Recipes With Acorn Squash | Taste of Home (2024)

FAQs

Do you peel acorn squash before eating? ›

Good news: you don't need to peel acorn squash. Its hard, grooved skin softens significantly as it cooks, and it's edible, too. If you do want to remove the skin, wait until after you cook it, at which point it will peel right off.

Always: Acorn, Delicata, Honeynut

Wofford and our test kitchen editors will leave the skin on delicata, acorn, and honeynut squash to save time, add nutrients, and reduce food waste. These varieties have thin skins that soften readily when cooked.

The most obvious difference between butternut and acorn squash is the size and shape of each. Butternut squash has an elongated, pear-like shape with a relatively uniform thickness throughout its length. This larger size results in a greater yield of flesh compared to acorn squash.

Skip eating most hard-skinned squash raw. "Hard skinned squash is difficult to eat raw," Marz says. "They are usually much larger in size, have a harder flesh, and are much more fibrous." Examples of hard-skinned squash that should not be eaten raw include: pumpkins, delicate, butternut, Hubbard, and acorn.

Acorn squash is a starchy vegetable, meaning it's higher in carbs than non starchy ones, like broccoli and spinach. If you're watching your carbs, limit acorn squash to one cup or about 25% of your plate.

Having a healthy gut microbiome strengthens your immune system and protects against disease ( 13 ). Plus, research shows that diets rich in high-fiber fruits and vegetables like acorn squash may protect against constipation, colorectal cancer, and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) ( 14 , 15 , 16 ).

People with diabetes who eat a high-fiber diet tend to experience improved blood sugar levels. Squash is also rich in healing antioxidants and Vitamin A — which can improve insulin production — and Vitamin C, which has been shown to reduce blood glucose in people with type 2 diabetes.

Acorn Squash

Starchy vegetables like winter squash also provide fiber to help you poop. Acorn squash is a small winter squash with orange flesh; its exterior is typically green but can also be white or orange.

Acorn squash has more carotenoids than any other food. Carotenoids are a powerful antioxidant that help fight inflammation and prevent cell damage.

If it's no longer firm to touch, don't use it. If you're unsure, cut the squash open to take a look at the flesh and seeds. Warning signs to look for are dull flesh and seeds that are slimy and gray. Likewise, if the squash smells bad, throw it away.

Which is healthier butternut or acorn squash? ›

Acorn squash: It has less vitamin A than butternut but provides even more fiber (9 grams per cup) and potassium (896 mg).

In addition to vitamins A and C, butternut squash is also rich in carotenoid plant pigments and minerals like potassium, magnesium, and manganese. Like acorn squash, butternut squash can be used in both savory and sweet dishes, such as baked goods, grain dishes, and soups.

Sweet potatoes are a good source of dietary fiber, and squash provides an additional boost with vitamin E and calcium. Neither vegetable has a negative impact on weight or health maintenance in its natural state.

By consuming fruit and vegetable skins as on the acorn squash for example, you increase your fiber intake. There are two types of fiber – soluble and insoluble. Fiber from the outer skin and peels of fruits and veggies is predominantly insoluble fiber. The skins are carbohydrates that are not readily digested.

Place the acorn squash into a pot of boiling water for 15 minutes. Boiling the squash will help soften the skin and make the removal process easier. Boiling the squash is ideal for people who are not fully comfortable with using a sharp knife or a serrated peeler.