All it takes to cook squash is a little olive oil, butter, salt, pepper and time. Roasted Acorn Squash is an easy to make side dish or even a main meal option perfect for breakfast, lunch and dinner!

Roasted Acorn Squash

Cooked squash is one of my favourite vegetables. My mom introduced me to cooked squash in the 90’s and if you follow my blog you will note she wasn’t a great cook but she got better after seeing a nutritionist and channelling her inner Julia Child. This happened after I moved to Vancouver to go to University but when I returned home to visit she was always introducing me to her new recipes and ingredients, like squash! You see where I get it from, right?!

Another thing she introduced me to is fresh herbs in salads and on cooked vegetables. Game changer pretty much sums it up.

Go Beyond Salt and Pepper

Here’s the thing. You can keep it as simple as you want, using olive oil, butter, one or the other and salt or pepper. I use all four of these ingredients for the best flavour.

You can also elevate the experience. Chili Oil, a sprinkle of feta, goat, asiago or pamesan cheese give you a delicious umami flavour. Topping the squash with fresh herbs brings more flavour. A drizzle of balsamic vinegar or pomegranate molasses is a game changer. Honey and maple syrup will give you a new experience making it hard not to love squash. Admittedly my husband prefers his squash with maple syrup.

Olive oil and butter can be changed out for avocado oil, lemon oil, even coconut oil. Add a sprinkle of your favourite spices like cumin, chili powder or everything bagel seasoning before cooking if you need spice in your life.

The process is simple

Truth be known is I’ve been roasting squash since the 90’s. Thanks Mom.

I’ve always cooked one for myself, eaten half and saved the half for lunch or dinner the next day. It reheats nicely.

Roasting squash is simple! Cut the squash in half, scoop the seeds, add a fat like oil (even bacon fat) and spices, roast, top, eat.

What to do with cooked squash

If you find yourself with leftovers, there are loads of ways to use the leftovers. I’m including a few recipes below that I’ve used leftovers in like tacos and pasta. Here’s a few more:

Enchiladas and Taquitos
Soup
Salads (grain or green)
Quesadillas

Looking to try new squash recipes? We’ve got a few you should really try! Lentil, Roasted Butternut Squash and Black Bean Tacos are prefect for Taco Tuesday or Meatless Monday. Every Fall we dig into this Acorn Squash, Roasted Garlic and Kale Pasta. Squash and Goat Cheese Pita Pizza is a game changer. This Butternut Squash with Tamarind and Coconut Milk is the comfort food we all crave some days.

Acorn Squash

Squash is available year round, high antioxidants and a vegetable we enjoy throughout the year. It always makes an appearance during the holidays but it’s delicious any time of the year.

If you made this recipe tag Wanda Baker on Instagram and hashtag it #bakersbeans or #wandabaker