Acorn Squash

Acorn squash. © Denzil Green / 2018.

Acorn Squash (aka Pepper Squash) is a winter squash with dark green skin, but it’s not unusual to see some cultivars whose skin is coloured with blotches of green and orange.

It is both a variety of squash in its own right, and a collective term for a category of closely-related squashes.

They are named acorn because their shape is reminiscent of that of an acorn.

The rinds are quite hard. The upside of this is that the rind holds together well for baking and transferring to a plate. The downside is that it requires a firm arm to cut it in half when you are preparing it.

The taste of acorn squash is often described as “mildly buttery.” It is slightly sweet, but even though the name “acorn” leads some people to detect a slight “nutty” taste, most people don’t detect that. (In any event, acorns are bitter tasting.)

Varieties of acorn squash include Acorn, Royal Acorn, Table King, Table Queen (aka ‘Des Moines’, ‘Danish’) and White. Most have distinctive, deep ridges that run the length of the squash.

Cooking Tips

Traditional: Halve and seed the acorn squash. Place cut side up in an oven proof dish or on a baking sheet. Sprinkle with brown sugar (you may also sprinkle with ground cinnamon and/or cloves to taste.) Dot with butter (optional as well.) Cover with tin foil, and bake until soft, about 45 minutes.

Low fat: Instead of dotting with butter, sprinkle with orange juice.

In Risotto: Cube it, fry in olive oil with a little garlic until tender, then stir into a risotto which is just about ready.

Baked and peeled acorn squash. © Denzil Green / 2014.

Substitutes

Any other squash including pumpkin.

Storage Hints

“Acorn squash are best kept at 10 C with 60% relative humidity. They will store for 5 to 8 weeks. It is important to maintain greenness on acorn squash as yellowing indicates that the flesh is becoming stringy.” ^[1]Munro, Derek. B. and Earnest Small. Vegetables of Canada. Ottawa: National Research Press. 1997. Page 183.

History Notes

Acorn squash varieties were grown by Native Americans. The variety now known as Table Queen was introduced commercially in 1913:

“Table Queen, a heart-shaped squash, was first introduced by the Iowa Seed company in Des Moines, Iowa, in 1913.” ^[2]Fertig, Juila. Heartland: The Cookbook. Kansas City, Missouri: Andrews McMeel Publishing. 2011. Page 167.

Table Queen is also known as ‘Des Moines’ or ‘Danish’ squash. ^[3]Seedsavers Catalog. Squash, Table Queen. Accessed March 2016 at http://www.seedsavers.org/table-queen-organic-squash

Literature & Lore

The name “acorn squash” comes from its resemblance to a large — very large — acorn, the size that your neighbourhood squirrels might dream of during long winter nights.

Acorn squash varieties

Cream of the Crop Acorn Squash

Cream of the Crop Acorn Squash is an acorn-type squash, with an off-white rind. Its flesh cooks up smooth, with a good taste. The squash grow to be 7 inches (18 cm) tall by 6 inches (15 cm) wide, and weigh 2 to 3 pounds (900 to 1300g.) They grow...

Delicata Squash

Sweet Potato Squash has a classic acorn squash shape, with pronounced ribs, and cream-coloured rind ripening to pale gold. It grows to be 3 inches (7 ½ cm) wide by 6 inches (15 cm) tall. Inside, it has thick, golden-yellow, finely-grained flesh...

Golden Acorn Squash

Golden Acorn Squash is an acorn-type squash with an orange-coloured rind. It has milder flavour than green acorn squashes, but its pale orange flesh is more stringy as well. Good for baking or pies.

Harlequin Squash

Acorn squashes make good table ornamentals, and have good-flavoured flesh. But, there's not much of it: inside, they are mostly seed cavity. They are perhaps best regarded as shells to be stuffed and baked as a dish, rather than as a simple veg on their...

Heart of Gold Squash

Heart of Gold Squash are acorn-squash shaped, with cream-coloured rind with dark-green striping and mottling. They have thick, finely-textured, golden-coloured flesh with a somewhat sweet taste. Hybrid. Storage Hints Stores for up to 6 months...

Swan White Acorn Squash

Swan White is an acorn-type squash, with an off-white rind and pale yellow flesh inside. The flesh has a sweet taste and cooks up smooth.

Table Ace Squash

Table Ace Squash is an acorn-type squash. It has very dark green rind with moderate ribbing, and grows to be about 6 inches (15 cm) tall. Inside, it has golden flesh. The plant is an F1 hybrid semi-bush that will spread out about a yard (1 metre.) 70...

Table Queen Squash

Table Queen Squash is an acorn-type squash. It has a greenish-black rind, sometimes with a spot or two of yellow or orange on it, with moderate ridging. The squash grows to be 4 inches (10 cm) wide by 5 to 6 inches (12 ½ to 15 cm) tall. Inside,...

Tay Belle Squash

Tay Belle Squash is an acorn-type squash, with a very dark green rind. The squash grows to be 5 inches (12 ½ cm) by 6 inches (15 cm) tall, and weigh 1 to 2 pounds (450 to 900g.) The flesh has a sweet taste. F1 hybrid, semi-bush plant. 70...

White Acorn Squash

White Acorn Squash is an acorn-type squash with off-white rind. Inside, it has pale yellow flesh with a stringy texture. The taste is mild, and slightly sweet.