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easy apple cider roasted acorn squash

Easy Apple Cider Roasted Acorn Squash

Spicy, warm and perfect for fall, this easy Apple Cider Roasted Acorn Squash is a great side dish to bring to Thanksgiving or any fall themed event. A sticky apple cider glaze and a good dusting of nutmeg and mace make this squash extra special. Add some roasted pepitas, goat cheese or fried lardons for some textural dimension.
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Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 55 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Course Side Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 4 servings

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 9x13" 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.
Keyword acorn squash, apple cider recipes, apple cider squash, easy fall side dishes, squash recipes
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