Acorn squash is one of those vegetables that just screams “fall”, and is usually the companion of autumnal flavors like maple syrup, brown sugar, fresh rosemary and fresh sage. If you’re looking for a modern way to jazz up acorn squash, let me introduce you to this easy apple cider roasted squash recipe! Hearty acorn squash is brushed with a spicy sweet apple cider glaze, spiked with cinnamon and mace and roasted to caramelized perfection. It’s a great addition to an autumn menu, and makes for the perfect side dish to enjoy on a cool fall night!
Acorn squash is such a hearty and healthy vegetable. If you’re wanting a unique fall side dish recipe then this is it! It’s easy to make, filling and has a lovely yellow color that is complemented by its dark green outer shell, which is also edible once cooked! Mixed with other fall flavors like warm nutmeg and apple cider, it’s a festive addition to any table.
It also happens to be an unsung hero of autumn vegetable harvests. It’s not as sweet as butternut squash and has less moisture than summer squash and zucchini, making it a great option to serve roasted.
How To Cut Acorn Squash
Roasting acorn squash couldn’t be any easier. Cutting them however, requires a little more skill! It’s still a very simple process however- Simply cut, scoop, and flip!
Since squash are notorious for being very hard, take caution when cutting them – make sure you are using a large, sharp knife and a stable cutting surface. Ironically, a sharper knife is actually safer than a dull knife.
Cook’s Tip: Pierce the squash first with the tip of my knife to get a secure grip on squash before cutting it in half- it makes the initial cutting much easier!
How To Roast Acorn Squash
Roasting squash is simple with just a few key steps:
Step 1: Brush your squash with a neutral oil. This helps get the edges and the hard outer shell nice and crispy. Vegetable, avocado or peanut oil are great choices to withstand the high heat and prevent your oven from smoking out! Avoid butter, sunflower oil and extra virgin olive oil as these have a lower smoke point and tend to turn bitter at high heats.
Step 2: Flip the squash cut side down. You want the squash to look like a dome when you roast it. Keeping it cut side down helps steam the inner flesh which cooks the squash faster.
Step 3: Roast! Couldn’t be any easier. Roast at 400F (204C) for 45 minutes. The squash should come out perfectly cooked!
What is the difference between nutmeg and mace?
You might be surprised to know that nutmeg and mace come from the same plant! In fact, nutmeg and mace are the only two spices that are naturally found on the same plant.
Nutmeg is the large seed found inside the ripe fruit of the nutmeg tree (myristica fragrans) and mace is the bright red lacey membrane (also known as an aril) that is wrapped around the shell of the nutmeg and turn reddish-brown when dried.
Both spices are available whole or ground. Ground nutmeg and mace, like all other ground spices, lose their potency over time so it is ideal to purchase the whole form of the spice and use as needed in recipes.
Nutmeg: This large aromatic seed has a warm spicy flavor that is excellent when paired with milk, cream, and egg dishes. It also enhances meat, spinach and potato dishes like this Jannson’s Temptation potato gratin, or this Shepard’s Pie.
Mace: The casing around the nutmeg seed, has a similar flavor but is slightly milder and less sweet. Mace is great for flavoring buttery sauces and is better suited for savory dishes like shrimp or this roasted acorn squash!
A Brief Spice History
Nutmeg and mace are indigenous to Indonesia and up until the mid 19th century, Indonesia was the only producer of nutmeg and mace.
The Dutch have a long and turbulent history of spice cultivating and slave dealing in the Maluku (Molucca) Islands, also known as the “Spice Islands” in Indonesia.
Although it was “discovered” by the Portuguese in 1512, the Dutch soon gained a stranglehold on the West Indies spice trade and propagated the importance of the spices to the West.
The use of nutmeg and mace spread across Europe and due to their astonishingly high prices, were only used sparingly for special occasions, such as Christmas.
This is why today, we see many traditional European Christmas and holiday dishes adorned with a dusting of spices such as nutmeg, cinnamon, mace, and cardamom. It is a legacy of the spice trade industry that took place centuries ago.
Apple Cider Glaze
The apple cider glaze that is basted on the acorn squash is such an easy combination of apple cider, butter and spices!
The natural sugars in the apple cider cook down with the butter to form a delectable sticky glaze that has concentrated apple and beer flavors that go perfectly with the squash. The butter helps emulsify the glaze and the mace and nutmeg make for spicy kick that adds a little interest.
Cook down the glaze in a small pot for about 15 minutes until reduced by half and the bottom of the pot can be seen when scraping the glaze. That is the consistency you’re looking for!
Other Toppings For Apple Cider Roasted Acorn Squash
The warm spices in this roasted squash recipe are complimentary to other autumnal flavors, so don’t be afraid to add something a little more hefty to your squash to amp up the deliciousness!
- Crumbled fried lardons (bacon)
- Pepitas (roasted pumpkin seeds)
- Goat cheese
- Roasted chopped chestnuts or hazelnuts
- Fried sage leaves
Easy Apple Cider Roasted Acorn Squash Recipe
INGREDIENTS
- 2 medium acorn squash
- 1 tbsp olive oil or avocado oil (15 ml)
- ½ tsp salt (2.1 g)
- 1 cup apple cider (237 ml)
- ⅛ tsp mace (0.5 g)
- ⅛ tsp nutmeg (0.5 g)
- 4 tbsp butter (56 g)
INSTRUCTIONS
- Start by cutting the acorn squash in half. Cut the squash along a depression line and carefully wiggle your knife down until it is cut through half of the squash.
- Turn the squash around so the opposite end is facing you, and repeat the same process on the other half, wiggling the knife all the way to the stem end.
- Use a large spoon to scoop out the seeds and discard.
- Rub the squash halves with the oil and sprinkle with salt.
- Line a 9×13″ rimmed baking sheet or roasting pan with parchment paper and place the squash cut side down so that the flesh is flat against the pan. This helps trap steam and cook the squash more evenly.
- Bake at 400F (204 C) for 45 minutes until soft.
- While the squash is roasting, make the apple cider glaze. In a small saucepan, heat the apple cider, mace, and nutmeg.
- Cook the apple cider mixture over medium heat until reduced by half and thickened.
- Mix in half of the butter.
- Remove the squash from the oven and set aside to cool for about 10 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 350F (176 C).
- When the squash halves are cool enough to handle, flip them over so the flesh is exposed.
- Brush a generous amount of glaze all over the squash halves using a pastry brush.
- Return the squash to the oven and bake for 10 minutes until the edges are golden brown.
- Serve the squash with the remaining butter and a pinch of salt.
Planning an autumn meal? Here are some great dishes to go with your acorn squash:
Easy Apple Cider Roasted Acorn Squash
Ingredients
- 2 medium acorn squash
- 1 tbsp olive oil or avocado oil (15 ml)
- ½ tsp salt (2.1 g)
- 1 cup hard apple cider or regular apple cider (237 ml)
- ⅛ tsp mace (0.5 g)
- ⅛ tsp nutmeg (0.5 g)
- 4 tbsp butter, plus extra for serving (56 g)
Optional toppings
- ¼ cup roasted pepitas (pumpkin seeds)
- ¼ cup crumbled goat cheese
- ¼ cup fried lardons or bacon
- crumbled fried sage leaves
- chopped chestnuts or hazelnuts
Instructions
- Start by cutting the acorn squash in half. Cut the squash along a depression line and carefully wiggle your knife down until it is cut through half of the squash.
- Turn the squash around so the opposite end is facing you, and repeat the same process on the other half, wiggling the knife all the way to the stem end.
- Use a large spoon to scoop out the seeds and discard.
- Rub the squash halves with the oil and sprinkle with salt.
- Line a 9×13" rimmed baking sheet or roasting pan with parchment paper and place the squash cut side down so that the flesh is flat against the pan. This helps trap steam and cook the squash more evenly.
- Bake at 400F (204 C) for 45 minutes until soft.
- While the squash is roasting, make the apple cider glaze. In a small saucepan, heat the apple cider, butter, mace, and nutmeg.
- Simmer the apple cider mixture over medium heat until reduced by half and thickened. You should be able to see the bottom of the pot when scraping the glaze.
- Remove the squash from the oven and set aside to cool for about 10 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 350F (176 C).
- When the squash pieces are cool enough to handle, flip them over so the flesh is exposed.
- Brush a generous amount of the glaze all over the squash halves using a pastry brush.
- Return the squash to the oven and bake for 10-12 minutes until the edges are golden brown and starting to caramelize.
- Serve the squash with the remaining glaze on the side, along with any optional toppings you desire.