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Two roasted and caramelized acorn squash halves are sprinkled with sage and roasted squash seeds.

Maple Roasted Acorn Squash On The Side

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  • Author: Kathryn Alexandre
  • Total Time: 1 hour
  • Yield: 2 servings 1x
  • Diet: Vegan

Description

This beautiful maple roasted acorn squash is a stunning festive side! Easy to prepare, melts in your mouth, and perfectly caramelized!

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 acorn squash*
  • 1 tbsp melted vegan butter
  • 1 1/2 tbsp maple syrup
  • 1/4 tsp salt and pepper
  • Sage leaves, optional (or herb of choice, I used frozen sage!)*

*Fresh Ingredients you need that are not part of our pantry and freezer tips.

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F and prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat.
  2. Wash your squash well under running water as you will be eating the skin. Slice the squash in half from stem to stem. When you arrive at the thick top stem just pull the two halves apart and the stem will split cleanly (no need to try and slice through it).
  3. Use a spoon to scrape out the seeds and stringy membrane. Reserve the seeds and follow the instructions below for roasting them (toss the stringy membrane in your veggie scraps for flavourful homemade broth!).
  4. With the seeds removed, place the squash halves on the prepared baking sheet with the skin side up. Brush the skins with some of the melted butter and sprinkle with salt and pepper. 
  5. Flip the squash halves so the flesh is facing up and brush the squash flesh with the remaining melted butter, the maple syrup, and give them another pinch of salt and pepper.
  6. Place them in the oven (flesh side up) and roast for 40-50 minutes.
  7. While your squash roasts you can prepare the seeds and roast them along with the squash for the last 10 minutes of the cooking time. Pull the seeds from the stringy membrane, rinse them clean, and pat them dry with a clean cloth. Spread the seeds in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with parchment or a silicone mat. You can keep the seeds plain or drizzle them with a bit of olive oil, salt, and pepper. You can even add maple syrup if you prefer them sweet!
  8. At 40 minutes check the squash. Scoop a bit of the butter and maple syrup that has pooled in the centre cavity over the edges of the flesh to give them a quick baste. Now you can sprinkle with any fresh or dried herbs you desire. I used some frozen sage leaves I had and it worked well! Thyme, rosemary, oregano, or even a sprinkle of cinnamon could be nice!
  9. Roast the seeds on a lower rack in the oven with the squash for the final 10 minutes or so (the seeds will take 8-10 minutes, they are done when they start “popping” and are lightly browned).
  10. Best served straight from the oven. You can sprinkle with some fresh herbs and the roasted seeds if desired. If you need to reheat the squash, place it back in the oven for a few minutes until warm.

Notes

Approximate Cost: CAD $4.29 for the squash plus any herbs you desire. Our cost using the frozen sage leaves we had is roughly an extra $0.15.

The maple syrup provides a subtle sweetness to the squash. If you prefer the squash quite sweet, consider sprinkling with brown sugar (coconut or cane sugar could work as well).

1 squash can feed 2 to 4 people as a side dish. Either serve one half for each person or quarter the squash once it is roasted to feed 4. Increase the butter and maple syrup amounts depending on how many squash you are roasting.

  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 50 minutes
  • Category: Side Dish
  • Method: Roasted
  • Cuisine: American

Find it online: https://tastythriftytimely.com/maple-roasted-acorn-squash-on-the-side/