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    Home » Recipes » Side Dishes

    Maple Acorn Squash with Pomegranate and Goat Cheese

    Published: Sep 28, 2021 · Modified: Dec 8, 2021

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    Maple Acorn Squash with Pomegranate and Goat Cheese

    This Maple Acorn Squash with Pomegranate and Goat Cheese is a sweet and savory side dish that's perfect for Fall. The acorn squash is roasted with pure maple syrup then topped with pomegranate seeds and crumbled goat cheese for serving.

    Ingredients

    Here are some ingredient notes for this roasted acorn squash with pomegranate:

    Acorn Squash: Half the acorn squash, scoop out the seeds, then cut it into ½" thick slices.

    Olive Oil: To drizzle over the squash for roasting.

    Maple Syrup: Pure maple syrup to sweeten the acorn squash while roasting, plus more for drizzling over the squash before serving.

    Sea Salt and Pepper: The only seasoning you need in this dish.

    Pomegranate Seeds: Pomegranates are in season during the fall, so now is the best time to find them. They're filled with antioxidants and flavonoids, which have amazing health benefits. Sprinkle these arils on top for that tart but sweet flavor. They also give this dish a little bit of crunch. I find it easiest to buy pomegranate already pre-seeded like these from POM Wonderful.

    Goat Cheese: Crumbled goat cheese to round out this dish with it's mild flavor and creamy texture.

    Maple Acorn Squash with Pomegranate and Goat Cheese

    Step-By-Step Instructions

    With only a handful of ingredients, this acorn squash side dish is very easy to make.

    • Preheat the oven. Start by preheating the oven to 400°. Prepare a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
    • Roast the squash. In a large bowl, toss the acorn squash slices with a drizzle of olive oil, maple syrup, salt and pepper. Spread the squash evenly on the baking sheet so they aren't overlapping. Bake for 30-35 minutes, flipping halfway, until squash is tender. Bake a few extra minutes if you want it to get a little crispy on the edges.
    • Assemble. Once the squash is roasted, drizzle a little more maple syrup over the squash (optional) then place on a serving plate. Top with pomegranate seeds and crumbled goat cheese.
    • Serve. Enjoy!
    Maple Acorn Squash with Pomegranate and Goat Cheese

    Serving Suggestions

    Here are a few suggestions on how to serve Maple Acorn Squash with Pomegranate and Goat Cheese:

    • Serve as a side. This makes a great side to so many dishes, including roasted chicken, pork tenderloin, or even grilled steak.
    • Make it into an acorn squash salad. Serve over a bed of massaged kale or your favorite greens for the perfect fall salad. For additional dressing, you can use an apple cider vinaigrette like the one from this recipe.
    • Bring it to a fall potluck. This time of year everyone loves to gather around good food. Make this for your next dinner party or potluck.
    • Serve it as the perfect Thanksgiving side. Squash is one of the top Thanksgiving side dishes. This one is sure to impress!
    • Enjoy it as the best Christmas side dish. Finally, the best for last! With the beautiful red color from the pomegranate arils, this Roasted Maple Acorn Squash with Pomegranate and Goat Cheese makes a beautiful holiday side dish.

    Variations

    Though this roasted acorn squash side is great as-is, here are a few possible variations.

    • Add chopped pecans or walnuts.
    • Top with pepitas.
    • Use dried cranberries instead of pomegranate seeds.
    • Swap out the goat cheese for feta or cotija.
    • Leave out the cheese to make this Vegan.
    • Top with your favorite herbs, like parsley, sage, thyme, or rosemary.
    Maple Acorn Squash with Pomegranate and Goat Cheese

    More Fall Recipes

    • Sweet Potato and Kale Quinoa Bowls
    • Apple Arugula Salad with Maple Vinaigrette
    • Roasted Butternut Squash, Brussels Sprouts, and Dried Cranberries
    • Apple Crisp
    Print
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    Maple Acorn Squash with Pomegranate and Goat Cheese

    Maple Acorn Squash with Pomegranate and Goat Cheese

    • Author: Nicole | Fresh Apron
    • Prep Time: 10 minutes
    • Cook Time: 30 minutes
    • Total Time: 40 minutes
    • Yield: 4 servings 1x
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    Description

    This Maple Acorn Squash with Pomegranate and Goat Cheese is a sweet and savory side dish that's perfect for Fall. The acorn squash is roasted with pure maple syrup, then topped with pomegranate seeds and crumbled goat cheese for serving.


    Ingredients

    Scale
    • 1 acorn squash, halved, seeds removed, then cut into ½" slices
    • 1 tablespoon olive oil
    • 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup, plus more for serving
    • sea salt and pepper, to taste
    • ¼ cup pomegranate arils
    • 2 tablespoons pure crumbled goat cheese

    Instructions

    1. Preheat oven to 400°. Prepare a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
    2. In a large bowl, toss the acorn squash slices with olive oil and maple syrup. Season with sea salt and pepper.
    3. Spread out evenly in a single layer on the baking sheet so the slices are not overlapping so they have space to roast. Bake for 30-35 minutes, flipping halfway, until squash is tender. You can bake it a little longer if you want it to be more caramelized with a slight crisp on the edges.
    4. Place the roasted squash on a serving dish. Drizzle with a little more maple syrup (optional). Top with pomegranate arils and crumbled goat cheese.
    5. Serve and enjoy!

    Equipment

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    Baking Sheet

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    Parchment Paper

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    OXO Turner

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    Notes

    You can eat the acorn squash skin, since it gets soft while roasting. If you prefer not to eat the skin, no need to peel it before baking it. Just remove the skin after it's roasted, it will peel off easily.

    Did you make this recipe?

    Tag @freshapron on Instagram and hashtag #freshapron — I can't wait to see what you've made!

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    Nicole | Fresh Apron

    Hi, I'm Nicole! I’m so happy to share all my recipes with you. I'm all about using fresh ingredients and creating simple recipes. Enjoy and happy cooking!

    More about me →

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