Sharpen your knife and melt the butter…it’s time to make smoked acorn squash on the Traeger! With the holidays rapidly approaching, this acorn squash roasted to perfection on a smoker is a tasty side dish for your next family gathering. Let’s get smoking!
This is the smoker side dish you didn’t know you needed in your life…
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Why smoked acorn squash is a great side dish…
- EASY to make for a tasty Fall BBQ menu, like when you’re cooking food for a smoked Oktoberfest party or game day party.
- It pairs well with main dishes like smoked turkey or smoked chicken, which is great for Thanksgiving and Christmas holiday menus.
- Season how you’d like because it’s versatile. You could keep it simple with just salt and pepper seasoning or kick things up a bit and add seasoning like brown sugar and chopped pecans as a topping. YUM!
- Make it into smoked acorn squash soup? Once it’s finished, you could quickly turn it into a smoked acorn squash soup in less than 30 minutes time!
New to cooking smoked acorn squash?
If you are new to smoked food recipes and Traeger recipes, see my FULL-LENGTH step by step video for beginners (scroll to bottom of page).
In the video, you’ll see how to smoke acorn squash at the same time as other holiday meal and Fall football favorites like smoked brats and kielbasa.
Ingredients
Here’s what you need to make Smoked Acorn Squash.
- acorn squash
- olive oil
- maple syrup (can skip this and just double up the olive oil)
- salt
- cinnamon
- chipotle powder (optional)
- butter, melted (optional, to baste halfway through)
See the best game day smoker recipes…
How to make Smoked Acorn Squash
Now I’ll walk you through it…
Quick look at smoking acorn squash recipe
- Preheat smoker to 225 degrees F and prepare the acorn squash with the seasoning.
- Smoke acorn squash for 1.5 – 2 hours until it’s done (it will be easy to pierce with a fork or knife).
- Finish smoking acorn squash and remove it from the smoker to cool.
- Enjoy smoked acorn squash as a side to any main dish.
Detailed recipe steps
- Preheat Traeger Grills or Pitt Boss or whatever pellet grill you’re using to 225 degrees F.
- Prep acorn squash for smoking. Slice the squash in half lengthwise and scoop out and discard the seeds. Score the acorn squash before smoking it with a knife to make 1” squares – this will help the seasonings and smoke flavor get in the squash.
- Season the acorn squash. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the olive oil, maple syrup, salt, cinnamon, and chipotle powder. Brush inside the acorn squash.
- Smoke acorn squash for about 1.5-2 hours, until it’s easy to pierce with a fork. Optional: add melted butter to each squash halfway through, basting it to add moisture and flavor.
- Finish smoked acorn squash by adding it to a fall salad or serving it with your favorite smoked main dish.
Also check out how to air fry acorn squash and how to smoke butternut squash…
Serve this pellet smoker side dish with something tasty. Check out this guide to smoking baby back ribs and find out exactly how long to smoke chicken thighs til they’re juicy and full of BBQ flavor.
FAQs
Yes, you can definitely smoke acorn squash and it’s super tasty. This side dish pairs well with any holiday meal.
Smoking at 225 degrees F, it will take 1.5 – 2 hours for the acorn squash to become fork tender.
Smoked acorn squash goes well with a lot of side items like smoked butternut squash, smoked mac n’ cheese, smoked asparagus to name a few. Smoked chicken breast and smoked turkey breast are great for main dish pairings.
No, you should not peel the skin off of the acorn squash prior to smoking it. Keep it intact because you’ll place the squash halves right on the smoker racks during the smoke. 
Cutting squash can be difficult because of their odd shapes. Using a sharp knife, carefully cut the squash lengthwise. Place the squash cut side up to remove the seeds and season with your butter mixture or whatever seasoning that you’re using. Now you’re good to start smoking. This cut and prep process will take less than 15 minutes, so super quick to prepare.
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Pro tip: One of my go-to tricks for perfectly cooked food every time is using the right BBQ meat thermometers.
Are you a foodie, too?
Hey home chefs, hope that answers all your questions about smoked acorn squash.
See how to get more smoke flavor from your favorite Traeger dishes.
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Easy Traeger Smoked Acorn Squash Side Dish Recipe | Sip Bite Go
Video
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 medium acorn squash
- ½ tbsp olive oil
- ½ tbsp maple syrup can skip this and just double up the olive oil
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp cinnamon
- ⅛ tsp chipotle powder optional
- 2 tbsp butter melted (optional, to baste halfway through)
Instructions
- Preheat Traeger Grills or Pitt Boss or whatever pellet grill you’re using to 225 degrees F.
- Prep acorn squash for smoking. Slice the squash in half lengthwise and scoop out and discard the seeds. Score the acorn squash before smoking it with a knife to make 1” squares – this will help the seasonings and smoke flavor get in the squash.
- Season the acorn squash. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the olive oil, maple syrup, salt, cinnamon, and chipotle powder. Brush inside the acorn squash.
- Smoke acorn squash for about 1.5-2 hours, until it’s easy to pierce with a fork. Optional: add melted butter to each squash halfway through, basting it to add moisture and flavor.
- Finish smoked acorn squash by adding it to a fall salad or serving it with your favorite smoked main dish.
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