Twice Baked Acorn Squash

Twice baked potatoes get a seasonal makeover in this cozy, crowd-pleasing side dish! Roasted acorn squash is whipped with sharp white cheddar, honey, and chives, then tucked back into its shell and baked again beneath a golden layer of melted cheese and toasted pecans, finished with a jewel-like sprinkle of pomegranate seeds.

Serves about 8–10

 

The Squash:

• 7 acorn squash (softball size)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper

 

The Filling:

• 1 cup grated sharp white cheddar (Beecher's Flagship)
• ¼ cup finely chopped chives
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt

 

The Topping:

• ½ cup grated sharp cheddar cheese (Beecher's Flagship is a great option)
• ¼ cup rough chopped pecans

 

Garnish (optional):

• 1 tablespoon finely chopped chives
• ¼ cup pomegranate seeds

 

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Wash and cut each acorn squash in half (top to bottom). Scoop out and discard any seeds.
3. Season the squash halves with the olive oil, salt and pepper, using your hands to rub the seasoning over the outside and inside of the squash.
4. Line a baking tray with parchment paper and place the acorn squash cut side down on the paper.
5. Roast the squash until the flesh is tender (about 30 minutes).
6. Remove the squash from the oven and let cool to room temperature.
7. While the squash cools, combine the grated white cheddar, chopped chives, honey and 1 teaspoon kosher salt in a medium mixing bowl.
8. Using a spoon, scoop the cooked squash from the outer skin, taking care to leave the "shell" intact like you would for a twice baked potato. Save the shells for the second baking.
9. Add the scooped squash to the bowl with the cheese, chives, honey and salt. Mix gently.
10. Fill each shell with the squash filling, divided equally between them (you may opt not to fill all of the shells in order to keep some fuller).
11. Distribute the ½ cup cheddar cheese and ¼ cup chopped pecans evenly over each filled shell. Bake at 350°F for about 20 minutes, until the pecans are toasted, the cheese is melted and the filling is hot throughout.
12. Once cooked, garnish with the remaining chopped chives and pomegranate seeds.

The tricky part with this recipe is scraping as much of the cooked squash out of the shell as possible without breaking it. These are best served hot out of the oven!

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