Acorn squash is so tasty and healthy! Such a good side dish to serve in the fall and winter. If you bake it in the oven, it takes about an hour and sometimes the texture gets mushy. In this recipe, the squash is cooked first in the microwave and then broiled, so your cooking time is cut down to about 30 minutes and the squash is deliciously tender and the texture is perfect!
Start by cleaning the squash, cutting in half and removing the seeds. Sprinkle the cut sides with salt. Place cut sides down in a baking dish, add about 1/4 cup of water to the dish.
Cover and microwave until the squash is very tender, about 15-25 minutes. While the squash is cooking, preheat your broiler, and prepare the glaze.
With tongs, flip the acorn squash so that the cut side is up. Spoon or brush a portion of the glaze into each squash half.
Broil until brown and caramelized, 5 to 8 minutes, rotating the dish, if necessary. The broiling gives the acorn squash that wonderful roasted texture and the perfectly glazed edges.
Brush a bit of the glaze over the squash and serve immediately. Such a delicious and pretty side dish!
Another alternative is to brush maple syrup on the cooked acorn squash instead of the brown sugar and butter glaze.
Acorn Squash with Brown Sugar
Ingredients
- 2 acorn squash (1 1/2) pounds each), halved pole to pole and seeded
- salt
- 1/4 cup water
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Sprinkle squash halves with salt and place, cut sides down, in 13 x 9-inch baking dish or arrange halves in large bowl so that cuts sides face out. Add 1/4 cup water to dish. Cover and microwave until the squash is very tender and offers no resistance when poked with paring knife, 15-25 minutes. Remove baking dish from microwave or bowl from microwave.
- While the squash is cooking, adjust oven rack 6 inches from broiler element and heat broiler. Melt butter, brown sugar and 1/8 teaspoon salt in small saucepan over low heat, whisking occasionally until combined. (I did this in the microwave)
- Using tongs, transfer cooked squash, cut sides up, to rimmed baking sheet. (I used same dish) Spoon portion of butter mixture onto each squash half. Broil until brown and caramelized, 5 to 8 minutes, rotating baking sheet as necessary and removing squash halves as they are done. Serve immediately.
