Fall is the perfect time to take advantage of delicious seasonal produce. This simple sheet pan dinner pairs pork chops with roasted acorn squash for a meal that's easy to make and full of flavor. Follow my step-by-step instructions for the perfect sheet pan dinner recipe.
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This easy dinner recipe is one of the first recipes I ever developed. And I still love it.
And if you love it too, then you want to check out my other Fall favorites like roast pork with apples, kale cranberry salad, and my favorite potato soup.
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📖Why Make This Sheet Pan Dinner
Easy Recipe- Not only does a good sheet pan meal simplify your cooking but you only have one pan to clean up! It is foolproof.
Unique Flavors- This recipe uses seasonal produce and is loaded with big flavors thanks to a honey marinade/ dressing.
Not that you need another reason to make this recipe but it is gluten-free and dairy-free too!
🧾Ingredient Notes
Pork Chops- Unlike our boneless pork chop skillet dinner, you can use bone-in pork chops for this dish because the squash needs to cook for a while we can take advantage of the extra flavor the bone provides.
The key is to make sure they aren't too thick, I like to keep mine under 1 inch, preferably closer to ¾ inch thick.
Acorn Squash- You can use delicate squash, peeled and sliced butternut squash, or even thick sliced sweet potatoes with the skin still on.
Onion- Red, yellow, or white onions all work. Leeks too.
Cranberries- The cranberries add tartness and a bright splash of color. Fresh or frozen, don't use sweetened dried cranberries.
Oil- Use any high-heat oil like avocado oil or coconut oil.
Seasonings- Dried sage, salt and pepper.
Honey Sage Vinaigrette
Orange- Fresh is best but a little OJ is a fine substitute. You can also use apple juice for a slightly different flavor.
Honey- I need to let you in on a little secret, this is the PERFECT dressing to use the Fermented Garlic Honey hiding your cabinet in place of the raw garlic and regular honey.
Oil- I prefer to use olive oil in this recipe.
Apple cider vinegar- Champagne and red wine vinegar work as well.
⏲️How to Make Sheet Pan Pork Chops
To get started you need one sheet pan and to pre-heat the oven to 400 F degrees.
Step 1- Prep the Pork Chops
Brush the pork chops with the oil and then season. While I am doing this I like to preheat the sheet pan. Getting it hot will give the pork chops a sear as soon as they go in.
Lay the pork in a single layer and place sheet pan in the oven and bake the chops for 10 minutes.
Step 2- Cut the Veggies
While the pork is cooking I prep my veggies. The key to any sheet pan dinner is to keep the veggies and meat cut proportionality.
If your bone-in chops are smaller or larger than what the recipe calls for adjust your slice on the squash and onion to ensure the pork is fully cooked in the same amount of time.
Toss your vegetables with the remaining oil.
Step 3- Bake
Remove the sheet pan from the oven, flip the pork chops, and add the veggies. Space out for even cooking.
Bake for 10 minutes. Use a meat thermometer to test the internal temperature and continue to cook as needed. The cook time will vary based on the thickness of your pork chops.
If the pork chops haven't reached 145 degrees but the veggies are done remove the veggies to a large bowl and set aside.
Place the pork chops under the broiler and sear until they reach the right temp, flip every 2 minutes to prevent burning.
Step 4- Sauce and Serve
While the veggies and meat are roasting I make up the vinaigrette. You can mix in a small bowl or just shake in a jar with a tight-fitting lid.
Move the cooked pork and veggies to serving plates, drizzle on the honey vinaigrette, and serve.
🥗 How to Serve Pork Chops and Acorn Squash
While this is a full meal on its own you can always pair it with blanched green beans, steamed broccoli, or a light side salad.
Expert Tips
- Pat the pork chops dry before seasoning for better browning.
- Don't overcrowd the sheet pan to ensure even cooking.
- Let the pork chops rest after cooking for 5 minutes to help retain their juices.
🥗 More One Pan Dinner Recipes
🌡️Storing Leftovers
Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave or in the oven at 325 F degrees.
💬 The squash is too hard to cut what do I do?
Microwave the whole squash for 2 minutes on high. This should soften it just enough to slice it. I also find using a bread knife easier than a chef's knife.
Did you enjoy making this recipe? Show it some love with ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ and leave a comment! Hungry for more FLAVORFUL recipes?
📖 Recipe Card
Sheet Pan Pork Chops with Acorn Squash
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons coconut oil melted, divided
- 4 bone-in pork chops (about ¾ inch thick)
- ½ teaspoon dried sage
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 small acorn squash (about 2 lbs), cut into ¾" half moons
- 1 large red onion cut into ½" slices
- 1 ½ cup cranberries fresh or frozen
Honey Sage Vinaigrette
- ½ medium orange juiced and zest
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1 Tablespoon fresh sage minced
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 3 Tablespoons olive oil
Instructions
Sheet Pan Assembly
- Preheat oven to 400 F.
- Brush pork chops with half of the oil and sprinkle with dried sage, salt, and pepper. Place the pork chops on a rimmed baking sheet in a single layer. Bake for 10 minutes while you prep the vegetables.2 Tablespoons coconut oil, 4 bone-in pork chops, ½ teaspoon dried sage, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper
- Slice your squash and onion. Add the cranberries and toss with the remaining oil. You do not need to peel the squash.2 small acorn squash, 1 large red onion, 1 ½ cup cranberries
- Flip the pork chops and add the vegetables to the pan. Bake an additional 10 to 15 minutes or until pork chops reach a minimum internal temperature of 145 F and squash is easily pierced with a fork.
- Move pork chops to plates, drizzle vinaigrette over vegetables and serve
Honey Sage Vinaigrette
- Combine all ingredients into a mason jar, shake until well combined2 Tablespoons coconut oil, ½ medium orange, 1 clove garlic, 1 Tablespoon fresh sage, 1 teaspoon honey, 1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar, 3 Tablespoons olive oil, 4 bone-in pork chops
Notes
- If your pork chops are not as crispy as you like, remove the vegetables and return pan to the oven to broil 2 minutes per side
- If you don't have a full-size sheet pan, divided between two half pans and rotate racks halfway through.
Bobbi says
Delicious combination. I added sliced large portobello mushroom with the other veggies and had butternut squash instead of acorn squash. Absolutely magnificent taste. Thank you!
Jen Wooster says
Sounds delicious with the mushrooms. Thanks for sharing you expereince!
Renee Benham says
The flavors are nice but the timings are all wrong. The pork chops were overdone and the squash still needed 30 more minutes. Our squash slices look the same as the picture. I recommend starting the squash first and adding the pork chops near the end.
Jen Wooster says
I am sorry you had trouble with the cook times. I will reevaluate the next time I make the recipe.
Susan says
Very tasty combination but it sure took longer than stated.
I think putting the squash in first to cook for a while before adding chops would work.
My hubby was sitting there waiting...IS IT DONE YET?? YIKES!
Took at least 20-25 min....
BUT great flavors and will definitely try again!
Jen Wooster says
The thickness of your squash slices and pork chops really makes a huge difference in cooking time. Glad you enjoyed the flavors!
veenaazmanov says
Love the delicious dressing and the flavorful Acorn Squash and pork chops. A unique combination to enjoying this awesome Platter. I love it.
GUNJAN C Dudani says
Sounds like such a nice and delicious combination. The recipe is soooo doable and well explained.