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Light & Crispy Maple Butter Acorn Squash Rings: Best Easy Side

maple butter acorn squash rings - featured image
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These Light & Crispy Maple Butter Acorn Squash Rings are a quick and easy side dish that transforms a humble squash into a crowd-pleasing favorite. With a crispy, golden coating and a sweet maple butter drizzle, they’re perfect for fall gatherings and weeknight dinners alike.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 medium acorn squash (about 1.5 pounds or 680g)
  • ½ cup all-purpose flour (60g)
  • ½ cup panko breadcrumbs (30g)
  • ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese (25g)
  • 1 large egg
  • 2 tablespoons milk (any kind)
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter (42g)
  • 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
  • Pinch of cinnamon (optional)
  • Pinch of sea salt

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and brush lightly with olive oil.
  2. Wash the acorn squash, cut off the top and bottom stems, then slice in half from top to bottom. Scoop out seeds and stringy pulp.
  3. Use a vegetable peeler to remove the skin from each half. Slice crosswise into ½-inch thick rings.
  4. Set up three shallow dishes: Dish 1: flour, salt, and pepper. Dish 2: egg beaten with milk. Dish 3: panko, Parmesan, garlic powder, and smoked paprika.
  5. Working one ring at a time, dredge in flour mixture, dip in egg wash, then press into breadcrumb mixture. Place on prepared baking sheet.
  6. Lightly brush tops of rings with olive oil. Bake for 10 minutes, flip, then bake another 10-15 minutes until golden and crispy.
  7. While rings bake, make maple butter: In a small saucepan over low heat, melt butter. Add maple syrup, cinnamon, and sea salt. Whisk until smooth and keep warm.
  8. Remove rings from oven, let rest 2 minutes, then transfer to a platter. Drizzle with maple butter and serve immediately.

Notes

For extra crispiness, use a wire rack on the baking sheet. You can prep the rings up to the coating step and refrigerate for up to 2 hours before baking. For vegan version, use aquafaba and vegan butter.

Nutrition

Keywords: acorn squash rings, maple butter, crispy squash, fall side dish, easy side dish, baked squash rings

Find it online: https://novanosh.com/light-and-crispy-maple-butter-acorn-squash-rings-best-easy-side/