This easy maple roasted acorn squash is topped with chopped pecans that are also candied with maple syrup! It's a little bit sweet and a little bit savory. Ready in 30 minutes and you only need 5 ingredients!
This maple roasted acorn squash recipe proves that you only need a few ingredients to make something that tastes fantastic!
The natural sweetness of the acorn squash is a perfect complement to the maple syrup, without being overly sweet. Then add roasted pecans and flaky sea salt for a savory balance.
You can make it in 30 minutes and it's great as a Thanksgiving side dish or for any fall or winter meal. It's also vegan, gluten-free and dairy-free.
Go all in on the maple flavors and serve with a Maple Old Fashioned cocktail! And the sweet and savory fun doesn't stop with squash, try my Maple Glazed Carrots!
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Maple Acorn Squash Ingredients
You only need 5 ingredients to make maple roasted acorn squash, most of them are probably in your pantry right now. Who knew that so few ingredients could taste so good?
- Acorn squash: Look for a medium acorn squash that is heavy for its size with no soft spots. Get one with a nice orange spot on it, that means it was left on the vine to ripen longer and should have better flavor. If you can't find a big one, use two smaller ones.
- Real maple syrup: The real stuff here, 100% pure maple syrup, not the fake, flavored, sugary stuff.
- Chopped pecans: I always get my pecans from Millican Pecan. They taste 1,000% better because they are fresh from the most recent harvest. (Grocery store pecans can be 2-3 years old!!!)
- Olive oil
- Kosher salt and flaky sea salt: I'm a big fan of Maldon sea salt for finishing dishes like this.
How to make maple roasted acorn squash
Step 1: How to cut acorn squash
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Place racks in the upper and lower third of the oven.
Use a good chef's knife to cut off the stem of the acorn squash and a small slice from the very bottom to stabilize it.
Slice the squash in half from top to bottom. Then use a large spoon to scoop out the seeds. (Save for roasting if you like.)
Turn the squash cut side down and cut into ยฝ inch slices.
PREP TIP I find it MUCH easier to cut the stem off the acorn squash before trying to slice it in half. The stem is very woody, and it's really hard to cut through.
Step 2: Make the maple syrup glaze
Combine the maple syrup, kosher salt, and olive oil in a large mixing bowl.
Add the acorn squash slices and toss them with the maple syrup mixture.
I find it's easiest to do this with your hands so you can ensure the slices are all evenly coated. You might have to work in two batches.
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You should have a bit of the olive oil mixture left in the bowl, don't discard it.
Step 3: Roast the maple acorn squash
Place the slices on two baking sheets leaving a good amount of space in between.
Roast the acorn squash for 15 minutes, then remove the baking sheets and flip the slices over. You should be beginning to see some caramelization from the maple syrup.
Place the pans back into the oven, rotating from top to bottom, and roast for another 5-10 minutes until the squash is fork-tender and caramelized. Transfer to a serving plate.
Step 4: Make the maple pecans
Add the chopped pecans into the bowl with the remaining maple syrup mixture and another pinch of salt, stir to coat evenly.
If you don't have any mixture left, add ยฝ teaspoon each of olive oil and maple syrup to the bowl. You don't need much.
Transfer the pecans to one of the baking sheets and place on the top rack in the oven for 2-5 minutes, just until the pecans start smelling toasty.
Sprinkle the roasted pecans over the maple acorn squash, season with flaky sea salt (such as Maldon) and serve.
Tips for perfect maple roasted acorn squash
- Your hands are a cooks best tools: It really is easiest to use your hands to get the acorn squash slices coated with the maple syrup mixture. And it's fun!
- Go light on the coating for the pecans: You don't want the chopped pecans dripping in the maple syrup and olive oil. Just enough to coat them lightly. If you have pools of the syrup on the sheet pan, the syrup and the pecans will burn quickly.
- Don't crowd the sheet pan: When cooking roasted vegetables give them space, or they will steam instead of getting caramelized.
- No parchment needed: I don't recommend using parchment paper for this recipe. As long as you haven't overcoated it with the maple syrup, you'll get better caramelization if the acorn squash is in contact with the surface of the sheet pan while it's roasted.
Serving suggestions
- This maple roasted acorn squash would be a great addition to a vegan Thanksgiving feast alongside Crispy Roasted Potatoes and an Ottolenghi Green Bean.
- Serve it as a tasty side dish alongside Tarragon Roast Chicken or One Pan Chicken Thighs with Mushrooms and White Wine.
Storage
Store: Keep leftover maple roasted acorn squash in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Reheat and serve leftovers: Place on a sheet pan in a 350 degrees F oven until warmed through. Or allow it to come to room temperature and use it to make this Squash Salad instead of the butternut squash.
FAQ
You could slice the acorn squash (keep it in the refrigerator) and make the maple pecans one day ahead. I don't recommend baking it in advance, as you want to retain as much crisp caramelization from oven roasting as possible when you serve it.
Yes you can! You could swap in delicata or kabocha squash, neither of which would require peeling. Try butternut squash, but peel it first.
You can certainly freeze it, but it's not recommended. Freezing will change the texture making it watery, and you'll lose that nice caramelization from the maple syrup.
More winter squash recipes
- Roasted Butternut Squash with Red Onion, Tahini and Za'atar is also vegan and packed with flavor.
- A Squash Gratin is cozy and comforting and can be made with kabocha squash as I did, or any other winter squash you have on hand.
- What could be better than Butternut Squash Lasagna? Nothing!
Maple roasted acorn squash is quick, easy, and full of fall flavor!
- Cooks quickly, in about 30 minutes. Because we are cutting the acorn squash into fairly thin slices, it roasts really quickly. This makes it just as great for a holiday meal as it is for a weeknight side dish. (I make this all the time on weeknights!)
- Comes together in one bowl for easy cleanup. You just need one bowl to coat the acorn squash with maple syrup, and then use the same bowl to coat the pecans. Yay for less dishes!
- Maple syrup + pecan = great fall flavor! I mean, does anything say fall more than a maply syrup and pecan combo? It's cozy to the max.
- Makes a great vegan Thanksgiving side dish that everyone will enjoy. Yes, it's vegan, vegetarian, gluten free and dairy free. But no one at the table can resist it! Maple acorn squash tastes great at room temperature, so it's a perfect choice for holiday buffets.
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Recipe
Maple Roasted Acorn Squash
Ingredients
- 1 medium to large acorn squash or two smaller ones
- 2 tablespoon real maple syrup
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ⅓ cup chopped pecans
- flaky sea salt for serving
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Place racks in the upper and lower third of the oven.
- Use a good chef's knife to remove the top including the stem of the squash and a small slice from the very bottom to stabilize it. Slice the squash in half from top to bottom. Then use a large spoon to scoop out the seeds. (Save for roasting if you like.) Turn the squash cut side down and cut into ½ inch slices.
- Combine the maple syrup, kosher salt, and olive oil in a large mixing bowl.
- Add the squash slices to the bowl and toss them until coated with the maple syrup mixture. I find it's easiest to do this with your hands so you can ensure the slices are all evenly coated. You might have to work in two batches. You should have a bit of the olive oil mixture left in the bowl, don't discard it.
- Place the slices on two baking sheets leaving a good amount of space in between.
- Add the chopped pecans into the bowl with the remaining maple syrup mixture and another pinch of salt, stir to coat evenly. (If you don't have any mixture left, add ½ teaspoon each of olive oil and maple syrup to the bowl. You don't need much.)
- Roast the squash for 15 minutes, then remove the baking sheets and flip the squash slices over. Place the pans back into the oven, rotating from top to bottom, and roast for another 5-10 minutes until the squash is fork-tender and caramelized. Transfer to a serving plate.
- Spread out the pecans on one of the baking sheets and place on the top rack in the oven for 2-5 minutes, just until the pecans start smelling toasty.
- Sprinkle the toasted pecans over the acorn squash, season with flaky sea salt and serve.
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Notes
- It really is easiest to use your hands to get the squash slices coated with the maple syrup mixture. And it's fun!
- You don't want the chopped pecans dripping in the maple syrup and olive oil. Just enough to coat them lightly. If you have pools of the syrup on the sheet pan, the syrup and the pecans will burn quickly.
- Don't crowd the sheet pan when roasting or the vegetables will steam instead of getting caramelized.
- I always order my pecans from Millican Pecan. They are fresh from the most recent harvest and straight from America's "mother orchard." They taste a MILLION times better than grocery store pecans which can be 2-3 years old.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated as an estimate. Calorie accuracy is not guaranteed.
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