thick and firm. I like to use a large chef’s knife and a sturdy cutting board to make the job easier.

Cut the acorn squash in half from the stem end to the tip. To do this safely, insert the tip of the knife into the squash about halfway, then pull the knife downward to slice through the flesh. Push the knife through the rest of the squash to separate it into two halves.

Use a large spoon to scoop out the seeds and discard them. A grapefruit spoon works especially well here because the serrated edge grabs the seeds easily.

Line a sheet pan with parchment paper and place the squash halves cut side up on the pan.

Drizzle the cut surfaces with olive oil, making sure the flesh is lightly coated. Drizzle maple syrup over the squash, then season with salt and pepper. It is perfectly fine if some of the syrup pools in the cavity.

Roast in a preheated 425 F oven for about 20 minutes. Carefully spoon some of the melted maple syrup and juices from the pan over the squash to baste it.

Return the squash to the oven and continue roasting until the flesh is tender and lightly caramelized.

Serve warm and enjoy the sweet, roasted fall flavors.

Chef Jenn’s Tips

• Use a good quality real maple syrup for this vegan acorn squash recipe which is perfect for fall meals
• Count on about 1/2 an acorn squash per adult diner
• Make sure to line your sheet pan with parchment paper for easy cleanup
• Simple dishes like this are stunning, but if you need a bit more flavor, sprinkle on some chipotle powder or even red pepper flakes
• Top it with some chopped and toasted pecans for a bit of crunch, or a teaspoon ground cinnamon

What To Serve With Maple Roasted Acorn Squash

I love this squash with subtle natural sweetness, and this vegetable side dish pairs nicely with a simple grilled steak or even oven-roasted chicken. I’ll often serve just the squash, with a tasty salad or other vegetables, if we’re trying to eat lighter. If this dish is a part of a holiday meal, don’t forget to finish with a slice of tasty Egg Nog Cake!

Frequently Asked Questions