Tasty Pairs: 8 BEST Side Dishes to Serve with Acorn Squash

Acorn squash is one of the most popular winter squashes in North America.

It tastes slightly sweet and nutty, making it an excellent addition to both sweet and savory dishes.

Acorn squash has a tough, dark green exterior with orange stripes where the seeds are housed within small depressions in its shell.

The texture is similar to butternut squash, making it a good substitute in many recipes.

This squash can be baked or steamed, mashed or puréed.

It lends itself well to soups, stews, stir-fries, salads, and even desserts.

The seeds of the squash can be roasted and eaten as a snack or used to garnish dishes.

It has a mild flavor and can be prepared like butternut squash (roasted, mashed, puréed) and baked in strips for healthy snacks.

Hence, it can be served as an excellent accompaniment to meats and veggies.

Acorn Squash is versatile enough to serve as a side dish or main course.

In this article, we will list eight specific recipes that are great for pairing with Acorn Squash.

Why Consider Serving Side Dishes for Acorn Squash?

First of all, acorn squash is a nutritious vegetable, and it’s so versatile.

It has a mild, sweet taste, and it goes well with many different side dishes.

Serving the suitable side dish with acorn squash can make a meal healthy and delicious.

Besides, what’s about the flavor of these side dishes?

Some common types of acorn squash recipes are: baked and mashed acorn squash and stuffed acorn squash.

Depending on what you’d like to prepare, many side dishes go well with acorn squash.

However, it’s also common to serve roasted vegetables and other classic recipes with this nutritious vegetable.

Some great side dishes are cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes, fruit salad, and more.

So, when you’re considering what side dishes to serve with acorn squash, remember that it’s nutritious and versatile.

What to Serve with Acorn Squash? 8 BEST Side Dishes

Here are the best ideas for side dishes to serve with Acorn Squash:

1 – Creamed Spinach

There’s nothing better than creamed spinach and Acorn Squash; both pressed into this food addiction.

It’s a perfect pairing that I love, and you will too.

This is an easy dish to make if you’re cooking for yourself.

To make the creamed spinach, you’ll need butter, olive oil, garlic, shallots, spinach (fresh), cream cheese, and Parmesan cheese.

The way to prepare this side dish is pretty simple.

You saute the shallots and garlic in butter and olive oil until soft and golden and then add the cream cheese and Parmesan cheese.

Once all of those ingredients are combined, you’ll need to stir in the spinach (fresh) with salt and pepper.

This will give it that classic flavor that you’re looking for.

2 – Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes

When adequately cooked, scalloped potatoes are cheesy, creamy, and an incredible side dish (not burned).

They work well with Acorn Squash because they’re naturally lower in carbs, and the cheese helps balance out the meal.

To make cheesy scalloped potatoes, you’ll need russet potatoes, salt, pepper, heavy cream, unsalted butter, and cheddar cheese.

You start by slicing up peeled russet potatoes 1/2 inch thick.

Soak them in cold water for 30 minutes.

Drain and lay out on a kitchen towel to dry off completely.

Next, add cream, butter and salt, and pepper to a baking dish (or skillet) and simmer for 3 minutes while stirring constantly.

Put some cheddar cheese in the bottom of the pan, then some potatoes arranged in rows on top.

Repeat this process until you run out of potatoes, cheese, and cream.

Bake the scalloped potatoes for about 45 minutes at 400 degrees Fahrenheit or until you can pierce them easily with a fork.

Then broil it on high until the top is browned.

3 – Sauteed Zucchini

You can’t go wrong with sauteed zucchini and Acorn Squash, both rich in flavor and nutrients.

This dish is quick to prepare if you’re cooking for two people or just yourself.

To make the sauteed zucchini, you’ll need butter, olive oil, garlic cloves, salt, lemon juice, and zucchini.

This simple recipe starts with melting one tablespoon of butter in a skillet at medium heat.

Mince garlic cloves, finely chopped, then sautee them until golden brown (about 5 minutes).

Sprinkle salt over the top, add lemon juice and zucchini slices.

Sautee zucchini until they’re tender-crisp; this should take about 5 minutes.

4 – Oven-Fried Chicken

This is an easy dish to make and tastes delicious.

Oven-fried chicken goes excellent with Acorn Squash because both are baked and seasoned well.

To make this oven-fried chicken recipe, you’ll need flour, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and paprika (not shown).

First, preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

Then take a baking pan and put parchment paper on it so you can clean up easily.

Next, prepare your chicken meat by salting and peppering both sides, then dip it in flour (flour will act as bread crumbs).

Shake off excess flour, place meat on the prepared baking sheet.

Now that the flour has been used, you can start seasoning it—dust both sides of your chicken with garlic powder and paprika.

Then bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown on top.

5 – Marinated Pork Chops

You love marinated pork chops and Acorn Squash because both are a taste treat.

This side dish is easy to prepare because it only involves a few ingredients.

To make marinated pork chops, you’ll need salt, pepper, olive oil, lemon juice, and rosemary (not shown).

Start by seasoning your pork chops with salt and pepper on both sides.

Then take a bowl and add the olive oil, lemon juice, and some minced fresh rosemary leaves.

Mix it all, then seal up your pork chops in the bowl so the marinade covers them.

Put pork chops in the fridge until you’re ready to cook; this should be at least 30 minutes.

When you’re ready to cook them, preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and bake the pork chops for 20 minutes or until they’re no longer pink inside.

6 – Garlic and Herb-Rubbed Lamb Chops

These garlic and herb-rubbed lamb chops are heavenly when paired with Acorn Squash because they both have a strong taste.

Start by taking out some fresh rosemary leaves, then mince them very finely.

Add to a small bowl with minced garlic cloves, salt, pepper, and olive oil.

Mix it all up until you have a paste.

Now rub your lamb chops with the paste until they’re completely covered.

Then leave them for about 30 minutes or until you’re ready to cook them.

When ready, heat a skillet high, then sear both sides of the lamb chops until browned (about 4 minutes).

Reduce heat to medium-low and continue cooking for about 5 minutes or until they’re cooked through.

7 – Baked Ziti

Baked ziti is excellent because it’s a complete meal in one dish and tastes delicious with Acorn Squash.

If you want to add meat, add Italian sausage, ground beef, or ground turkey before baking.

To make baked ziti, you’ll need ziti pasta, olive oil, onion (diced), garlic cloves (minced), salt, and pepper.

Start by preheating the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

In a small bowl, mix the minced garlic cloves with salt and pepper, then set aside.

Combine olive oil, diced onion, ziti pasta, and the garlic salt mixture in a larger mixing bowl.

Transfer your ziti mix to a baking dish covered with aluminum foil, then bake for 20 minutes or until it’s hot all the way through.

To serve, top each serving of baked ziti with mozzarella cheese and a sprinkle of parsley flakes.

8 – Taco Pasta

Taco pasta is a tasty dish that tastes great with Acorn Squash.

If you want to add vegetables, you can saute the peppers and onions before adding them to your taco mix.

To make taco pasta, you’ll need elbow macaroni or small shell pasta (uncooked), olive oil, onion (diced), garlic cloves (minced), salt, pepper, ground beef or turkey, taco seasoning mix.

The first step is to brown ground beef or turkey in a skillet on medium-high heat until cooked through, drain off excess fat.

Season with taco seasoning mix according to package instructions.

Next, prepare your pasta by boiling water on high heat and cooking it until it’s al dente.

Cook the onion in some oil for about 5 minutes or until they are translucent.

Add the garlic to the pan, cooking for 1 minute or until fragrant.

Combine cooked pasta, ground beef, and onions with taco seasoning mix in a large mixing bowl.

Mix it all until combined. To serve, top each dish of taco pasta with cheddar cheese and sour cream (optional).

Conclusion

In conclusion, acorn squash has a sweet, nutty flavor that works well with many side dishes.

These side dishes are great to serve with acorn squash, but each dish has its unique flavors.

So it’s up to you which side dish you want to serve with acorn squash.

If we had to pick, we’d recommend the apple crisp or garlic and herb-rubbed lamb chops.

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