Grilled Acorn Squash
On November 10, 2021 (Updated December 06, 2024)
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When the weather starts to turn cold and you’ve got a bountiful harvest waiting for you in your pantry, toss some acorn squash on the grill! Drizzled with a sweet and savory buttery and brown sugar sauce, this grilled acorn squash is a tasty side to round out your meal.
Grilled Acorn Squash
Acorn squash is a great side dish that compliments any meal any time of the year. I’m a big fan of cooking squash in the fall and around the holidays, and this grilled acorn squash has a lot of flavor to match any entree you’ve got cooking. Acorn squash can be a bit stringier than its squash siblings, making it a great candidate for grilling.
This recipe is a breeze to make, and your acorn squash will be done in less than 30 minutes. I highly recommend trying this when you’re already cooking. It’s such a treat to toss your side on the grill with your meat and have the entire meal cooking in one place.
Grilled Acorn Squash with Brown Sugar
Acorn squash is one of the milder squash flavors. It’s closer in flavor to zucchini with a slightly buttery or even nutty taste. Since acorn squash isn’t really packing much punch in the flavor department, it’s great jazzed up with some good seasoning. The char from the grill also helps to give this squash extra oomph.
You can really go big with the flavors and seasoning on your acorn squash before grilling. Here’s what I whipped together to drizzle on the squash:
- Melted butter
- Brown sugar
- Apple cider vinegar
- Grated garlic
- Soy sauce
- Black pepper
Mix all these in a medium bowl and drizzle or brush on all sides of the squash wedges.
How to Grill Acorn Squash
Grilling acorn squash is super easy and fast. All the equipment you’ll need to make this squash is a trusty grill and a meat thermometer (optional, but well worth the investment!)
- Preheat. Turn on your preferred grill (charcoal or gas will work just great for this recipe) and prep it for two-zone cooking. Two-zone cooking will have one side of the grill with direct heat and the other side with indirect heat. Aim to have your overall temperature at 350 degrees F.
- Prep. While the grill is preheating, prepare the squash. Cut the squash in half and remove the seeds, then continue to cut the squash into wedges. Combine the ingredients for the brown sugar and butter sauce in a bowl and drizzle it on all sides of the acorn squash.
- Grill over direct heat. Once your grill is preheated and your squash is seasoned, place each wedge on the direct heat side of the grill and cook for 1-2 minutes on each side. Do not walk away! The sugar in the sauce will brown very quickly.
- Finish on indirect heat. Once the exterior has been browned, move the squash to the indirect heat side of the grill, close the lid, and finish grilling for about 30 minutes, turning every 5-7 minutes to ensure they cook evenly. The squash is done when it is tender and the squash ready 210 degrees F. (Make sure you’re using a reliable thermometer for this step!)
- Enjoy. This squash is ready to be enjoyed immediately. I like to finish mine off with a nice sprinkle of some flaky sea salt.
Bam! You’re all set to enjoy some beautifully grilled acorn squash.
More Grilled Squash Recipes
You don’t have to stop at grilling acorn squash! Any and all squash varieties taste amazing cooked on the grill with a little seasoning and some grilling know-how. Check out these other tasty grilled squash recipes from Hey Grill Hey below!
Grilled Acorn Squash Recipe
Whether you’re cooking this for a quick weeknight side, or you’re planning on having it for Thanksgiving dinner, this grilled acorn squash aims to please. It’s easy, quick, and pretty much foolproof.
Did you cook this squash? If so, we’d love to hear from you! Please leave us a comment below and let us know how this acorn squash recipe turned out for you! You can also find us on social media @HeyGrillHey!
Grilled Acorn Squash
Ingredients
- 2 medium acorn squash seeds removed and cut into wedges
- 4 Tablespoons salted butter melted
- 4 Tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
- 2 garlic cloves grated
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat. Preheat your grill for two-zone cooking (around 350 degrees F overall temperature).
- Season the squash. In a medium bowl, combine the melted butter, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, grated garlic, soy sauce, and black pepper. Brush all sides of the acorn sides with the brown sugar butter mixture.
- Grill. Place each squash wedge on the direct heat side of the preheated grill and cook for 1-2 minutes per side. The sugars will caramelize and brown quickly. Move the squash over to the indirect heat side of the grill, close the lid, and cook for 30 minutes, turning every 5-7 minutes to help them cook evenly. Squash should be crispy on the outside and fork-tender on the inside. An internal thermometer should read around 210 degrees F when inserted into the flesh of the squash.
- Serve immediately. Remove the squash to a serving platter and sprinkle with some additional salt, to taste, if desired.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
