This Herb Roasted Acorn Squash is the perfect mediterranean diet inspired vegetarian recipe that is hearty, delicious and a crowd pleasing side dish.
Falling in Love with Squash
Within the last few months I’ve really fallen in love with squash. So much so that I dedicated the entire October Kitchen Table Chronicles to some of my new favorite squash recipes.
I think I love squash so much because it’s hearty, goes so well with lots of different flavors and really has so many nutrition and health benefits.
Mediterranean Diet Approved
Since starting my Mediterranean Diet journey, I’ve really started to embrace trying new vegetables and vegetarian recipes. This Herb Roasted Acorn Squash fits right into that goal.
Not only is squash pretty budget friendly and available at most grocery stores, it boasts the following health benefits too.
Full of Dietary Fiber
- 1 cup of squash provides 9% of the Recommended Daily Intake (RDI) for fiber
- Consistently consuming fiber in your diet may help decrease your risk for cardiovascular disease because it attaches itself to the cholesterol in your blood stream and removes it from the body
Protection Against Heart Disease
- The orange flesh of squash indicates that it’s packed with carotenoids, nutrients that may help prevent against heart disease
Omega 3 Fatty Acids
- Beta carotene is also a source of Omega 3 fatty acids
- It’s believed that Omega 3’s help prevent against inflammation and reduce the risk of certain cancers
Healthy Vision
- When beta carotene (found in squash) is consumed, the body converts some of it to Vitamin A
- This Vitamin A plays a role in healthy vision by helping prevent macular degeneration
Herb Roasted Acorn Squash
It’s such a simple recipe – acorn squash, dried herbs, and a touch of parmesan cheese all roasted to perfection. The flavor of this dish though is simply fantastic. Sometimes you just can’t go wrong with simple.
The nice part is that you can also eat the skin of this acorn squash since roasting it helps to soften it. Thumbs up for not having to peel to squash before cooking.
Herb Roasted Acorn Squash
Ingredients
- 1 Acorn Squash
- 2 tbsp Herbs de Provence
- 2-3 tbsp Olive Oil
- 1/2 cup Parmesan Cheese
Instructions
- Preheat Oven to 425 degrees F
- Cut squash in half lengthwise and remove seeds and pulp with spoon
- Carefully slice each half into 1 inch thick rings (you can leave the skin on the squash).
- In a large bowl, combine squash rings, olive oil, herbs de provence and parmesan cheese. Carefully combine until squash evenly coated with oil/herb/cheese mixture
- Lay squash rings (in a single layer) on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper
- Pour any remaining herb mixture from the bowl over the squash
- Place in center rack in oven for 20-25 minutes, until golden brown and tender in the middle
- Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly before serving
Even More Squash Recipes
Looking for more great ways to enjoy squash this season, check out two of my current favorites –
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