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    Home » Sides » Baked Acorn Squash Recipe with Pecans

    Baked Acorn Squash Recipe with Pecans

    Nov 2, 2016 · by Valentina · 11 Comments

    This post may contain affiliate links.

    Jump to Recipe

    This Baked Acorn Squash Recipe with Pecans comes with Crispy Sage Leaves and is the ideal Thanksgiving side dish, or accompaniment to any meal. It's full of comforting fall flavors, and it will be a beautiful addition to your holiday table. A few slices of Roasted Spicy Pecan Crusted Acorn Squash on a white plate

    When people ask me to describe my site, I typically say that Cooking On The Weekends celebrates the beauty of whole ingredients, and it's a collection of creative, comforting recipes for casual entertaining.

    Today's Baked Acorn Squash with Pecans and Crispy Sage Leaves recipe is the perfect example of both of those things, and it's one of my favorite fall and winter squash recipes.

    Inspiration

    Let's examine an acorn squash, shall we?

    Have you ever stopped to look at one? I mean, really look at it? It's like stopping to smell the roses.

    I always try to take moments to pause during the cooking process to do this -- actually, it's not planned, it's really when the beauty of an ingredient grabs my eye.

    Close up of the bottom of an acorn squash.

    Just look at the bottom of this acorn squash -- it's simply stunning. The colors, the textures, the imperfections . . . .

    Pause whenever you can while you're cooking with pretty ingredients. Always try to take your time so you don't miss out on any of the beauty.

    One whole acorn squash cut in half.Every stage of the cooking process can be beautiful.Several wedges of a golden-green-colored acorn squash, with a black background.

    Baked Acorn Squash for Thanksgiving

    This dish would be fantastic served alongside my Smoky Paprika Bacon Roasted Turkey on Thanksgiving.

    Pecans and acorn squash are two things that scream fall and Thanksgiving. And together they're brilliant. Pecans have a subtle maple flavor that is perfect with the sweetness of the squash.

    You can also cut the squash into bite-sized pieces and mix it with brown rice and sautéed spinach for a hearty vegetarian dish.

    This would be fantastic as a part of any fall meal!

    Can I eat acorn squash skin?

    Acorn squash skin is perfectly edible when it's roasted or baked. I love how it looks with the skin for presentation -- if it's not to your taste, though, it easily comes off.

    Roasted Pecan Crusted Acorn Squash with Crispy Sage Leaves on a bright white dish.

    Enjoy it however you'd like to. Either way, it's pecans and acorn squash, and will therefore be fabulous.

    Recipe Tips

    • You can grind the pecans in a food processor, but be careful not to let it go any longer than it takes for them to become tiny pieces. If you do it too long, it'll turn into a paste. You can also chop them very finely with a Chef's knife.
    • I would not advise skipping the crispy sage leaves. They are incredibly delicious, and are sort of like "the icing on the cake."

    As far as holiday squash recipes go, this is one of the best!

    Oh, and you can follow this recipe using butternut squash too.

    A few slices of Pecan Crusted Acorn Squash on white plate

    Baked Acorn Squash Recipe with Pecans

    Valentina K. Wein
    This is the ideal Thanksgiving side dish, as it's full of comforting fall flavors, and it will be a beautiful addition to your holiday table.
    5 from 3 votes
    Print
    Prep Time 20 minutes mins
    Cook Time 35 minutes mins
    Total Time 55 minutes mins
    Course Side Dish
    Cuisine American
    Servings 6
    Calories 302 kcal

    Ingredients
     
     

    • 1 approximately 2¾ pound Acorn squash
    • ¾ cup raw pecans, finely ground (see notes)
    • 1 tablespoon brown sugar
    • 2 teaspoons chili paste
    • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
    • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
    • ½ teaspoon sea salt
    • 3 tablespoons olive oil
    • 2 dozen fresh sage leaves, washed and dried
    • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened room temperature

    Instructions
     

    • Set the oven and prepare baking sheet. Preheat the oven to 425°F, adjust a rack to the center and line a baking sheet with foil and set it aside.
    • Prepare the squash. Wash and dry the squash well. Then cut it in half, lengthwise, and use a spoon to remove the seeds and any stringy membranes. Now cut each half into approximately 1-inch slices, horizontally. Set aside on a plate.
    • Make the pecan topping. In a small bowl, mix the pecans with the brown sugar, chili paste, cinnamon, cumin, salt and olive oil.
    • Add the pecan topping. Rub one side of each squash slice with the pecan mixture and then place them on the foil-lined baking sheet, rubbed side down. (Not much will stick, and that's okay.) Then using all of the rest of it, add a thin layer to the top of each slice, about ⅛ inch thick.
    • Bake. Place one or two sage leaves under each slice, and then place the pan in the preheated 425°F oven for 15 minutes.
      Remove the pan from the oven and cover it loosely with foil and roast for another 15 minutes.
      Remove the pan from the oven again, and evenly distribute the butter between the top surfaces of each slice, directly on top of the pecan mixture.
      Place the pan back in the oven for another 5 minutes or so -- when it's done, the squash should be very soft, the pecan crust should be golden, and the butter should be bubbling a bit.
    • Cool and serve. Let it cool a bit on the pan and then arrange on a serving platter, and as you do so, gently remove the sage leaves from the bottom of each squash slice and use them as a delicious garnish. Serve.

    NOTES

    Calorie count is only an estimate.

    NUTRITION

    Calories: 302kcal
    Keywords great for Thanksgiving, fall comfort food recipes, gluten-free Thanksgiving recipes
    Have you tried this recipe?I'd love to see it on Instagram! Tag me at @cookingontheweekends or leave a comment & rating below.

    Cooking On The Weekends is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. 

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    • Mashed Sweet Potatoes are super delicious and so easy to make that you'll want to serve them all through the holidays. A perfect side dish for fall and lovely for Thanksgiving, they're creamy, rich and packed with warm flavors and two large silver serving spoons.
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Deb|EastofEdenCooking

      November 04, 2016 at 4:27 pm

      Enjoying the addition of chili paste in this fabulous fall recipe! My sage is ready for another trim and this recipe would be a wonderful way to those savoy leaves to a good use.

      Reply
      • valentina

        November 04, 2016 at 4:29 pm

        Just started growing my own sage, finally! Love picking it from the garden, don't you? Enjoy and thank you. 🙂

        Reply
    2. Mark, Compass & Fork

      November 04, 2016 at 6:04 pm

      5 stars
      This is a delicious looking meal, Love that texture, the crunch and those great flavors in the recipe ingredients. Nice job.

      Reply
      • valentina

        November 04, 2016 at 7:42 pm

        Thanks so much, Mark! Hope you try it. 🙂

        Reply
    3. Renee Gardner

      November 04, 2016 at 9:29 pm

      This looks and sounds amazing! I'll have to try it!

      Reply
      • valentina

        November 04, 2016 at 10:24 pm

        Many thanks, Renee! 🙂

        Reply
    4. Emily

      November 05, 2016 at 1:20 am

      5 stars
      Wow this looks incredible, all beautiful flavours here perfect for Autumn!

      Reply
      • valentina

        November 05, 2016 at 10:27 am

        Thanks, Emily. 🙂

        Reply
    5. Platter Talk

      November 05, 2016 at 3:51 am

      5 stars
      That sounds and looks incredible! Thanks for the recipe.

      Reply
      • valentina

        November 05, 2016 at 10:28 am

        Thank you for checking it out. 🙂

        Reply
    6. David

      November 06, 2016 at 6:39 am

      Stunning photos, Valentina! I think I could actually get Mark to eat this, as long as I left out some of the sweet spices. Don't ask… It's so hard to explain Mark's taste! 🙂

      Reply

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    Hi, I'm Valentina, certified chef, owner, recipe developer and photographer at Cooking on the Weekends. I'm also a mom of two boys and a Los Angeleno. I use seasonal whole foods to create unique and comforting recipes for casual entertaining.

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