Tex-Mex Ground Turkey Stuffed Acorn Squash Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Do you peel acorn squash before eating? ›

Good news: you don't need to peel acorn squash. Its hard, grooved skin softens significantly as it cooks, and it's edible, too. If you do want to remove the skin, wait until after you cook it, at which point it will peel right off.

Learning how to cook acorn squash begins with its easy prep. It's a breeze since there is no real need to peel the squash, as the flesh separates easily from the skin and can be eaten directly from the shell once cooked. (Eating the skin is a personal preference—but it is edible. Just be sure to wash and scrub well).

Due to its pleasing, slightly nutty flavor, acorn squash makes an excellent addition to sweet and savory dishes alike. It can be baked or roasted in the oven, as well as cooked in the microwave for a quick side dish.

1. Place squash halves, cut sides down, in a baking dish. 2. Bake in a 350°F oven 45 to 50 minutes or until tender.

Microwave. Pierce the squash with a knife or fork to make a few holes for steam to escape. Then, place the acorn squash in a microwave-safe bowl and heat for 3-4 minutes, depending on size.

Skip eating most hard-skinned squash raw. "Hard skinned squash is difficult to eat raw," Marz says. "They are usually much larger in size, have a harder flesh, and are much more fibrous." Examples of hard-skinned squash that should not be eaten raw include: pumpkins, delicate, butternut, Hubbard, and acorn.

Acorn squash is easily recognizable by its ridges and small, round shape. When cooked, the flesh is sweet. Also, you can eat the skin–with roasted or baked acorn squash, the skin turns tender and is easily pierced just a fork. Acorn squash, simply prepared, makes a wonderful side dish.

This squash has a lot of antioxidants, which can boost your immunity and help your body to fight off certain diseases. Acorn squash contains antioxidants like vitamin C that help strengthen bones and blood vessels. It also has vitamin A, which helps improve the health of your lungs, heart and other vital organs.

The one-size-fits-all method for cooking acorn and other hardy squashes is to roast them whole. You can avoid the precarious task of cutting them when they're raw, and the flesh steams to tenderize without drying out while the skin softens enough to eat.

Dr. Klein explains that the best types of squash to feed your dog are butternut squash, pumpkin, zucchini, and acorn squash. In particular, zucchini is the squash most easily digested by dogs.

Which is healthier acorn or butternut squash? ›

Acorn squash: It has less vitamin A than butternut but provides even more fiber (9 grams per cup) and potassium (896 mg).

Acorn squash is a starchy vegetable, meaning it's higher in carbs than non starchy ones, like broccoli and spinach. If you're watching your carbs, limit acorn squash to one cup or about 25% of your plate.

Acorn squash is nutrient dense and definitely worth eating more of! Acorn contains less beta-carotene than butternut, but similar amounts of folate + vitamin C.

Once they're dry lay the squash fruits out in a warm, sunny spot. It should be about 80 to 85 degrees F. (27-29 C.), with a humidity of around 80 to 85 percent. A greenhouse table or a sunny windowsill might be perfect for your unripe green squash to cure and finish the process of ripening.

The first and most important thing to have on-hand is a very sharp chef's knife or a longer, thick utility knife. Lay the squash on it's side. Raise a knife 3-4 inches above the squash and give it a little chop to break into it. Using your other hand, press down on the top of the blade and slice all the way through.

You can continue to ripen unripe squash by bringing them inside, washing them off and putting them in a sunny spot. You watch them carefully, turning them occasionally until they reach the proper color for eating.

In a saucepan, bring lightly salted water to boil. Add the sliced squash to the boiling water. Cover and cook 3 to 6 minutes or until the squash is just tender. Drain well.