How do you soften acorn squash before cutting?Īs I said above, my favorite method is to soften the acorn squash in the microwave for 5 minutes so it is much easier to cut and it doesn't take as long to roast in the oven. You can pick off the slimy bits from the seeds and roast them on a sheet tray. Take a metal spoon and scoop out the center that contains the seeds. So you cut the squash in half and you're now faced with an inside full of seeds. Also, since the squash is soft, the stem will likely break off which makes it even easier to cut in half. When it is cool enough to handle, use your sharp knife to cut the squash from stem to bottom.

After the 5 minutes is up, remove it from the microwave and let it cool until it is cool enough to handle. I do this by poking a hole in the squash with a sharp paring knife, placing it on a microwave safe plate, and cooking it on high in the microwave for 5 minutes. My favorite method is to soften the acorn squash in the microwave for 5 minutes so it is much easier to cut and it doesn't take as long to roast in the oven. I tried to cut a completely raw acorn squash years ago and I ended up slicing my hand open. First, your acorn squash needs to be softened, otherwise it will be very hard to cut. So now that you know what not to do, let's go over what you should do. The knife would probably hurt your hands while you were trying to chop the squash! How do you cut and prepare acorn squash? This method is difficult and can actually be really hard on your hands because the flesh is so hard. You may be wanting to peel the acorn squash and then chop it for roasting on a sheet pan. The best method, in my opinion, is to cook the squash first and then scoop the flesh from the skin. A vegetable peeler would not work because the skin is so thick. It involves using a sharp knife to cut off the skin which is not easy because of all of the deep ridges. Peeling an acorn squash before cooking is possible, but very hard to do and actually unnecessary. The part that was touching the ground will be orange, and the stem will be shriveled and brown. This really isn't anything to worry about though, because unlike summer squash, winter squash is picked when it is ripe. They will last for a few weeks in storage.Ĩ How to Cook Perfect Acorn Squash How do you tell acorn squash is ripe?Īcorn squash are ripe when they are very dark green, the rind is very tough, and the flesh is very hard. The inside flesh is yellow and there is a center full of seeds. You may be able to find them year round, but they may not be as flavorful as they would be grown out of season in green houses or imported.Īcorn Squash average 4-5 inches across, have deep ridges about 2 inches apart, and they are a deep green color. In North America acorn squash are in season early Fall through Winter months. After you check out these answers and the recipe below, head over to my recipe for Sausage Stuffed Acorn Squash if you want to get a little fancy.

I love to roast it with brown sugar and butter, and also stuff it with a sausage stuffing.īefore I get to the 'how to cook part of this post,' I want to go over some common questions that people ask about this delicious vegetable that are important to know. Acorn squash is such a delicious and underrated vegetable that when cooked and seasoned right, the flesh becomes smooth and full of flavor.

Food network microwave acorn squash