Herb-Roasted Parmesan Acorn Squash

Go beyond butter and brown sugar with this Herb-Roasted Parmesan Acorn Squash that’s perfect for your holiday table.

Sweet or Savory?

Growing up the only winter squash my dad ever made was acorn squash. And he always made it the same way – baked with butter and brown sugar in a covered casserole dish with a little water in the bottom so the squash would steam, rather than roast.

Don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed it and often requested it for dinner and I even made it that way in college and for my own family years later. But it wasn’t until I stumbled across a recipe in a magazine about fifteen years ago that I discovered you didn’t HAVE to make acorn squash with butter and brown sugar – it could be savory, too. And that was the inspiration behind this Herb-Roasted Parmesan Acorn Squash.

It’s a near-perfect side dish for any protein – especially in the fall when it’s in season – because there’s no need to peel the squash before roasting it to perfection with ghee, herbs, and parmesan. The skin gets tender enough to eat if you’d like, or you can easily it peel it from the tender, buttery, cheesy half-moons of squash.

Just 5 simple ingredients.

I admit that roasting naturally-sweet acorn squash with savory herbs and salty parmesan cheese may seem odd but trust me, it’s magical and so good that you may never opt for butter and brown sugar on your squash again.

You can use fresh or dried herbs for this Herb-Roasted Parmesan Acorn Squash or a combination of both. I particularly like rosemary and thyme but dried Italian seasoning is also really delicious here.

The side dish that does it all.

This Herb-Roasted Parmesan Acorn Squash is simple enough for a weeknight dinner but it also makes a perfect side dish for your holiday table. Don’t be surprised if someone tells you that they had no idea acorn squash could be prepared in a savory way or that you can eat the skin when it’s thinly sliced and roasted.

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Let's Get Cookin'

Herb Roasted Parmesan Acorn Squash

Going beyond the brown sugar with this Herb-Roasted Parmesan Acorn Squash recipe. The perfect side-dish that’s made with just 5 ingredients.

• Author: The Real Food Dietitians
• Prep Time: 10 mins
• Cook Time: 25 mins
• Total Time: 35 mins
• Yield: 4 servings 1x
• Cuisine: Grain-Free, Nut-Free, Vegetarian

Print Recipe

★★★★★ 5 from 9 reviews

Ingredients

• 1 large acorn squash (or 2 small)
• ⅓ cup shredded parmesan cheese + more for garnishing
• 2–3 Tbsp. fresh herbs or 1 tsp. dried (we suggest: thyme, sage, rosemary, or oregano)
• 1 Tbsp. ghee or butter, melted
• ½ tsp. garlic powder
• ¼ tsp. salt + more to taste
• ⅛ tsp. black pepper

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400℉.
2. Cut acorn squash in half and scoop out the seeds. Then slice each half into ½-inch thick slices.
3. In a large bowl, combine all of the ingredients and toss to combine.
4. Transfer to a large sheet pan. Using your hands, gently press parmesan cheese onto the squash for maximum coverage.
5. Bake in the oven for 25 minutes or until squash is cooked through and parmesan cheese is crispy and slightly browned. Garnish with additional parmesan cheese and herbs, if desired.

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1/4th of recipe
• Calories: 143
• Sugar: 0 g
• Sodium: 210 mg
• Fat: 7 g
• Carbohydrates: 13 g
• Fiber: 3 g
• Protein: 5 g

We want to hear – what’s your favorite variety of winter squash? Comment below.

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