I was deep in menu planning when I realized that Thanksgiving is mostly composed of sides. While I’ve hosted over the years, I’ve always stuck to only one to two dishes. Mostly, too afraid to handle the bulk. And all those years I saw my own mother cook in the kitchen from night before, to the wee morning and up until we sat to eat, didn’t leave room for me to desire otherwise. In retrospect, I’m unlike my mother in the sense that I don’t incorporate much meat in my sides. Noticably absent from my table this year; our beloved collard greens. I couldn’t bear to attempt it without meat this year. The only option left was to forgo it entirely. Less meat means more time. More time means testing and making sides I love but never gave a full good run.
This year, amonst the testing sides was a roasted acorn squash. I love squash! Like truly love it. But the vibrant and tough outter skin always left me intimidated. And as it turns out, what intimidated me the most was the most delicious dish, and raved by the entire party. It was warm and savory with a bit of a crunch.
If you’re looking to add an easy side to your own menu, or contemplating what to bring to the one you’re attending, I can’t recomend this enough.
Honey Roasted Acorn Squash
1 Acorn Squash
2 tablespons of olive oil
Preheat Oven to 400 ° F
While your oven is preheating, you want to start cutting your acorn squash. Acorn squash is hard to cut, so you’ll need the sharpest knife in your arsenal. I just recieved one from Equal Parts, and it did the job easily.
You cut the squash in half. Then cut the halves into quarters. Many people cut the squash in half, then scoop out the seeds. When cut in quarters, I found that most of the seeds fell out on their own with ease. You can use your spoon to get what remains.
Dress the squash with the olive oil on both sides. Flipping it on the baking sheet so that it coats evenly.
Once your squash is oiled, you’ll want to season. Truthfully, I am a heavy seasoner. I love food with tons of flavor. I don’t believe healthy food needs to be bland, and I rather my vegetables seasonsed as one would meat.
After dressing the squash with the oil, you’ll want to season it with your all seasoning and salt on both sides. I like using the Pink Himalayan Salt because things just taste slightly different with it in my opinion. It’s also known for it’s health properties: like additonal iron, potassium and magnesium, to name a few. I’ve also noticed that it doesn’t break down as smooth when baking, so it’s great for an ever-so slight crunch.
When you’re all seasoned, it’s time to add the honey. Instead of dressing the squash with honey after baking, I think getting it good and baked in, is the trick. It’s what gives the squash the deep savory nature.
The squash should cook for a little over an hour. And you don’t want to flip it in between. It’s good when it gets a bit charred on one side. Plate with whatever else you’re devouring this Thanksgiving, and you’re all set!
I hope you enjoy!
(Photos by Meghan McGarry for LaTonya Yvette. This post has affiliate links. If you choose to purchase something, we may earn a small commission. Thank you for helping us keep this small space running.)
