Best Acorn Squash Recipe with Vanilla Rum Sauce (2024)

FAQs

What does acorn squash pair well with? ›

For instance, you can add roasted squash to a fall salad, cook it alongside chicken, or serve it up with bacon and eggs. Of course, one of the most popular ways to serve acorn squash is to stuff it. The edible bowls act as a vessel for anything from mac and cheese to sausage to taco fillings.

Place 1/2 tablespoon butter and ½ tablespoon maple syrup in the cavity of each squash. Brush the cut sides with olive oil and sprinkle the squash with 3 teaspoons kosher salt and 1 teaspoon pepper. Roast for 40-60 minutes, depending on the size of the squash, until tender when pierced with a small knife.

80 proof Alcohol: Vanilla extract is most commonly made from vodka, but you can use bourbon, brandy, or rum instead.

Good news: you don't need to peel acorn squash. Its hard, grooved skin softens significantly as it cooks, and it's edible, too. If you do want to remove the skin, wait until after you cook it, at which point it will peel right off.

Acorn squash is packed with both soluble and insoluble fiber. Though they have different functions in your body, both play important roles in digestive health. Insoluble fiber adds bulk to your stools while soluble fiber softens them, preventing constipation and supporting regular bowel movements ( 13 ).

This squash has a lot of antioxidants, which can boost your immunity and help your body to fight off certain diseases. Acorn squash contains antioxidants like vitamin C that help strengthen bones and blood vessels. It also has vitamin A, which helps improve the health of your lungs, heart and other vital organs.

With Vodka, you get the taste of the pure vanilla bean, as the alcohol is completely tasteless. With Rum, you get a very sweet taste and the maximum vanilla taste. With Bourbon, while you do get a wonderfully enhanced vanilla taste, there are specific smoky notes that emanate through the extract.

The first rule of rum in the kitchen is picking the right bottle. “Aged and dark are ideal when cooking dishes with strong flavors such as beef stews or pork, while white rums are often used for cooking seafood or poultry,” says Angel Roque, the executive chef of Cuba Libre Restaurant & Rum Bar in Washington, D.C.

You'll know when the squash is done when you can easily insert a fork in the flesh. You want it tender, yet not mushy. If the squash is already cut in half, you can easily test if it is done by sticking a fork in the flesh of the squash. If it's fork-tender, it's done cooking and ready to eat.

Food Safety and Storage

Scrub winter squash with a vegetable brush under cool running water before cooking or cutting. Do not use soap. Do not wash squash before storing. Keep squash away from raw meat and meat juices to prevent cross-contamination.

What is a good companion for acorn squash? ›

Squash Companions

Researchers have found that squash grown with corn and beans actually have more visits from many predators than squash grown on its own. For best results, give corn a head start. Plant the beans and squash when corn seedlings are 4 to 6 inches tall.

Radishes, peas, peppermint, dill, parsley, oregano, and even flowers like marigolds or nasturtiums are a few other options for gardeners. Most importantly, zucchini and squash should grow with plants that also need regular watering but don't take up too much space.

Roast and puree your favorite type of squash with herbs. This forms the basis of the perfect autumn soup. Use squash as a pizza topping along with prosciutto, gorgonzola, and arugula. Clean and roast the leftover seeds from squash to enjoy as a healthy snack.

In the summer, squash pairs well with zesty flavors from lemon, fresh herbs like basil and seasonal produce like bell peppers. "Autumnal squash pairs especially well with herbs and spices like sage, thyme, cumin, ginger and chili," Ceri Jones, a professional chef in London, tells LIVESTRONG.com.