Brown Sugar Roasted Acorn Squash

This Baked Pecan Thyme Acorn Squash is the perfect holiday side dish! Beautiful as it is delicious, it will be a show stopper on your Thanksgiving table.

Why it Works

When it comes to fall dishes, this pecan thyme acorn squash hits the mark every time; and here’s why.

• Perfect balance of salty and sweet – You get salty and savory from the butter, thyme and pecans while also getting a hint of sweet from the maple syrup and brown sugar; both come together to create the perfect balance of flavors.
• Easy hack for removing seeds – My tried and true method of roasting acorn squash halves proves for an easy seed removal method.
• Great for entertaining during the holidays – When you have out of town guests and want to serve them something special yet easy, this squash is the answer. Minimal prep and ingredients while still having that warm fall flavor and elegant look.

Gather This

You only need a handful of simple ingredients to make this pecan thyme acorn squash. A full list of ingredients with measurements for this recipe is available in the printable recipe card below.

• Acorn squash – When looking for it at the grocery store, this is a small winter squash that it green in color on the outside. The insides of the squash is a vibrant color or yellow.

Variations

There are plenty of ways you can make this Pecan Thyme Acorn Squash recipe your own. Here are a few suggestions.

• Brown butter – Take this acorn squash one step further by browning your butter for even more flavor.
• Cranberry – Brighten things up with a touch of tartness by adding dried cranberries. They also add spectacular holiday color.
• Cheese – You can never go wrong with cheese in my opinion! A blue cheese crumble topping adds a nice savory finish to the dish.
• Meat filling – If you’d like to make this more of a main course rather than a side dish, try adding meat to your filling! Italian sausage or ground beef would make this a great weeknight dinner.
• Rice – You could also bulk up the filling by adding rice. Brown rice or wild rice would be great options.
• Fresh herbs – In addition to or instead of the thyme, try using sage leaves or even rosemary.
• Syrup – You can a different syrup, but there is a huge difference between real maple syrup and the fake stuff. You can also use honey, if you wish, just add an additional tablespoons of water to each roasted acorn squash.
• Nuts – Instead of raw pecans, you can use roasted pecans, walnuts, pepitas or any other nut that you prefer.

Make it A Meal

This makes a beautiful side dish for a holiday table, but it’s also an easy recipe to make all year round. When we serve it for the holidays, we also serve cranberry sauce, green bean casserole and whatever else graces our Thanksgiving table.

It doesn’t need to be a holiday side dish though! Serve it alongside your favorite dinners like Orange Sage Turkey Breast with Sherry Cream Sauce, Reverse Sear Beef Tenderloin, Pomegranate Lamb Loin Chops or Crock Pot Pork Loin.

Frequently Asked Questions

Roasted Acorn Squash with Pecans

5 from 6 votes

Baked Acorn Squash with Pecan Thyme Filling is the perfect holiday side dish! Easy, verstile flavors the whole family will enjoy. Even the veggies haters.

Prep Time: 10 minutes mins

Cook Time: 1 hour hr 30 minutes mins

Total Time: 1 hour hr 40 minutes mins

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Servings: 4

Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save Saved! Rate this Recipe

Equipment

• 9×13 Baking Dish

Ingredients

• 2 acorn squash , cut in half
• ¼ cup water
• 6 tablespoons salted butter
• 6 tablespoons maple syrup
• 6 tablespoons brown sugar
• 6 tablespoons pecans , chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 4 stems fresh thyme , leaves only

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 400°F.
• Carefully cut the 2 acorn squash in half starting at the stem and working the way down to the squash.
• Place the squash face down (skin side up) in a 9×13 baking pan. Pour ¼ cup water directly onto the pan and bake for 30 minutes.
• Take the squash out of oven and wait 5-10 minutes before carefully scooping out the seeds. They should come out easily. With a sharp knife, score the acorn flesh diagonal slashes along the inside of the squash, about 2 inches apart. Make vertical and horizontal slashes to make a diamond pattern. Be careful not to pierce the skin so the juices do not leak out of the bottom of the squash during baking.
• Evenly divide the 6 tablespoons salted butter, 6 tablespoons maple syrup, 6 tablespoons brown sugar, 6 tablespoons pecans 4 stems fresh thyme and 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg and add them into the “bowl” of the acorn squash.
• Place the squash back into the oven and bake for an additional 30-40 minutes or until squash is fork tender. Be sure to scoop the buttery insides and pour it over the sides of the squash to coat it before eating.
• If you've tried this recipe, come back and let us know how it was in the comments or star ratings.

Notes

Why bake it upside down before removing the seeds? It will not only make it super easy to remove the seeds (which can be a pain beforehand), but it also helps to add life to an older, drier squash. The added water helps add a little extra moisture into the squash and plumps it up.

If you are having trouble initially cutting the squash, place it in the microwave for 1 minute before cutting to soften it.

I prefer to eat directly from the squash when I prepare it this way. You are free to scoop out the insides onto a place and eat it from there.

Storage: You can store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to five days. Alternatively, you can prep the filling ahead of time if needed. Just cook the squash when you’re ready to make it, and reheat the filling in a large skillet over medium heat.

Freezing: Unfortunately, a whole acorn squash will not freeze very well. But the stuffing freezes perfectly! You can store it and then just cook the squash half when you’re ready to enjoy it again.

Nutrition

Calories: 490 kcal, Carbohydrates: 62 g, Protein: 3 g, Fat: 28 g, Saturated Fat: 12 g, Cholesterol: 45 mg, Sodium: 165 mg, Potassium: 901 mg, Fiber: 5 g, Sugar: 36 g, Vitamin A: 1316 IU, Vitamin C: 24 mg, Calcium: 134 mg, Iron: 2 mg

Calories: 490

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Keyword: baked acorn squash, easy fall squash, oven roasted acorn squash, roasted acorn squash

Did you make this recipe?I’d love to see your recipes – snap a picture and mention @savoryexperiments or tag #savoryexperiments!

More Side Dishes You Will Love

Having an incredible main dish is only amplified by delicious side dishes. Here are some of our favorites.

Recipes

Apple Spiced Stuffed Sweet Potatoes

5 from 6 votes

Side Dishes

Oven Roasted Carrots

5 from 7 votes

Side Dishes

Parmesan Artichoke Hearts

3.94 from 80 votes