What to make with Acorn Squash & Bacon
Why they work together
Acorn squash's sweet, slightly nutty flesh needs a salty, smoky counterpoint to keep it from tasting one-note, and bacon delivers that plus rendered fat for cooking and a crisp texture against the squash's soft, roasted interior. The sweetness of the squash also tempers bacon's saltiness, so neither ingredient overwhelms the other.
How to combine them
Cube or wedge the squash and toss it in rendered bacon fat before roasting, so the sweetness caramelizes alongside the smoke instead of using a neutral oil. Cook the bacon separately until crisp and scatter it over the finished squash rather than roasting it alongside the whole time, so it doesn't turn soggy in the squash's moisture.
Classic dishes featuring both
American
- Roasted acorn squash with bacon and maple — Squash wedges are roasted in rendered bacon fat and finished with maple syrup and crumbled bacon.
- Acorn squash, bacon, and kale salad — Roasted squash and crisped bacon bits are tossed with kale for a sweet-salty fall salad.
- Acorn squash stuffed with bacon and apples — Halved squash is baked and filled with a bacon, apple, and breadcrumb mixture.
Italian
- Acorn squash risotto with bacon — Pureed or diced squash is stirred into risotto with crisped bacon folded in at the end.
German
- Kürbis mit Speck — A home-style German preparation where squash is braised or sautéed together with diced bacon (Speck).
Take it further
- Bacon-fat confit squash — Slow-cook cubed squash fully submerged in rendered bacon fat at a gentle simmer until silky throughout, instead of a quick high-heat roast -- slower, but far more deeply flavored.
- Bacon squash hash — Dice roasted squash and pan-fry it with crisped bacon until crisp-edged, instead of pureeing it into a soup, for a hearty breakfast hash.
- Bacon squash lunch wrap — Wrap cooled roasted squash and crisped bacon in a flatbread, or pack them in a jar, for a portable lunch instead of a dinner side.
- Bacon squash gratin — Layer thin squash slices with crisped bacon and cream in a baking dish and bake until bubbling, trading the quick roast or hash for a sliceable baked casserole.
- Bacon squash chowder — Puree part of the roasted squash into a creamy soup base and stir in crisped bacon at the end, turning the side dish into a bowl of soup.
Common additions
- Maple Syrup — Drizzled on near the end of roasting to play up the squash's natural sweetness against the salty bacon.
- Goat Cheese — Crumbled over the finished squash and bacon for tang that cuts the richness.
- Walnut — Toasted and scattered on top for crunch alongside the crisped bacon.