Microwave Acorn Squash

My easy microwave acorn squash cooking method yields perfectly tender acorn squash in no time at all. Load up your favorite fillings like the comfort food classic combination of butter and brown sugar for a super quick vegetable side that everyone loves!

See my other favorite microwave cooked veggies like carrots, corn on the cob and broccoli.

Jump to:

• 🥘 Ingredients
• 🔪 How to Cook Acorn Squash in the Microwave
• 💭 Angela's Tips & Recipe Notes
• 🥡 Storing & Reheating
• Tip for Storing Whole Squash
• 🥗🥘🍲 Best Served With
• ❓ Microwave Acorn Squash Recipe FAQs
• 📖 Recipe Card
• 💬 Comments & Reviews

The microwave steams the squash to absolute perfection, making it incredibly moist and fork-tender. A simple filling of butter, brown sugar, salt, and pepper melts into the squash, creating a luscious, built-in sauce.

This is the ultimate easy side dish for busy weeknights, holiday meals when your oven is full, or anytime you want a comforting, healthy vegetable without the wait.

🥘 Ingredients

You only need four simple ingredients plus your squash to make this easy side dish!

• Acorn Squash – This is enough for 2 servings. Get additional acorn squash if you wish to make more.
• Water – This is for steaming the squash in the microwave.
• Butter (1 tablespoon pat portion for each acorn squash half) – Adds richness and helps the brown sugar melt into a beautiful glaze.
• Light Brown Sugar (1 packed tablespoon portion for each acorn squash half) – Brown sugar has a nice flavor that pairs perfectly with acorn squash. It is much better than white sugar. You will notice the delicious difference.
• Salt & Pepper (optional) - To balance the sweetness and season the squash perfectly.

🔪 How to Cook Acorn Squash in the Microwave

Follow these simple steps for perfectly cooked, tender acorn squash in a fraction of the time it takes to roast. Each acorn squash yields 2 servings.

Step 1: Cut and prep. Prepare your whole acorn squash by cutting it in half (lengthwise, photo 1) with a sharp knife and coring or scooping out the insides of the squash (the seeds, photo 2) with a large spoon.

Leave as much flesh as possible in each half of the acorn squash. Rinse the acorn squash under the faucet after coring.

Step 2: Pre-cook. Place the acorn squash halves facing sliced side downward (cut side down, photo 3) in a microwave-safe bowl or dish with 2 tablespoons of water. Heat on high in the microwave for 5 minutes, uncovered.

Step 3: Fill and cook. Transfer the heated acorn squash halves to individual bowls and add 1 tablespoon each of light brown sugar and butter to each half (photo 4).

Heat again on high power for an additional 5 minutes in the microwave. *Add a savory filling of butter, Parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper, plus your favorite herbs if desired.

Step 5: Finish cooking until tender. Use a fork to poke the acorn squash to check for tenderness after heating. If needed, heat the acorn squash in additional 1-minute increments until it reaches your desired level of tenderness. The acorn squash should be nice and soft for the best texture.

Step 6: Cool then serve. Remove the acorn squash from the microwave and cool for about 5 minutes before serving. *Watch your fingers, the bowls will be HOT!

You can add salt to taste if desired. Sometimes I like to sprinkle some cinnamon and nutmeg on the acorn squash too. It also tastes perfect with a drizzle of honey or maple syrup. Enjoy!

💭 Angela's Tips & Recipe Notes

• Tips for safely cutting hard squash. If your acorn squash is very hard to cut, you can microwave the whole squash for 2-3 minutes first. This will soften the skin just enough to make it much easier and safer to slice through.
• Don't skip the water. The water in the bottom of the dish is crucial! It creates steam, which is what cooks the squash evenly and keeps it from drying out.
• Checking for doneness. Microwave wattages can vary. Your squash is perfectly cooked when you can easily pierce the thickest part of the flesh with a fork. If it's still firm after 12 minutes, add another minute or two to the initial cooking time.
• Flavor variations to try. This is a fantastic base recipe! Feel free to add a dash of cinnamon or nutmeg with the brown sugar, or swap the brown sugar for maple syrup. For a spicy-sweet kick, add a pinch of cayenne pepper.

🥡 Storing & Reheating

Cooked acorn squash stores beautifully, and this recipe is perfect for meal prep.

Storing in the Refrigerator

Let the cooked squash cool completely, then place it in an airtight container. It will last in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Important: For food safety, be sure to refrigerate your cooked squash within two hours of cooking to prevent bacteria from growing.

Freezing

This is a great recipe for freezing! Once the squash has cooled, you can cut the flesh into chunks and transfer them to an airtight freezer container or a heavy-duty freezer bag. It will maintain its best quality in the freezer for up to a year.

Reheating

The microwave is the perfect way to reheat it! Place the squash in a microwave-safe dish and heat in 1-minute increments until hot all the way through.

🥗🥘🍲 Best Served With

This makes a wonderful side dish for so many classic main courses!

• Air Fryer Pork Chops or Honey Dijon Pork Roast.
• Roasted Chicken or Poached Chicken Breasts.
• A holiday centerpiece like Roasted Turkey or Honey Glazed Ham.

❓ Microwave Acorn Squash Recipe FAQs

📖 Recipe Card