How to Cook Acorn Squash

Acorn squash is a sort of winter squash with a darkish inexperienced rind and golden-orange flesh. It’s formed like an acorn and may be simply as robust! Earlier civilizations had been identified to roast complete acorn squash in out of doors clay and brick ovens.

However don’t be delay by the robust exterior — we’ll share recommendations on the way to prepare dinner acorn squash with ease and use it in numerous dishes.

Easy methods to Select and Prep Acorn Squash

How will you inform an acorn squash is able to prepare dinner? When shopping for acorn squash, select ones that don’t have any tender spots or bruising. A ripe squash is a deep inexperienced with a yellow spot.

Wash and dry your acorn squash because the outer pores and skin shall be edible. The truth is, most recipes will let you know to maintain the pores and skin intact, so that you don’t have to peel the squash (until you actually don’t just like the pores and skin).

If you wish to eat it sans pores and skin, peel it after you prepare dinner the squash — it’ll be a lot simpler!

Easy methods to Minimize Acorn Squash

Watch out to not injure your self — chopping into an acorn squash is difficult due to its odd form. At all times use a pointy and durable knife.

1. Verify for a flat, secure backside. In case your squash doesn’t sit flat, minimize the squash’s backside (the place you see the underside stem) to create a flat floor. Then, stand it upright.
2. Minimize the squash slowly. Place the knife on the high of the squash and rock the blade facet to facet, utilizing your free palm to use strain to the highest of the knife. It’s OK to carry the knife out and reposition as wanted because you don’t need the blade to get caught.
3. Slice during. Should you’re nearly achieved and the knife gained’t budge, use your palms to drag the squash aside; simply be aware of your blade.

Easy methods to Roast Acorn Squash

Completely roasted acorn squash is delicate, candy, nutty, and really simple to make. When you’ve minimize your acorn squash in half, use a spoon to take away the seeds. Then comply with these steps:

1. Preheat the oven to 400° F.
2. Season your squash halves. For savory squash, frivolously coat with nonstick cooking spray, then sprinkle with salt and pepper. For a candy, caramelized squash, frivolously coat with nonstick cooking spray, then sprinkle with sugar or honey and a touch of your favorite spice (e.g. cinnamon).
3. Put the squash in a baking pan. Place it flesh facet down when you want a bit char. Should you’re involved in regards to the squash drying out, hold it flesh facet up and pour in a small layer of water to maintain it moist because it bakes.
4. Roast the squash for 45 to 60 minutes. Should you can poke a fork simply into the flesh, it’s achieved.

Can You Prepare dinner Acorn Squash within the Microwave?

Completely. Microwaving cuts down on the cooking time for acorn squash. To make microwaved acorn squash:

1. Poke your squash halves with a knife a number of instances. This enables steam to flee if you microwave.
2. Season your squash halves. For savory squash, frivolously coat with nonstick cooking spray, then sprinkle with salt and pepper. For a candy, caramelized squash, frivolously coat with nonstick cooking spray, then sprinkle with sugar or honey and a touch of your favourite spice (e.g. cinnamon).
3. Put squash in a microwave-safe bowl. Cowl it with a microwave-safe splatter cowl or a plate.
4. Microwave on excessive for 10 to 12 minutes. Should you can poke a fork simply into the flesh, it’s achieved.

Microwaved squash misses the caramelized taste of roasted squash.

However, you possibly can add a few of that again by frivolously coating your squash with nonstick cooking spray, sprinkling it with a bit coconut sugar, and broiling it on excessive for about 5 minutes.

Dishes That Pair Effectively With Acorn Squash

You’ll be able to serve cooked acorn squash as a easy standalone facet dish. However, when you’re up for a culinary problem, many dishes pair effectively with acorn squash:

• Vegetable soup: Acorn squash will be minimize into chunks and added to vegetable soup if the soup cooks for at the very least half-hour. You may also add cooked and cubed acorn squash to ready-made vegetable soup. Or make a creamy soup by pureeing cooked acorn squash. You need to use acorn squash interchangeably with butternut squash, which implies our apple butternut squash soup is ripe for a makeover!
• Leafy salads: Slice cooked acorn squash into your salads to make it style that rather more satisfying.
• Pasta sauce: Layer your marinara or different pasta sauces with the sweetness of cooked acorn squash.
• Layered casseroles: Cooked acorn squash is a supporting ingredient that you would be able to simply add to a casserole earlier than baking. You may also minimize the pasta out completely by substituting sliced, frivolously baked, or microwaved acorn squash. Go gluten-free!

Excellent news: Acorn squash isn’t the one winter squash to take pleasure in! Take a look at The Health Benefits of Butternut Squash or FIXATE Spaghetti Squash Fritters.