Ingredients
- 3-4 acorn squash washed, sliced, and seeds removed
- ¼ cup olive oil
- ¼ cup pure maple syrup
- ½ teaspoon salt + more to taste for serving
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper + more to taste for serving
- ½ teaspoon dried sage
- ½ teaspoon mustard powder
- Salted pumpkin seeds for serving (optional)
Method
- Preheat your oven to 400°F and line one or two sheet pans with parchment paper for easy cleanup.
- Scoop out the seeds and slice the squash into ½-inch half-moon pieces (see below for a detailed cutting tutorial).
- In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, maple syrup, salt, pepper, sage, and mustard powder until smooth and well combined.
- Lay the squash slices in a single layer on your prepared pans. Brush both sides with the maple glaze, making sure they’re evenly coated.
- Roast for 15 minutes, flip each piece, and continue roasting another 10–15 minutes, until the squash is golden brown and caramelized on the edges.
- Transfer to a serving platter and sprinkle with salted pumpkin seeds for a little crunch. Serve warm and enjoy the cozy fall flavors!
Nutrition
Notes
How to Cut an Acorn Squash (Step-by-Step)
Cutting an acorn squash can be tricky because of its tough skin and round shape, but here’s the easiest way to do it safely:-
Wash and dry the squash.
Give it a good rinse and dry it off — you’ll be slicing through the skin, so you want it clean. -
Stabilize the squash.
Place it on a sturdy cutting board with a damp kitchen towel underneath to keep it from slipping. -
Cut off the ends (optional).
If the stem is long or tough, slice off just the tip of each end to create a stable base. -
Cut the squash in half.
Stand the squash upright (on one of the trimmed ends, if you cut them) and use a large, sharp chef’s knife to slice it in half from top to bottom, right through the stem. Tip: Rock the knife gently back and forth instead of forcing it straight down. If the squash is too hard to cut, pop it in the microwave for 3 minutes to soften the skin. -
Scoop out the seeds.
Use a spoon to scoop out the seeds and stringy bits from the center. You can save the seeds for roasting later if you’d like! -
Slice into half-moons.
Place each half cut-side down on the cutting board. Slice across into ½-inch thick half-moon shapes — these will roast up beautifully.