If you’re wondering what to serve with your acorn squash, you’ve come to the right place.
In this article, I list 17 of the most popular side dishes for acorn squash.
In a rush? Here’s the short answer.
The best dishes to serve with acorn squash are a sausage and rice skillet, gnocchi, Guinness beef stew, and roasted brussels sprouts. Try lamb meatballs, tofu roast, and maple sage breakfast sausage for fun choices. Kale salad, spicy garlicky beans, and apple bacon salad are healthier options.
Ready? Let’s jump right in.
Sausage and rice skillet
Serve this sausage and rice skillet alongside your acorn squash for a meal that’s nutritious, delicious, and easy to make.
This rice dish is packed with sausages and bell peppers, making it tons more flavorful than your usual plain rice dish.
It’s a one-pot wonder that’ll only take you 30 minutes to make – prep and cooking time included.
Give this sausage and rice skillet recipe a try for dinner tonight!
Gnocchi in brown butter sauce
Fancy pasta with your roasted acorn squash?
Gnocchi in a simple but tasty brown butter sauce is what you’re looking for.
You can serve your roasted acorn squash on the side.
Or you can try tossing some roasted acorn squash cubes in with the sauce.
Either way, gnocchi in brown butter sauce is a deliciously satisfying dish, perfect for a fancy dinner.
Pssst… If you’d rather have acorn squash as a pasta sauce, give this brown butter acorn squash pasta a try.
Guinness beef stew
Whip up a cozy meal of mashed acorn squash and a bowl of warm beef stew for the ultimate comfort meal.
Warm spices, earthy vegetables, and a rich stock make this dish super flavorful.
But what elevates this stew is the addition of Guinness.
A bowl of this Guinness beef stew is guaranteed to boost your mood.
Roasted brussels sprouts
Brussels sprouts complement acorn squash so well.
Roasting them adds a crispy texture to their exteriors, the perfect contrast to their tender interiors.
And flavoring them with a mixture of honey and balsamic vinegar gives them an irresistible sweet and tangy flavor.
Here’s the full recipe: Honey Balsamic Roasted Brussels Sprouts.
Pro Tip: want to save time? Dice your acorn squash and roast them alongside the brussels sprouts.
Kale salad
Transform plain old kale into a flavor-packed dish, courtesy of a secret ingredient: bacon drippings.
It’s the main ingredient of this salad’s vinaigrette, and adds a superb smoky and umami flavor to the dish.
Roast your acorn squash with some cayenne for a spicy kick, and serve them alongside this kale salad with warm bacon vinaigrette.
Spicy garlicky beans
These spicy garlicky beans are the ideal vegan-friendly side dish to go with your acorn squash.
This dish is chock-full of spices and seasonings that elevate your humble beans.
Not only is this dish delicious, but it also adds much-needed protein for a healthy, complete meal.
Even non-vegans will be queuing up for seconds of these delightful spicy garlicky beans.
Pan-seared steak
Thinking of what to serve for your next date night?
You can’t get much fancier than steak and roasted acorn squash.
People pay big bucks to eat perfectly cooked steak, but you can make it for less and in the comfort of your home kitchen.
Olivia’s Cuisine has a great guide on how to cook your steak to perfection – no matter how you like yours cooked.
Pssst… The recipe also features a must-make creamy gorgonzola sauce to accompany your steak and squash.
Pulled pork
Roasted acorn squash halves are good, but they can get a little boring.
So why not make them a complete meal with a generous helping of pulled pork and BBQ sauce?
This is a low effort dish – I promise!
After seasoning the meat, you just have to pop it in your slow cooker and let it do its magic.
10 hours later, you’ll have juicy and moist pork shoulder, ready to be shredded and devoured.
RecipeTin Eats has a fantastic, straightforward recipe for pulled pork and barbecue sauce.
Maple sage breakfast sausage patties
Acorn squash for breakfast, anyone?
Pair your roasted acorn squash hash with a piece (or three) of these breakfast sausage patties.
These breakfast patties are made of pork and turkey and flavored with maple syrup and traditional herbs like sage and thyme.
You can easily make several patties and freeze them for future use.
You won’t be able to get enough of these low-carb maple sage breakfast sausage patties.
Maple glazed salmon
For a light dinner, serve your roasted acorn squash with maple glazed salmon.
You only need five ingredients and 15 minutes to cook this dish.
It’s quick and easy but oh-so-tasty – thanks to the maple, dijon, and soy based marinade.
This sweet and savory flavor combo works well with the salmon and pairs superbly with the roasted acorn squash.
This maple glazed salmon is an excellent addition to your meal plan rotation.
Spinach stuffed portobellos
Stumped on what to serve for Meatless Monday?
Give these stuffed portobellos a try.
The creamy spinach filling and the ‘meaty’ portobello mushrooms make for an irresistible bite.
They’re easy to make, plus frozen spinach works nicely with this dish (I can’t tell the difference).
Once you taste these spinach-stuffed portobello mushrooms, you’ll want to make them every week.
Seared scallops
Elevate your acorn squash mash with a side of seared scallops.
These lightly sweet seafood morsels are a delicious accompaniment to your buttery acorn squash.
Their slightly crisp exteriors provide a nice textural contrast to the squash.
Prop a couple of pan-seared scallops on top of your acorn squash mash to instantly elevate it.
Baked chicken thighs
These Baked chicken thighs are one of the best dishes to make for dinner.
Put the maple dijon sauce together, throw the rest of your ingredients in a baking dish, then let the oven do its job.
Here’s the full recipe: Maple Dijon Baked Chicken Thighs.
Pro Tip: make it a quick, one-sheet pan dinner and roast your cubed acorn squash alongside your chicken thighs.
Glazed tofu roast
If you’re vegan and want to make your roasted acorn squash a more substantial meal, give this tofu roast a try!
You won’t believe how simple it is to make this show-stopping dish.
You just have to marinate your pressed tofu for at least 24 hours. After that, bake this beauty for 60 minutes and you’re done.
Check out Yup It’s Vegan’s recipe to make this glazed tofu roast (AKA ‘vegan ham’).
Moroccan lamb meatballs
These lamb meatballs are what you need to complete your acorn squash mash.
Your smooth, velvety mash is the ideal base for a saucy dish like this.
You won’t regret making these Moroccan lamb meatballs for dinner.
Apple bacon salad
This salad contains a load of fresh and nutritious ingredients such as apples, lettuce, and cranberries.
It’s further jazzed up by adding bacon, gorgonzola cheese, walnuts, and a simple vinaigrette dressing.
Who says salads have to be boring?!
Serve this apple bacon and gorgonzola salad with your roasted acorn squash for a hearty and healthy meal.
Broccoli cheese casserole
This broccoli-cheddar casserole is a clever dish that’ll get your kids to eat their veggies.
After all, who can resist anything covered in a cheesy, velvety sauce?
This broccoli cheese casserole is sure to be a massive hit with the whole family.
The best side dishes for acorn squash
- Sausage and rice skillet
- Gnocchi in brown butter sauce
- Guinness beef stew
- Roasted brussels sprouts
- Kale salad
- Spicy garlicky beans
- Pan-seared steak
- Pulled pork
- Maple sage breakfast sausage
- Maple glazed salmon
- Spinach stuffed portobellos
- Seared scallops
- Baked chicken thighs
- Glazed tofu roast
- Moroccan lamb meatballs
- Apple bacon salad
- Broccoli cheese casserole

What To Serve With Acorn Squash
Ingredients
- 1 portion brown butter gnocchi
- 1 portion Beef stew
- 1 portion Glazed tofu roast
- 1 portion Spinach stuffed mushrooms … and more
Instructions
- Prepare your acorn squash according to your favorite recipe.
- In the meantime, choose one of the following sides to serve alongside it.
- Side dishes include: sausage and rice skillet, gnocchi in brown butter sauce, Guinness beef stew, roasted brussels sprouts, kale salad, spicy garlicky beans, pan-seared steak, pulled pork, maple sage breakfast sausage, maple glazed salmon, spinach stuffed portobellos, seared scallops, baked chicken thighs, glazed tofu roast, Moroccan lamb meatballs, apple bacon salad, and a broccoli cheese casserole.
- Serve immediately and enjoy!