You’ve probably made or at least tasted pumpkin, spaghetti squash, and butternut squash, but have you tried the lesser-known acorn squash? Learning how to cook acorn squash is easy, and you’ll be asking yourself why you haven’t been cooking it all this time.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Olive oil, salt, and pepper go a long way toward flavoring this healthy winter vegetable. Cut, scoop, season, and cook acorn squash using one of these four methods and make great-tasting squash every single time, whether you use the oven, air fryer, microwave, or Instant Pot.
- Why You'll Love This Recipe
- What is Acorn Squash?
- What You Need to Make This Recipe
- Additions and Substitutions
- How Do You Cut an Acorn Squash?
- How to Cook Acorn Squash
- 1. How to Cook Acorn Squash in the Oven
- 2. How to Cook Acorn Squash in Air Fryer
- 3. How to Cook Acorn Squash in the Microwave
- 4. How to Cook Acorn Squash in Instant Pot
- Expert Tips
- How to Choose an Acorn Squash
- What to do With Acorn Squash
- Serving Suggestions
- How to Store Acorn Squash
- Frequently Asked Questions
- How to Cook Acorn Squash
What is Acorn Squash?
Acorn squash is considered a winter squash, in the same category as butternut, kabocha, delicata, and spaghetti squash. It has a small acorn-like shape with a thick, green outer layer, beautiful ridges, and bright orange flesh.
And for all those wondering -it’s healthy too! The tasty vegetable is an excellent source of vitamin A (thank you, beta-carotene), vitamin C, and riboflavin. While you can find it in stores throughout the year, harvest buttery acorn squash in the fall and winter.
What You Need to Make This Recipe
- Acorn Squash: Look for a 2-3 pound squash and check out our suggestions for how to choose the right one in the section below.
- Olive Oil: Brush the squash with olive oil or another neutral oil of your choice. You can also use melted butter.
- Salt + Pepper: Generously season the squash with salt and pepper.
Additions and Substitutions
- Spices: Ras El Hanout, Cinnamon, Chili Powder, Smoked Paprika, Garam Masala, or North Indian Garam Masala Recipe, Slap Ya Mama Seasoning Recipe
- Meat: Sausage, Bacon, or Prosciutto
- Sweets: Try air fryer acorn squash with brown sugar and warm spices for a sweeter version of the squash! You can also use honey, maple syrup, and cardamom simple syrup.
- Cheese: Asiago Parmesan, or Goat Cheese
- Nuts and Seeds: Pecans, Walnuts, or Pepitas
- Fruit: Apples or Cranberries
- Grains: Quinoa, Rice, or Couscous
How Do You Cut an Acorn Squash?
Compared to other squash varieties such as butternut or spaghetti squash, acorn squash is much easier to cut.
Step 1: Cut it in half. Cut the squash in two from the stem to the bottom using a sharp knife. To make it easier, cut the stem, and cut it in half. You can also turn the squash over and cut from the other side.
Step 2: Remove the Seeds. Scoop the insides out and discard, or you can set the seeds aside to roast, like pumpkin seeds.
How to Cook Acorn Squash
The full recipe with measurements is in the recipe card below.
1. How to Cook Acorn Squash in the Oven
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 400°F (204°C). Pierce the outside with a fork and place it onto a rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle both sides with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
Step 2: Place the squash face down on the baking sheet and roast for 20 minutes.
Flip, and cook for another 20 minutes. Then, remove the squash from the oven and let it cool before serving.
2. How to Cook Acorn Squash in Air Fryer
Follow our method for cooking an acorn squash whole in the air fryer, and if you prefer smaller crispy pieces, check out our recipe for air fryer acorn squash.
Step 1: Preheat the air fryer to 400°F (204°C). Pierce the outside with a fork and place the squash into the air fryer inside facing up. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper; cook for 10 minutes.
Step 2: Flip so the insides are face down and cook for another 10 minutes. Remove the squash from the oven and let it cool before serving.
3. How to Cook Acorn Squash in the Microwave
Step 1: Add water to a microwave-safe dish. Pierce the outside of the squash with a fork. Flip and drizzle the squash with olive oil and, season with salt and pepper. Place the halved acorn squash into the dish.
Step 2: Microwave for 7 minutes and check for doneness. Carefully remove the squash from the microwave and let it cool before serving.
4. How to Cook Acorn Squash in Instant Pot
Step 1: Add a trivet and one cup of water to an Instant Pot. Pierce the outside of the acorn squash with a fork.
Drizzle the insides with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Set the two halves onto the trivet facedown.
Step 2: Secure the lid and set the Instant Pot to manual high pressure for 5 minutes with a quick release. Carefully remove the squash from the Instant Pot and allow it to cool before serving.
Expert Tips
- If you can’t cut through the squash, bake it for 15 minutes at 400°F (204°C). Then, you should have no problem cutting it in half.
- If you want to add more than one acorn squash to the Instant Pot, there is no need to adjust the cooking time.
- When cooking acorn squash in the microwave, the cooking time will depend on the size of your squash and the strength of your microwave. Follow our microwave directions, and if the squash is not tender, cook in 2 minutes increments until it reaches desired consistency.
- For the flavor to penetrate, you can also score the flesh of the squash before adding the olive oil and spices.
Searching for More Like This?
If you love this how-to, try one of these helpful kitchen tips!
How to Choose an Acorn Squash
- Select a squash with lighter green skin and some orange coloring; this lets you know the squash is ready to cook. Too much orange indicates that the squash is overripe.
- Choose a squash that’s between 2-3 pounds. A lighter squash can suggest a loss of moisture.
- Acorn squash should be firm and without soft spots.
What to do With Acorn Squash
Using these methods for how to cook acorn squash results in a fork-tender squash that’s ready to be topped with your favorite ingredients or added to another dish.
- Stuffed Squash: Spoon the cooked squash into a mixing bowl, and add it to vegetables, shredded or ground meat, and cheese. Return the mixture to the skins and bake.
- Casserole: Combine the squash with other ingredients in a casserole dish and bake. You can make a savory casserole like acorn squash au gratin or go the sweeter route and flavor the squash with pecans and brown sugar.
- Mashed Acorn Squash: Scoop out the inside of the acorn squash and add it to a serving dish with a few tabs of butter. Taste and season with salt and serve the vegetable as an alternative to mashed potatoes.
- Soup: Add the cooked acorn squash to a stew, or puree it with other ingredients to make acorn squash soup.
- Salad: Roasted squash is a beautiful addition to salad, especially if it has bright, leafy greens and roasted pumpkin seeds. Speaking of, try it with our fall kale salad!
- Pasta: Eat it with pasta and homemade sauce like sugo al Pomodoro or pesto.
How to Store Acorn Squash
- Pantry – Store the squash in a cool, dry place like a pantry for up to one month.
- Refrigerate – Keep the leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 5-7 days, making the squash perfect for meal prep.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does acorn squash taste like?
Acorn squash is sweet and mild in flavor with a hint of nuttiness. And because of its buttery sweetness, this delicious winter squash deserves a place on the table.
Can you eat acorn squash skin?
There is no need to peel the squash; it will become tender as it cooks. Now, you may be asking – is it okay to eat the skin? As a matter of fact – yes, it is!
How long to cook acorn squash?
• Oven – Roast for 40 minutes.
• Air Fryer – Cook for 20 minutes.
• Microwave – Cook for 7 minutes.
• Instant Pot – Pressure cook for 5 minutes.
How to cook acorn squash quickly?
The quickest way to prepare acorn squash is in the Instant Pot; it takes only 5 minutes.
More Squash Recipes:
How to Cook Acorn Squash
- Microwave-Safe Dish
- 1 acorn squash, 2 pounds
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper, coarse ground
Roasted Acorn Squash:
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (204°C). Pierce the outside with a fork and place it onto a rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle both sides with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
- Place the squash face down on the baking sheet and roast for 20 minutes. Flip, and cook for another 20 minutes. Then, remove the squash from the oven and let it cool before serving.
Air Fryer Acorn Squash:
- Preheat the air fryer to 400°F (204°C). Pierce the outside with a fork and place the squash into the air fryer inside facing up. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper; cook for 10 minutes.
- Flip so the insides are face down and cook for another 10 minutes. Remove the squash from the oven and let it cool before serving.
Microwave Acorn Squash:
- Add water to a microwave-safe dish. Pierce the outside of the squash with a fork. Flip and drizzle the squash with olive oil and, season with salt and pepper. Place the halved acorn squash into the dish.
- Microwave for 7 minutes and check for doneness. Carefully remove the squash from the microwave and let it cool before serving.
Instant Pot Acorn Squash:
- Add a trivet and one cup of water to an Instant Pot. Pierce the outside of the acorn squash with a fork. Drizzle the insides with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Set the two halves onto the trivet facedown.
- Secure the lid and set the Instant Pot to manual high pressure for 5 minutes with a quick release. Carefully remove the squash from the Instant Pot and allow it to cool before serving.
- Select a squash with lighter green skin and some orange coloring; this lets you know the squash is ready to cook. Too much orange indicates that the squash is overripe.
- Choose a squash that’s between 2-3 pounds. A lighter squash can suggest a loss of moisture.
- Acorn squash should be firm and without soft spots.
- If you can’t cut through the squash, bake it for 15 minutes at 400°F (204°C). Then, you should have no problem cutting it in half.
- If you want to add more than one acorn squash to the Instant Pot, there is no need to adjust the cooking time.
- When cooking acorn squash in the microwave, the cooking time will depend on the size of your squash and the strength of your microwave. Follow our microwave directions, and if the squash is not tender, cook in 2 minutes increments until it reaches desired consistency.
- For the flavor to penetrate, you can also score the flesh of the squash before adding the olive oil and spices.
- The nutritional information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for professional advice.
Sarah
Monday 13th of February 2023
I made the acorn squash recipe for dinner last night and it was a hit! So easy to make and delicious. I will definitely be adding this to my regular side dish rotation. Thank you for the great recipe!
Abby
Thursday 18th of August 2022
Seeing them all together was super helpful; I made the acorn squash in the air fryer and it was perfect!
Tressa Jamil
Thursday 18th of August 2022
I love roasted and air fried acorn squash the most.