Roasted Acorn Squash Wedges with Spiced Tahini, Pomegranate and Pepitas
Roasted acorn squash recipe with cumin and maple, finished with lemony tahini, pomegranate seeds and toasted pepitas. A colorful fall side with no peeling needed.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 35 min
- Serves
- 4
Roasted Acorn Squash Wedges with Spiced Tahini, Pomegranate and Pepitas is a vegan side recipe made with acorn squash (about 1½ lb each), olive oil, ground cumin. It takes 50 minutes of hands-on time, serves 4, and each serving has 324 calories, 7 g of protein and 6 g of fiber.
Acorn squash skin softens in a hot oven, so you can cut the squash into wedges and roast it without peeling. The wedges roast with cumin and coriander first, and the maple goes on only after you flip them, so it caramelizes without burning. A garlicky lemon-tahini sauce cuts through the sweetness, and pomegranate seeds and toasted pepitas add crunch and brightness.
Ingredients
Squash
- 2 medium862 gacorn squash (about 1½ lb each), halved, seeded and cut into 1-inch wedges
- 2 tbsp27 golive oil
- 1 tsp2.1 gground cumin
- ½ tsp0.9 gground coriander
- ¾ tsp4.5 gfine salt
- ¼ tsp0.6 gblack pepper
- 1½ tbsp30 gmaple syrup
Spiced tahini
- ¼ cup60 gtahini, well stirred
- 2 tbsp31 gfresh lemon juice
- 1 clove3 ggarlic, finely grated
- ¼ tsp0.5 gground cumin
- 1 tsp6.7 gmaple syrup
- ¼ tsp1.5 gfine salt
- 3 tbsp45 gcold water, plus more as needed
Topping
- ¼ cup32 graw pepitas (hulled pumpkin seeds)
- ⅓ cup57 gpomegranate seeds
- ¼ cup15 gfresh flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
- ¼ tsp0.5 gred pepper flakes or Aleppo pepper, for serving (optional)
Kit: large rimmed baking sheet, parchment paper, chef's knife, small skillet, whisk
Tips
- Microwave a whole squash for 2–3 minutes before cutting it. This softens the skin enough to make slicing safer and easier.
- Wedges of even thickness roast at the same rate. If some are thinner at the tips, take those off the pan a few minutes early.
- Tahini brands vary in thickness, so add water gradually until the sauce drizzles easily from a spoon.
- Spread the wedges out on the pan. When they're crowded, they steam instead of browning.
Swap ideas
- Delicata squash instead of acorn
- The wedges are thinner and have more tender skin, so start checking them about 5 minutes sooner.
- Pomegranate molasses instead of maple syrup on the squash
- Gives the glaze a tangier, more sour-sweet flavor and a deeper color.
- Smoked paprika instead of coriander
- Adds a gentle smokiness that pairs well with the sweet squash.
- Mint or cilantro instead of parsley
- Mint tastes cooler and brighter, while cilantro makes the dish more citrusy and herbal.
The numbers
Nutrition per serving
324kcal per serving
Everything else · 4 servings per recipe
- Saturated fat
- 2.8 g 14%
- Sugars
- 7.9 g
- Sodium
- 611 mg 27%
- Potassium
- 977 mg 21%
- Calcium
- 166 mg 13%
- Iron
- 4.4 mg 24%
- Vitamin C
- 34 mg 37%
- Vitamin B12
- 0 µg 0%
% Daily Value on a 2,000 calorie diet. Calculated from USDA FoodData Central values for each ingredient; optional ingredients are excluded. Estimates vary with brands and portions.
Sources: Squash, raw, acorn, winter, Oil, olive, salad or cooking, Spices, cumin seed, Spices, coriander seed, Salt, table, Spices, pepper, black, Syrups, maple, Seeds, sesame butter, tahini, from roasted and toasted kernels (most common type), Lemon juice, raw, Garlic, raw, Beverages, water, tap, drinking, Seeds, pumpkin and squash seed kernels, dried, Pomegranates, raw, Parsley, fresh
Method
Heat the oven to 425°F (220°C) with a rack in the upper-middle position. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment.
Halve each squash from stem to tip, scoop out the seeds, and cut each half into 1-inch wedges along the ridges. Don't peel them, because the skin turns tender as it roasts.
Toss the wedges on the baking sheet with the olive oil, 1 tsp cumin, coriander, ¾ tsp salt and the pepper. Lay them cut side down in a single layer with space between them.
Roast until the undersides are golden brown, about 20 minutes.
Flip the wedges, brush the tops with 1½ tbsp maple syrup, and roast until a fork slides easily into the thickest part and the edges look caramelized, 12–15 minutes more. If the maple starts to darken too fast, move the pan down a rack.
While the squash roasts, toast the pepitas in a dry skillet over medium heat, shaking the pan often, until they puff and start to pop, 3–4 minutes. Tip them onto a plate so they stop cooking.
Whisk the tahini, lemon juice, garlic, ¼ tsp cumin, 1 tsp maple syrup and ¼ tsp salt in a bowl. The mixture will seize and thicken at first. Whisk in water a tablespoon at a time until the sauce is smooth and pourable, like heavy cream.
Arrange the warm wedges on a platter. Drizzle with the tahini sauce, then scatter the pomegranate seeds, pepitas, parsley and red pepper flakes (if using) over the top. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Storage: Store the roasted squash in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Keep the tahini sauce separately for up to 5 days and thin it with a little water if it thickens. Store the pepitas at room temperature and the pomegranate seeds in the fridge, and add them just before serving. To reheat the squash, warm it in a 400°F oven for 8–10 minutes.
Questions
- How much protein is in roasted acorn squash wedges with spiced tahini, pomegranate and pepitas?
- Each of the 4 servings has 7 g of protein, 6 g of fiber and 324 calories, calculated from USDA FoodData Central values for every ingredient.
- Is roasted acorn squash wedges with spiced tahini, pomegranate and pepitas vegan?
- Yes. It contains no dairy, eggs, honey or other animal products.
- How long does roasted acorn squash wedges with spiced tahini, pomegranate and pepitas take to make?
- 15 minutes of prep and 35 minutes of cooking, so 50 minutes of hands-on time.
- Can you make roasted acorn squash wedges with spiced tahini, pomegranate and pepitas ahead?
- Store the roasted squash in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Keep the tahini sauce separately for up to 5 days and thin it with a little water if it thickens. Store the pepitas at room temperature and the pomegranate seeds in the fridge, and add them just before serving. To reheat the squash, warm it in a 400°F oven for 8–10 minutes.
- What can I substitute in roasted acorn squash wedges with spiced tahini, pomegranate and pepitas?
- Delicata squash instead of acorn — the wedges are thinner and have more tender skin, so start checking them about 5 minutes sooner.. Pomegranate molasses instead of maple syrup on the squash — gives the glaze a tangier, more sour-sweet flavor and a deeper color.. Smoked paprika instead of coriander — adds a gentle smokiness that pairs well with the sweet squash.. Mint or cilantro instead of parsley — mint tastes cooler and brighter, while cilantro makes the dish more citrusy and herbal..
- Does roasted acorn squash wedges with spiced tahini, pomegranate and pepitas contain gluten or nuts?
- None of the ingredients are a source of gluten, tree nuts or peanuts. That is a statement about the ingredient list, not a guarantee about the brands you buy — always read the labels if you're cooking for an allergy.
Nutrition is calculated from USDA data for every ingredient — how we work it out.
Published October 6, 2026 ·Middle Eastern-inspired