Maple Butter Roasted Acorn Squash with Dukkah

If you are looking for the ultimate meal (or even side dish) for the holiday season, this is it. This Maple Butter Roasted Acorn Squash recipe with Dukkah is so comforting with the warming taste of the maple butter, combined with the delicious flavor of in-season squash. Seriously, this recipe may be your new fave for this time of year.

Why you’ll love this Roasted Acorn Squash recipe:

• Comfort Food: Nothing screams comfort more than a warming acorn squash recipe like this one
• Versatile: I love a recipe that can be enjoyed as a main course or as a side and this recipe definitely can be either
• Simple: This recipe is simple to make. It’ll only take 25 minutes to prep and 30 minutes to cook
• Healthy: We’ll talk more about those delicious benefits of dukkah and squash below, but let’s just say this recipe is nutrient-packed
• Holiday-Friendly: This is a great alternative for holiday cooking when you have vegans or vegetarians around your table 

Ingredient Notes:

Dukkah: Dukkah is what makes this dish so flavorful. It is an Egyptian and Middle Eastern condiment that consists of a mix of herbs, nuts, and spices. Typically it’s used as a dip with bread, or fresh vegetables for an appetizer. In this recipe, it adds a lot of flavor and a little crunch to the roasted acorn squash.

What is Acorn Squash: Rich in nutrients such as fiber, vitamin C, potassium, and magnesium, acorn squash is nutrient-packed. It also has beneficial plant compounds including antioxidants. The best part is how versatile acorn squash is, there’s so much you can do with it. You can seriously throw it in anything, or roast it up and toss it into salads or bowls. 

Califia Plant Butter: My go-to plant butter in the kitchen. Califia Farms makes great butter that melts, and spread so nicely (a hard-to-find quality in vegan butter). They make their butters with real food like cashews and tigernuts which makes them nutrient-packed as well. You really can’t lose with this kitchen staple.

How to make roasted acorn squash in the oven:

This roasted acorn squash recipe is simple and delicious, and all you need is your oven. Here’s how you make roasted acorn squash:

1. Preheat the oven to 375F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper
2. Wash the acorn squash and pat dry with a kitchen towel
3. Trim the base and top of the squash, then halve carefully
4. Remove the seeds with a large spoon or melon baller, save them to make toasted seeds!
5. Cut each halved squashed into wedges using the shape of the squash as a guide
6. Place each acorn wedge onto the parchment paper-lined baking sheet
7. Cut the top and bottom of the garlic bulbs.  Remove around 1/4 of an inch to expose the garlic. Place each bulb of garlic onto the parchment
8. Bake for around 25 minutes total, flipping them halfway through
9. While the squash bakes, prepare the dukkah by combining all the ingredients, apart from the ramen noodles, into a spice grinder (may need to do this in 2 batches).  Do not over grind or crush.  You still want it to be crunchy and not like powder
10. Once the 25 minutes is up, remove the squash and garlic from the oven
11. Using a hand blender, combine the roasted garlic cloves, plant butter, maple syrup, lemon juice, salt and pepper together until completely smooth and silky
12. Drizzle the sauce over the squash and bake for another 5 minutes until crispy and beautiful
13. Remove squash from the oven and top with fresh herbs of choice and a very generous dusting of dukkah

For this recipe, the important ingredients are the roasted garlic, combined with the plant butter, maple syrup, and lemon juice. These all add so much flavor and warmth to the dish. I like to use Califia Farms Plant Butter. What’s great about this plant butter is that it’s made from REAL food like cashews, tigernuts (which are super high in fiber), nutritional yeast, avocado oil or olive oil, BUT you get that creamy butter-like taste that melts, spreads, and cooks or bakes well. These products stay clear from palm and canola oils and provide that yummy taste you’ll love with the use of whole foods, versus just fat like regular non-vegan butter. 

This dish may be my go-to this fall. The squash over the ramen noodles, combined with all the flavors is perfect for a snowy day.

FAQ & Expert Tips: 

Can I make this with other squash? Absolutely! You could use butternut, hubbard, or even pumpkin for this recipe. Each will bring their own unique flavor to this recipe. 

How do I cut an acorn squash? Acorn squash can definitely be challenging but here is a great guide to read on how to do it safely and easily.

What should I serve this with? Like I mentioned, it’s great on its own but it can be an awesome side dish too. You could make it with something like my festive nut roast or even serve it to your meat-eater friends alongside a holiday turkey or ham. 

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Can I make this ahead? You definitely can but it tastes best when it’s roasted and enjoyed right after.

What are your favorite comfort foods? Share below with me in the comments! 

Other recipes you’ll love:

• Vegan Bean & Lentil Chili 
• Creamy Tomato & Garlic Pasta
• Vegan Baked Potato Soup
• Easy Vegan Pot Pies 
• Brown Butter Vegan Meatballs with Creamy Mashed Potatoes

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Maple Butter Roasted Acorn Squash with Roasted Garlic and Dukkah

5 from 1 vote

This easy Roasted Acorn Squash recipe with Maple Butter and Dukkah is seriously the perfect comfort food for the holiday season and beyond.

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Prep Time 25 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Course Vegan Meals, Vegan Comfort Food

Cuisine American

Servings 4

Calories 248 kcal

Ingredients

  

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For the Squash:

• 2 large acorn squash
• 2 large bulb of garlic
• 2 tbsp Califia Farms Plant Butter
• 2 tbsp. maple syrup
• 1 tbsp. lemon juice
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper

For the Dukkah:

• 1/3 cup slivered almonds ground or crushed
• 1/3 cup pistachios ground or crushed
• 1/3 cup ramen noodles crushed
• 1 tbsp. umami spice
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1/2 tsp mustard powder
• 1/4 tsp red pepper chili flakes
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Instructions

 

• Preheat the oven to 375F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Wash the acorn squash and pat dry with a kitchen towel.
• Trim the base and top of the squash, then halve carefully.
• Remove the seeds with a large spoon or melon baller, save them to make toasted seeds!
• Cut each halved squashed into wedges uses the shape of the squash as a guide.
• Place each acorn wedge onto the parchment paper-lined baking sheet.
• Cut the top and bottom of the garlic bulbs.  Remove around 1/4 of an inch to expose the garlic. Place each bulb of garlic onto the parchment.
• Bake for around 25 minutes total, flipping them halfway through.
• While the squash bakes, prepare the dukkah by combining all the ingredients, apart from the ramen noodles, into a spice grinder (may need to do this in 2 batches).  Do not over grind or crush.  You still want it to be crunchy and not like powder. Transfer to a bowl and add in the crushed ramen noodles.
• Once the 25 minutes is up, remove the squash and garlic from the oven.
• Using a hand blender, combine the roasted garlic cloves, plant butter, maple syrup, lemon juice, salt and pepper together till completely smooth and silky.
• Drizzle the sauce over the squash and bake for another 5 minutes until crispy and beautiful.
• Remove squash from the oven and top with fresh herbs of choice and a very generous dusting of dukkah.

Nutrition

Serving: 4 | Calories: 248kcal | Carbohydrates: 49.5g | Protein: 7.2g | Fat: 2.5g | Saturated Fat: 0.2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.3g | Sodium: 308.9mg | Fiber: 9.1g | Sugar: 7.5g

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