These Microwave Acorn Squash halves are perfectly fork tender, sweet, buttery, and the quick and easy way to cook acorn squash. Ready in under 14 minutes!
I love healthy vegetable side dish recipes that is easy to prepare yet packed with flavor like this air fryer butternut squash halves.
This microwave acorn squash recipe is one of easiest side dishes to make using the microwave instead of the oven and using just 3 ingredients. The squash cooks amazingly tender, flavorful and tasty.
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Why you'll love it?
- Cooks in a fraction of the time compared to the oven baking.
- Serve as is or stuff with your favorite fillings
- Low in calories
- Quick and easy
How to select an acorn squash?
Selecting a ripe acorn squash is important to ensure that it's flavorful and has the right texture for cooking. Ripe acorn squash should have a deep, dark green colored skin that is dull or matte and not shiny. Shiny skin can indicate that it's underripe.
Gently press your thumb into the skin. Ripe acorn squash should have a hard and firm skin. If it feels soft or has any blemishes or spots, it may be overripe. Like an eggplant, it should feel heavy for its size, which indicates a higher moisture content.
Variations
Microwave acorn squash has a buttery flavor that pairs well with sweet and savory seasonings. Although these are amazingly delicious served according to the recipe, here are a few other suggestions to try:
- Use maple syrup or honey instead of brown sugar.
- Add a dash of cayenne and cumin powder.
- Dash of cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg and ginger.
- Mix in garlic powder, black pepper and grated parmesan cheese.
How to cook acorn squash in the microwave?
You can find full printable recipe below, but here is a quick overview of the procedure along with step-by-step photos.
Cut the acorn squash in half vertically. Scoop out the seeds using a large spoon and discard or use for roasting.
Tip: Don't toss the seeds. Check out this recipe for roasted seeds. It makes a healthy snack!
1.Add 3 tablespoons water into a microwave safe baking dish.
2. Place it flesh side down. Microwave for 7 to 9 minutes.
3 & 4. While the squash is cooking, mix melted butter, brown sugar, salt and black pepper together in a small bowl.
5. Check if the acorn squash is tender by inserting the tip of a knife into it.
👩🍳 How do you know when it is ready? Microwave cooking times will vary depending on the wattage and size of the vegetable. The advantage of this microwave acorn squash recipe is that you can easily test for doneness and adjust the timing. It is done cooking when a knife or fork can pierce the tender flesh and the vegetable feels soft to touch.
6. Using tongs, flip the squash over.
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7. Drizzle mixed brown sugar-butter mixture on the flesh and pour the remaining, along with the seasoning into the cavity. Microwave for 2 to 4 minutes or until golden and tender.
How to serve?
Serve the microwave acorn squash for weeknight dinner with chicken dishes. They can also be stuffed with various fillings. Here are some suggestions:
- Quinoa and vegetables - Combine cooked quinoa with a mix of cooked or roasted vegetables and feta cheese.
- Apple and cinnamon - Fill with a mixture of diced apples, cinnamon, and a touch of brown sugar. Top with a crumble made from oats, flour, and butter. Use the crumble topping recipe from peach crumble.
- Sausage and apple - Combine crumbled sausage with diced apples, sautéed onions, breadcrumbs, sage, and a touch of maple syrup.
- Mushroom and wild rice - A mixture of wild rice and sautéed mushrooms with garlic and onions.
- Cranberry and pecans - Mix dried cranberries and chopped pecans with a little honey or brown sugar.
- Sweet potato and marshmallow - Combine mashed sweet potatoes, mini marshmallows, ground cinnamon, and a drizzle of maple syrup.
- Lentil and spinach - Mix cooked lentils with sautéed spinach, garlic, and a tomato-based sauce.
- Pumpkin pie - Make a filling with pumpkin puree, brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
Recipe tips
- Cook in batches if needed -If you are cooking a larger acorn squash and it does not fit in your microwave, then cook one half at a time.
- Choose your tenderness - Cook as soft as you want, although it is delicious when cooked soft enough to be scooped with a spoon.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, the skin is totally edible and microwaving makes the skin tender and easier to chew when compared to oven roasting or air frying.
Using a sharp knife, cut it vertically from the top center to the bottom. For stability, you can cut ¼ inch of the stem end and the base. This provides a solid base that won't slip and slide around your cutting board.
If you find it hard to cut a large squash, huge ones, then pork a few holes all over with a fork (like for air fryer sweet potato) and microwave for 2 to 3 minutes. It should be much easier to cut.
Peeling the acorn squash before microwaving it is not necessary. Leaving the skin intact acts as a natural container, helping to maintain the structural integrity of the tenderized flesh, ultimately making it easier to handle and serve.
More vegetable recipes
Microwave Acorn Squash
Ingredients
- 1 acorn squash 1 to 1 ½ pounds
- 2 tablespoons butter melted
- 1 to 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt use less if using salted butter
- ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper
- Chopped toasted pecans to garnish optional
Instructions
- Cut the acorn squash in half vertically. Scoop out the seeds using a large spoon and discard or use for roasting.
- Add 3 tablespoons water into a microwave safe baking dish and place squash flesh side down.
- Microwave for 7 to 9 minutes or cooked through when pierced with a knife.Cooking time - Microwave cooking times will vary depending on the wattage and size of the vegetable. The advantage of this microwave acorn squash recipe is that you can easily test for doneness and adjust the timing. It is done cooking when a knife or fork can pierce the tender flesh and the vegetable feels soft to touch.
- While the squash is cooking, mix melted butter, brown sugar, salt and black pepper together in a small bowl.
- Using tongs or a kitchen towel, flip the hot squash over, evenly drizzle mixed butter on the flesh, and pour all remaining butter, along with all the settled seasoning, into the cavity.
- Microwave for 2 to 4 minutes or until golden and tender. Sprinkle chopped toasted pecans, before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information, based on third-party calculations, should be seen as estimates, not guarantees, as various factors like product types, brands, processing methods, and more can alter the nutritional content in recipes.
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Diana
This was great! Thanks!!
Maria Doss
That’s so great to hear! So glad you enjoyed it Diana – Maria ♡