Roasted Acorn Squash with Maple Browned Butter

Slices of roasted acorn squash on a black plate, garnished with chopped fresh sage.

5 from 1 vote

Roasted Acorn Squash with Maple Browned Butter

A sweet-and-savory combination of maple browned butter, sea salt, and fresh sage makes these roasted acorn squash slices shine. Baking acorn squash in the oven yields tender slightly caramelized flesh. The nutty edible skin cuts way down on prep time too!

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 30

Total Time 35

Servings as a side dish

Calories 166kcal

Author Danielle Esposti

Equipment

Ingredients

2 medium acorn squash 1-3 pounds each
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons maple syrup
½ teaspoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon fresh chopped sage

Instructions

Heat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Wash the exterior of each squash (see Note 1), then dry thoroughly and place onto a cutting board. Slice each squash in half lengthwise, from top to bottom to create 2 halves. Use a melon baller or small spoon to scrape out the seeds and pulp. Place each halve cut-side down and cut into ½"-wide half-moon shapes. Arrange the slices in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet, leaving a bit of room in-between each piece; see Note 2.
Make the maple browned butter. Place the butter in a small (1-2 quart) saucepan over medium heat. Heat until it melts, then foams, while whisking frequently.
Continue heating over medium heat, whisking only occasionally, until brown specs form in the bottom of the pot, 3-4 minutes; see Note 3. The melted butter will turn golden brown and smell nutty. Remove from heat and immediately transfer to a measuring cup or small bowl to stop the cooking process.
Pour in the maple syrup and whisk until smooth.
Drizzle the squash with the maple browned butter, then rub evenly into each piece using your (clean) hands or a pastry brush. Season each piece with the salt.
Transfer the baking sheet to the oven and roast 20-25 minutes, flipping once halfway through, until the flesh is fork tender (see Note 4) and the skin is crispy. Remove from the oven and garnish with sage. Serve warm, right away, and enjoy!

Notes

Note 1. Acorn squash is edible, but is also difficult to remove while raw. Keep the skin intact; if you choose not to eat the skin, it will gently peel away with a fork after roasting.
Note 2. Don't crowd the baking sheet; leave a bit of room in-between each piece so that the squash pieces roast, not steam.
Note 3. Watch the browning process closely and do not leave the pot unattended; butter can go from from browned to burnt very quickly.
Note 4. Acorn squash is properly roasted once you can insert the tines of a fork into a slice and meet little to no resistance.

Nutrition