It’s Official: This Is the Best, Easiest Way To Cook Acorn Squash

Looking to jazz up your fall produce without reinventing the wheel? Try this easy method for roasted acorn squash.

If the thought of making another butternut squash dish this fall has you gourd out of your mind, switch things up with acorn squash. Acorn squash is full of nutrients like fiber, vitamin C, and antioxidants. It's also one of those vegetables that, when cooked, looks like it took a lot of skill but is actually easy to prepare. In this episode of Cook With Us, Mariah Gladstone, founder of Indigikitchen, shows us how to make maple roasted acorn squash.

"Acorn squash is one of hundreds of varieties of squash that have been cultivated in the Americas for thousands of years," Gladstone says. "Native people specifically bred different varieties of squash for different characteristics." For acorn squash, that's a sweet flavor and soft texture when roasted.

This recipe comes together with just a few simple ingredients—including maple syrup and paprika—and it's super simple. Seriously. The hardest part is cutting the acorn squash. If that sounds intimidating, fret not because Gladstone also demonstrates an easy way to slice it. And if I think it's easy, then everyone else should be okay.

"This maple roasted squash makes a delicious side dish for almost any autumn meal," Gladstone says. The maple syrup caramelizes in the oven and gives the squash a candied topping. She adds that it's also easily kept overnight in the fridge for leftovers—you can either heat it back up, or serve it cold on something like a salad.

Watch the video to get the full recipe—and get ready for the impressed "oh my gourd" comments to come rolling in.

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