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Quick Brown Sugar Acorn Squash with Pecans

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This quick brown sugar stuffed acorn squash with pecans is the kind of side dish that steals the show without stealing your time. Tender roasted squash meets a crunchy, buttery pecan topping for a comforting and easy weeknight side.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 medium acorn squash (about 1.5 pounds / 680g)
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
  • ¼ cup (55g) unsalted butter, melted
  • ⅓ cup (70g) packed brown sugar
  • ½ cup (55g) chopped pecans
  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • ⅛ teaspoon salt

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C).
  2. Prep the squash: Using your sharpest knife, carefully cut the acorn squash in half from stem to tip. Scoop out the seeds and stringy bits with a spoon.
  3. Season the squash: Brush or rub the cut sides and the cavity with olive oil. Sprinkle with the salt and pepper. Place the squash halves cut-side up in a baking dish.
  4. Make the filling: In a small bowl, combine the melted butter, brown sugar, chopped pecans, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Stir until everything is well coated.
  5. Stuff the squash: Divide the brown sugar pecan mixture evenly between the two squash halves, pressing it gently into the cavity.
  6. Bake: Place the dish in the preheated oven and bake for 25-30 minutes, until the squash is fork-tender and the filling is bubbly and golden. If the topping browns too fast, tent loosely with foil halfway through.
  7. Rest and serve: Let the squash sit for 5 minutes after coming out of the oven before serving.

Notes

Toast the pecans first for best flavor. For a dairy-free version, use melted coconut oil or vegan butter. If you don’t have pecans, walnuts work beautifully. Don’t overfill the squash; extra filling can be sprinkled around the dish to caramelize into crispy bits. Let the squash rest for 5 minutes after baking to allow the filling to set.

Nutrition

Keywords: acorn squash, brown sugar, pecans, quick, easy, fall, side dish, vegetarian, gluten-free

Find it online: https://lucastable.com/quick-brown-sugar-acorn-squash-with-pecans-best-easy-recipe/