WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS The earthy flavor of acorn squash is beautifully highlighted by a sweet maple glaze. But most recipes for maple-glazed squash just halve the squash, pour on some syrup, top with a pat of butter, and roast, which results in a thin pool of buttery syrup at the bottom of each half. We wanted every bite of our roasted squash to be coated with a deeply flavored maple glaze. So we started by cutting the squash into eighths, so that the increased surface area would provide room for ample amounts of glaze. While this was more efficient, it also meant the squash cooked so quickly that it was barely browning. To remedy this, we tossed the squash wedges with vegetable oil and a small amount of granulated sugar before roasting them in a hot oven, then flipped them before glazing so that both sides had time to brown. This approach boosted caramelization, achieving the desired deep brown color and rich flavor. We reduced the maple syrup only slightly and then painted both sides with the glaze. We recommend using real maple syrup in this recipe.
Serves 6 to 8
TOTAL TIME: 1 hour
INGREDIENTS
- 2 acorn squash (about 2 pounds each), halved, seeded, and cut into 8 wedges each
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- Salt and pepper
- 1/2 cup maple syrup
INSTRUCTIONS
- Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 450 degrees.
- Toss squash wedges with oil, sugar, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in a large bowl. Arrange the wedges cut side down in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet.
- Roast squash until tender and well browned, about 25 minutes, flipping the wedges halfway through cooking.
- Microwave the maple syrup in a small bowl until warm, about 30 seconds.
- Brush both sides of the wedges with the warm syrup and continue to roast until the glaze is sticky and the squash is deep brown, about 5-7 minutes longer.
- Serve the squash immediately, seasoned with additional salt and pepper if desired.
