This Baked Pecan Thyme Acorn Squash is the perfect holiday side dish! Beautiful as it is delicious, it will be a show stopper on your Thanksgiving table.
Ingredients
You only need a handful of simple ingredients to make this pecan thyme acorn squash.
- Acorn squash – When looking for it at the grocery store, this is a small winter squash that it green in color on the outside. The insides of the squash is a vibrant color or yellow.
- Butter – I use salted butter here to save me from adding salt. But you can certainly use unsalted. Just keep in mind you might want to add some salt to the mixture.
- Maple syrup – Because our ingredient list is so short, I like to use a good quality pure maple syrup for the best flavor. It gives this dish a sweet finish.
- Brown sugar – I like to use light brown sugar, but if you want a stronger molasses flavor you can use dark brown sugar too.
- Pecans – Buttery pecans not only add to the fall flavors, but they also add a nice crunch. You can also use toasted pecans.
- Fresh thyme – We will be using the thyme leaves only. Fresh herbs add the perfect touch.
Variations
There are plenty of ways you can make this Pecan Thyme Acorn Squash recipe your own. Here are a few suggestions.
- Meat filling – If you’d like to make this more of a main course rather than a side dish, try adding meat to your filling! Italian sausage or ground beef would make this a great weeknight dinner.
- Rice – You could also bulk up the filling by adding rice. Brown rice or wild rice would be great options.
- Fresh herbs – In addition to or instead of the thyme, try using sage leaves or even rosemary.
- Syrup – You can a different syrup, but there is a huge difference between real maple syrup and the fake stuff. You can also use honey, if you wish, just add an additional tablespoons of water to each roasted acorn squash.
- Nuts – Instead of raw pecans, you can use roasted pecans, walnuts or any other nut that you prefer.
How to Make Pecan Thyme Acorn Squash
With it’s savory flavors and aromatic herb, you’re going to love how easy it is to make this squash.
- Prepare oven and squash. Preheat oven and carefully cut acorn squash in half starting at the stem and working you way down to the squash.
- Bake. Place squash face down (skin side up) on a parchment lined baking sheet. Pour water directly onto the pan and bake in a hot oven.
- Scoop out seeds. Take squash out of oven and allow to cool a few minutes before carefully scooping out the seeds. They should come out easily.
- Score the squash. With a sharp knife, score diagonal slashes along the inside of the squash, about 2 inches apart. Make vertical and horizontal slashes to make a diamond pattern. Be careful not to pierce the skin so the juices do not leak out of the bottom of the squash during baking.
- Add filling. Evenly divide salted butter, maple syrup, brown sugar, pecans and fresh thyme and add them into the “bowl” of the acorn squash.
- Bake again. Place squash back into the oven and bake for an additional 30-40 minutes or until squash is fork tender. Be sure to scoop the buttery insides and pour it over the sides of the squash to coat it before eating.
What to Serve with Pecan Thyme Acorn Squash
This makes a beautiful side dish for a holiday table, but it’s also an easy recipe to make all year round. When we serve it for the holidays, we also serve cranberry sauce, green bean casserole and whatever else graces our Thanksgiving table.
It doesn’t need to be a holiday side dish though! Serve it alongside your favorite dinners like Orange Sage Turkey Breast with Sherry Cream Sauce, Reverse Sear Beef Tenderloin, Pomegranate Lamb Loin Chops or Crock Pot Pork Loin.
Storage and Freezing
How to Store Acorn Squash
You can store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to five days. Alternatively, you can prep the filling ahead of time if needed. Just cook the squash when you’re ready to make it, and reheat the filling in a large skillet over medium heat.
Can I Freeze Pecan Thyme Acorn Squash?
Unfortunately, a whole acorn squash will not freeze very well. But the stuffing freezes perfectly! You can store it and then just cook the squash half when you’re ready to enjoy it again.
Frequently Asked Questions
It will not only make it super easy to remove the seeds and stringy bits (which can be a pain beforehand), but it also helps to add life to an older, drier squash. The added water helps add a little extra moisture into the squash and plumps it up.
All squash skin is edible, but it doesn’t mean it is pleasant. Acorn squash have a thick skin that is tough to chew even after baking. I don’t recommend it.
Acorn squash is mild, buttery and nutty with a slightly sweet flavor.
Cutting through the flesh allows it to cook faster and more even, but also lets the delicious buttery flavors penetrate so every bite is even more delicious!
More Side Dishes You Will Love
Having an incredible main dish is only amplified by delicious side dishes. Here are some of our favorites.
Baked Pecan and Thyme Acorn Squash
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 acorn squash , cut in half
- ¼ cup water
- 6 tablespoons salted butter
- 6 tablespoons maple syrup
- 6 tablespoons brown sugar
- 6 tablespoons pecans , chopped
- 4 stems fresh thyme , leaves only
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- Carefully cut the acorn squash in half starting at the stem and working the way down to the squash.
- Place the squash face down (skin side up) in a 9×13 baking pan. Pour ¼ cup of water directly onto the pan and bake for 30 minutes.
- Take the squash out of oven and wait 5-10 minutes before carefully scooping out the seeds. They should come out easily. With a sharp knife, score the acorn flesh diagonal slashes along the inside of the squash, about 2 inches apart. Make vertical and horizontal slashes to make a diamond pattern. Be careful not to pierce the skin so the juices do not leak out of the bottom of the squash during baking.
- Evenly divide the butter, maple syrup, brown sugar, pecans and fresh thyme and add them into the “bowl” of the acorn squash.
- Place the squash back into the oven and bake for an additional 30-40 minutes or until squash is fork tender. Be sure to scoop the buttery insides and pour it over the sides of the squash to coat it before eating.
- If you've tried this recipe, come back and let us know how it was in the comments or star ratings.
Notes
If you are having trouble initially cutting the squash, place it in the microwave for 1 minute before cutting to soften it.
I prefer to eat directly from the squash when I prepare it this way. You are free to scoop out the insides onto a place and eat it from there.
Nutrition
This looks delicious and surprisingly easy. Can’t wait to try it this week!
This looks fantastic for a holiday meal. Bookmarking for later!
Thank you, Molly!
I love baking acorn squash! Your recipe looks stunning!
Yum! Looks like perfect comfort food to me, can’t wait to try this recipe!
Perfect for a cosy dinner this time of year! Definitely will be giving this a go on the weekend 🙂
We were looking for something a little different for our squash and this was perfect! Turned out great!
Love this recipe! It’s so easy and tasty! I’ll definitely be making again and again!