16 Acorn Squash Recipes for Fall Dinners and Feasts (2024)

FAQs

What does acorn squash pair well with? ›

Try serving this roasted squash recipe with salmon or other fish. Or, roasted chicken, pork chops, grilled steak, or even as a vegetarian main dish with other foods.

Acorn Squash

“I love the fall season because that means it's time for squash,” says registered dietitian Jenn Fillenworth, MS, RD. Acorn squash is a small type of winter squash with a light yet slightly sweet flavor.

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.

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.

Acorn squash is packed with both soluble and insoluble fiber. Though they have different functions in your body, both play important roles in digestive health. Insoluble fiber adds bulk to your stools while soluble fiber softens them, preventing constipation and supporting regular bowel movements ( 13 ).

This squash has a lot of antioxidants, which can boost your immunity and help your body to fight off certain diseases. Acorn squash contains antioxidants like vitamin C that help strengthen bones and blood vessels. It also has vitamin A, which helps improve the health of your lungs, heart and other vital organs.

As with other fall favorites, their peak season is October to March, but it's available year-round. Acorn squash is smaller, rounder, and greener than most other squash varieties found in the grocery store, but it serves just as much flavor and nutritional value.

Contrary to its name, summer and fall are the harvest times for winter squash, which include butternut, acorn, turban, and spaghetti squash to name a few. With the exception of spaghetti squash, most varieties can be substituted for each other in recipes and benefit from roasting, pureeing, and steaming.

Acorn squash has very low-fat content, with only 0.1 grams per 100g. Most of this fat (0.042grams) is polyunsaturated, a beneficial source for weight loss. Furthermore, it contains fewer sugar molecules than other winter and summer varieties. As a result, squash is a perfect low-carb diet.

Can you eat too much squash? ›

While the high beta-carotene content in squash can provide many benefits, studies also suggest that consuming too much of this compound can increase the risk of lung cancer. In addition, some types of prepared squash include high amounts of added sugar.

Acorn squash is rich in antioxidants, which can neutralize potentially harmful molecules called free radicals. These antioxidants can help to protect people against health issues like arthritis, heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, and certain cancers.

Skip eating most hard-skinned squash raw. "Hard skinned squash is difficult to eat raw," Marz says. "They are usually much larger in size, have a harder flesh, and are much more fibrous." Examples of hard-skinned squash that should not be eaten raw include: pumpkins, delicate, butternut, Hubbard, and acorn.

You'll know when the squash is done when you can easily insert a fork in the flesh. You want it tender, yet not mushy. If the squash is already cut in half, you can easily test if it is done by sticking a fork in the flesh of the squash. If it's fork-tender, it's done cooking and ready to eat.

Klein explains that the best types of squash to feed your dog are butternut squash, pumpkin, zucchini, and acorn squash. In particular, zucchini is the squash most easily digested by dogs.

Squash – Companions: corn, lettuce, melons, peas, and radish. Avoid planting near Brassicas or potatoes. Borage is said to improve the growth and flavour of squash.

Acorn squash: It has less vitamin A than butternut but provides even more fiber (9 grams per cup) and potassium (896 mg). Pumpkin: This squash has beta carotene and also contains more than twice as much alpha carotene as butternut squash.

A ripe Acorn Squash is heavy for its size and has smooth, dull skin, and no soft spots. A good mix between green and orange coloring is desired. Avoid an Acorn Squash that has shiny skin, which indicates it was picked before full maturity, unless the producer has applied wax.