Name: Mashed Oven Roasted Acorn Squash - GF/DF, Top 9 Free, Vegan
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 35 min
Ingredients: 1 Acorn Squash (whole); 1-2 Tbsps Olive Oil (or Avocado Oil); 2 Tbsps Plant Based Butter (wheat, soy, and nut free); ¼ tsp Salt; ⅛ tsp Pepper

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Colourful circles with letters denoting which allergens this recipe is free from.

Mashed oven roasted acorn squash is the perfect side dish for those who are tired of mashed potatoes. This recipe is top 9 allergen friendly, gluten and dairy free, as well as vegan. It makes a great potluck or holiday side dish.

Oven Roasted Acorn Squash mashed on a white plate with half a squash.

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What Made Us Make Roasted Acorn Squash

We are a big meat and potatoes family, at least Rob and the kids are. To add a bit of variety to their usual mashed potatoes we decided to swap out the potatoes with squash and see if the kids would eat it. They did. They thought they were fancy potatoes and loved them! Hahaha! Win for the veggies.

The other reasons were that this winter squash at our local discount produce store have been plentiful, long lasting, and really cheap compared to most other options. At one point they had so many the store was giving them away free with any purchase. With a family of 6 to feed we were not going to let this cheap alternative pass us by.

Lastly, we know a lot of people who also have EoE and have allergies or one of their trigger foods are potatoes. We wanted to help them out with an alternative to sweet potatoes, which many of them have told us they are tired of. Mashed oven roasted acorn squash hopefully is something they can have that they can have. We have also used roasted squash as the starting point for a few other recipes such as soup and pasta sauce for those who cannot do tomatoes.

Ingredients

Acorn Squash, whole
Olive Oil, or Avocado Oil
Plant Based Butter, wheat, soy, and nut free
Salt
Pepper

See recipe card for quantities.

The Ingredient Low Down

Acorn Squash, whole

We love using acorn squash for this recipe. It can however, be just about any squash other than zucchini. Marrows will work but may release more moisture than a starchier squash. For butternut squash or pumpkin the time will need to be increased until a fork is able to effortlessly slip into the flesh of the squash.

We roast our squash with the skin on. It helps hold in the moisture and not have dried out squash. Peeling this winter vegetable is easier after roasting and more of the flesh is kept and not lost to the peel removal.

It really helps to wear a special kevlar cutting glove to split the squash.

Raw Acorn Squash on a white plate cut in half on a marble countertop.

Olive Oil, or Avocado Oil

Really any high enough temperature oil that is neutral and safe for you will work. All it needs to do is coat the outside of the acorn squash without flavouring it. This is done so the skin and cut side doesn’t burn or stick to the cookie sheet.

Plant Based Butter

Any dairy free plant based butter that is free from all the top 8 allergens can be used. Tub or stick really depends on what works best for you. We switch back and forth between the two for mashed squash and mashed potatoes.

Salt and Pepper

Check these for cross contact in their processing plant. We are noticing more and more “may contain” warnings showing up on salt and pepper. They are not regulated so always check with the manufacturer.

Instructions/ Directions and Tips

1- Preheat the oven to 400 F.

2- Cover a cookie sheet with parchment paper or aluminium foil that has been lightly oiled.

3- On a large cutting board with a good knife, carefully cut the washed and dried acorn squash in half from tip to stem end.

4- Remove the seeds with a spoon and get out any of the stringy bits with the seeds.

5- With your hands rub the Olive or Avocado oil into the cut side and skin of the acorn squash.

6- Place the squash skin down on the lined cookie sheet and bake for 15 minutes.

7- After the first 15 minutes of cooking time, flip the acorn squash over and put it back in the oven for another 10-15 minutes. It should cook for a total of 25- 30 mintues.

8- The squash is done when a fork slides easily into the squash flesh. There may be a tiny bit of browning on after flipping. If the browning is getting darker, cover the squash lightly with foil to protect it from further darkening.

9- Remove the squash from the oven and let it cool enough to be able to be handled.

10- With a spoon, scoop the flesh from the skin or peel the skin off the squash.

11- Transfer the squash to a bowl and mash it with a fork or vegetable masher.

12- Add in the plant based butter, salt and pepper and stir. Serve as a side dish.

Hint: If making squash based Tomato Free pasta sauce stop at step 10 before adding butter, salt and pepper. Instead of mashing you can puree the vegetable instead with an immersion blender.

Oven Roasted Acorn Squash on a white plate cut in half.

Low Food Waste Tips

Tip - Save the seeds to roast in the oven with a bit of salt and use to top salads or as a savoury snack.

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Substitutions

Other kinds of squashes - Almost any kind of squash can be roasted this way in the oven. Pumpkin and butternut are our other favourites.
Creamier - A splash of plant based milk that is safe for you could be used to make the squash creamy.
Nutmeg - Grating a bit of nutmeg into the mashed roasted squash will give it a great flavour punch. Nutmeg is not a nut, rather it is a seed. If you are unsure if it is safe for you check with your medical team before buying or trying it.

Equipment

This is a super simple recipe with very little equipment. All it takes is stuff most have around the kitchen already, a knife and cutting board, a spoon, parchment paper and a cookie sheet, as well as a vegetable (potato) masher, and a bowl.

The one special item we recommend is a cut-resistant glove to protect your hand while cutting the raw squash. It is usually made from kevlar and worn on the hand that hold the vegetable.

This is something we used to be required to wear in the professional kitchens I worked in when we were cutting tough and hard foods that posed a risk for the knife to slip on the skin. They are really helpful when using my nemesis, the mandoline though I still refuse to get one but that is another story. Epicurious has a great article about the gloves on their site.

Storage and Reheating Instructions

Storage

-Fridge

In the fridge oven roasted acorn squash will keep for up to 3 days. It should be kept in a well sealing container.

-Freezer

Mashed or pureed squash will keep in the freezer for up to 6 months. Store it in portioned well sealing containers for the correct amount to make soup or pasta sauce from. It is not great eaten as it is after thawing but when added to other dishes or used in baking like you would sweet potato or apple sauce it is perfect.

Reheating

-Stove Top

You can pop a bit of mashed squash with a ¼-½ a cup of water in a pan or pot and heat it over medium heat. Stir it often until it is heated through.

Rob’s favourite way is to use a pan and after the water is added he will cover it with a lid and let it blip away for 2-3 minutes. Then he removes the lid and lets the water cook off while stirring the mashed squash. Then Rob adds a tablespoon of plant based butter to the pan and stirs it into the squash mash as it melts. Once melted he turns the heat up slightly and spreads out the mashed squash. It will start to brown on the pan side. He flips that bit and continues to do the browning until it is a tiny bit browned and crispy on many spots. Rob calls it his leftover mashed fry up.

- Microwave

In a microwave safe bowl, heat for 1 minute. Stir and see if it has heated through. If not microwave for another 20 seconds, stir and check again. Repeat as needed.

How to Send mashed Oven Roasted Acorn Squash as Leftovers for Lunch

We send the mashed squash in a prewarmed thermos. Heat the roasted squash as directed in the reheating section. Reheating on the stove tends to hold the heat better, we have found.

Before putting heated squash in the thermos, fill the thermos with hot water and let it heat up for about 5 minutes from the water. Dump the water out and wipe it out to soak up any extra water. Put the mash in the bottom of the thermos and then any protein like slices of heated meatloaf on top.

Top Tip

Roast many squash at the same time. Store the extras peeled in the freezer to make other recipes later and save time.

What To Serve With Mashed Roasted Squash

You can serve mashed squash the same way you would mashed potatoes. It makes a fantastic side dish for a Lamb Roast, Roast Chicken, or Egg Free Meatloaf. This recipe of mashed can be used to top a Shepherd's Pie or a Vegan Lentil Pie. Mashed roasted squash is the perfect substitute for anyone who isn’t a fan of or cannot have potatoes. This is a fantastic addition to any potluck or holiday dinner as a mashed potato alternative.

Oven roasting squash is also the perfect way to start our Tomato Free Pasta Sauce or Dairy Free Pumpkin Soup.

Other Recipes You May Enjoy

Herbes de Provence Roasted Potatoes

Thyme Roasted Carrots

Roasted Sweet Potatoes

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