How Long To Cook Acorn Squash In Oven At 350 Degrees?

Roasted acorn squash is a healthy and tasty fall dish that can be served either sweet or savory. And this wonderful dish can be prepared with the oven. The best temperature to use is 350 degrees. But how long to cook acorn squash in oven at 350 degrees? In this post, we like to share our answer and other cooking tips to help you pull off this simple and remarkably delicious recipe.

How long to cook acorn squash in oven at 350?

It takes 40-50 minutes to bake the acorn squash in the oven at 350 degrees. If you cut the squash to smaller pieces, like rings or slices, they will be ready faster. Keep in mind that 40-50 minutes is the time the squash needs to get super soft. This is how we prefer to eat it because we like to feel how the tender flesh melts in the mouth. But, if you like the squash to stay a bit crunchy after roasting, remove it from the oven 10 minutes earlier. Also, always check the flesh for the desired level of doneness using a toothpick or a fork.

What are other temperatures to bake acorn squash in the oven?

While we prefer to stick to 350 degrees, there are other temperatures for baking acorn squash. You can try to roast it at 425 or 450 degrees which will obviously reduce the cooking time. However, this will increase the risk of the squash getting dried out. Plus, its edges will get browner. But there’s a way to fix this. To prevent the squash from drying out, just add water on the baking sheet so that it covers the edges of each half.

Which is the best temperature to cook acorn squash in the oven?

Well, the squash may get ready faster at 425 and 450 degrees. However,  we recommend you to cook the acorn squash in the oven at 350 degrees instead. At this temperature, you get more control over the process with more chance to make adjustments to prevent the squash from going too brown and dry.

While 300 degrees is also a great option, you will have to wait over an hour for the squash to get tender. Not the best news for your hungry family and guests.

How to cook acorn squash in the oven?

Here’s the recipe to cook acorn squash in the oven.

1. cut the squash in half. To make the job easier, cut the stem off first, then run the knife along the length of the squash through where the stem was.
2. Discard the seeds and strings by scraping them out with a spoon. As the center is clean, cut the squash to smaller pieces if you dislike halves.
3. Now it’s time to decide whether your acorn squash will be a dessert or a savory meal. For savory, sprinkle on it some olive oil, season it with salt, pepper and a fancy spice, such as paprika or curry powder. For sweet squash, brush it with butter and brown sugar. We also rub the skin of the squash with sugar and butter since it gets soft and edible after baking.
4. Place the squash on a baking sheet cut side up and roast it for 40 minutes at 350 degrees. After 40 minutes, remove the squash from oven and add a slice of butter and some honey. Turn the oven broiler on and place the squash in the oven for another 10 minutes. The simple and delicious meal is ready.

How to cook acorn squash in the oven fast?

You can speed up acorn squash cooking in two ways. First one, by cutting it to smaller pieces. Rings and slices will bake faster than halves. If you love, like us, scooping up the tender flesh from the halved squash with the spoon, you will have to increase the temperature to reduce the cooking time. Make sure to add water on the baking sheet to avoid making the squash too dry.

Cooking acorn squash

Aside from salt and sugar, there are other ingredients you can add to your acorn squash to make its taste more pronounced and memorable. For sweet dish, use honey and cinnamon. Make sure to find a balance between honey and sugar to prevent making the squash too sweet. You can replace the sugar entirely with honey or maple syrup. If you take the savory route, red pepper, curry, garlic and oregano will make great seasoning options. To even further release the savory potential of acorn squash, serve it with roasted chicken, beef stew or spinach salad with goat cheese.