Easy Healthy Baked Acorn Squash

Fall sides can be simple and tasty!  My Healthy Baked Acorn Squash will be the star of the meal!

Hi friends!

It’s been a couple of heavy days on the blog… thank you again for your support with the post about my Mom and yesterday’s post about my friend Melanie.  I can’t say it enough– you guys are the best.

Now let’s turn to some fall foodie fun! 🙂

Healthy Baked Acorn Squash

I’ve been trying to embrace more of fall this year… hiking in the brisk weather & exploring fall flowers at the Biltmore Estate gardens.

Fall is growing on me.

I’m even branching out and trying new fall vegetables.  I eat so much fresh, seasonal fruit and vegetables in the summer and I feel like I miss that this time of year.

Acorn Squash is not completely new to me…. but I have to admit the times I made it before involved lots of butter and lots of brown sugar.  There is a time and place for butter and sugar (hello Thanksgiving!) but for my day to day meals I prefer something a little healthier.

So I decided to health-ify this classic fall dish… Healthy Baked Acorn Squash.

The hardest part of the entire recipe is cutting this baby in half.  You can nuke it for a minute or two to help out and use a very sharp knife. Obviously keep your fingers completely away.

You scoop out the seeds like a pumpkin, slather it in a small amount of coconut oil, a small sprinkle of brown sugar and nutmeg.  A hefty dose of cinnamon finishes it off.

The squash comes out of the oven soft and delicious!  It’s a dish you can serve at a party or any day of the week.

And with food like this you might convince me to jump over to team fall.  But just don’t make me think about winter yet, ok?

Enjoy!

4.5 from 2 votes

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Easy Healthy Baked Acorn Squash

Prep Time

5 mins

Cook Time

55 mins

Total Time

1 hr

 

This classic fall dish gets a healthy makeover!

Course: Vegetarian

Cuisine: American

Servings: 2 people

Ingredients

• 1 acorn squash cut in half
• 1/2 teaspoon coconut oil melted
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon brown sugar optional- can sub maple syrup or leave off

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Brush the coconut oil over all sides of the acorn squash.
3. Sprinkle with the brown sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg.
4. Place in a 9x9 casserole dish. Put 1/2 cup a water in the bottom on the pan. Cover with foil.
5. Cook for 40 minutes and remove the foil.
6. Cook for a remaining 15 minutes without the foil.

Recipe Notes

You can omit the sugar all together as well! This small amount brings out the flavor!

Also try…

Farro, Mushroom & Cranberry Stuffed Acorn Squash

4 Ingredient Delicata Squash

Crock Pot Butternut Squash Soup

Your turn!

What is your favorite fall squash?

What’s your favorite part of fall?