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This recipe for stuffed acorn squash is one of the first things I make every Fall when winter squash starts appearing on store shelves. It makes a vegetarian main course for Thanksgiving without relying on soy or fake meat. While the squash roasts in the oven, you can whip up a quick quinoa stuffing to fill it with.
If you prefer a different filling, try my wild rice stuffing or quinoa pilaf, or try my vegetarian meatloaf, which bakes in the oven all at once.
“Delicious! We loved the addition of the cranberries and pecans- Thanksgiving flavors all in one dish! My boys even ate an entire half squash portion each!”
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love This Stuffed Acorn Squash
It’s beautiful. This is one of those impressive-looking dishes you make for company. It looks good, but is still easy to prep.
It’s allergy-friendly. This is perfect for friends and family members who are gluten-free, dairy-free, or vegan.
You can prep it ahead of time. If you’re making this for a holiday meal, cook the quinoa filling and squash ahead of time. You can stuff them and bake for about 30 minutes to reheat them together.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Acorn Squash. These are some of my favorite winter squashes because they are so easy to cut into. (Unlike spaghetti squash and pumpkin.)
- Quinoa. This gluten-free grain cooks in just 15 minutes, but rinse it first to remove any bitter flavor. I have also learned the best way to cook quinoa over the years, so I’ve updated the method here, too.
- Mushrooms. Even if you don’t love mushrooms, they aren’t super noticeable when you chop them up in this dish. I love the added texture, but you can use another veggie if you prefer.
- Aromatic Veggies. Onion, garlic, and celery help add texture and flavor to the quinoa stuffing.
- Pantry Spices. Dried thyme and ground sage keep the chopping to a minimum, but fresh herbs work, too. (Just use triple the amount if going from dry to fresh.)
- Cranberries & Pecans. The pecans add crunch and the cranberries add a punch of sweetness with a chewy texture. If you want to use another nut or dried fruit, that works, too.
How to Make Stuffed Acorn Squash (Step by Step)
- Preheat the oven to 400ºF and cut 2 to 3 acorn squash in half. (Each half is one serving, so you can serve up to 6 people.) Use a spoon to scoop out the seeds.
- Arrange the squash cut-side down on a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake at 400ºF for 45 minutes.
- While the squash cooks, add a drizzle of olive oil to a large skillet over medium-high heat. (Make sure your pan has a lid.) Saute a chopped yellow onion and 3 chopped celery ribs for 5 minutes.
- Add 2 minced garlic cloves, 1 teaspoon of ground sage, and 1 teaspoon of dried thyme to the pan and stir briefly. The spices should smell fragrant in about 60 seconds.
- Add 8 ounces of chopped mushrooms to the pan and season with 1 teaspoon of salt. Stir briefly.
- Rinse 1 cup of dry quinoa in a fine mesh strainer under running water until no bubbles form on top. Then pour the drained quinoa into the pan and add 1.5 cups of water.
- Bring the liquid to a boil, then cover the pot with a lid. Lower the heat and let it cook covered until the quinoa is tender, about 15 minutes.
- When the timer goes off, remove the acorn squash from the oven and use oven mitts to carefully flip them over.
- When the quinoa is done cooking, fluff it with a fork and stir in 1/2 cup each of chopped pecans and dried cranberries. Adjust the seasoning to taste, if needed.
- Spoon the quinoa filling into the cooked acorn squash and serve warm. It’s ready to eat right away!
Storage Tips
I think it’s easiest to store the squash and quinoa separately, for faster reheating later. Store the quinoa stuffing in an airtight container for up to 5 days. And the squash can be stored separately for the same time frame. See reheating tips below.
Stuffed Acorn Squash Recipe FAQs
If you don’t want to use quinoa, try my wild rice stuffing for another vegetarian option. Or, you can do a grain-free stuffing paired with Italian turkey sausage for another variation.
Yes, kabocha squash would be the closest match, but you can roast and stuff any small squash like this.
Preheat the oven or air fryer to 350ºF and warm the squash in a pan. Then reheat the filling on the stovetop over medium heat, stirring often, just until it’s warm. You can add the warm filling as soon as the squash is warm, too.
More Healthy Fall Recipes
If you try this stuffed acorn squash recipe, please leave a comment and ⭐ star rating below to let me know what you think. Thanks for visiting!
Stuffed Acorn Squash (Vegetarian!)
Ingredients
- 2 to 3 acorn squash
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 yellow onion , chopped
- 3 celery ribs , chopped
- 2 garlic cloves , minced
- 1 teaspoon ground sage (or a tablespoon fresh)
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme (or a tablespoon fresh)
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 8 ounces mushrooms , chopped
- 1 cup quinoa , rinsed
- 1 ½ cups water
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ¾ cup pecans , chopped
- ½ cup dried cranberries
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400ºF. Slice the squash in half and scoop out the seeds. Arrange the squash on a large baking sheet cut-side-up, and sprinkle each have generously with salt and pepper. Bake the squash until tender and easily pierced with a fork, about 45 minutes.
- While the squash is cooking, heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat and sauté the onion and celery until it starts to soften, about 5 minutes. Add in the garlic, sage, and thyme, and sauté one more minute, just until fragrant.
- Add in the mushrooms, quinoa, and water, and bring the water to a boil. Once boiling, cover the pan with a lid and lower the heat, allowing the quinoa to cook until tender, and the water is absorbed, about 15 minutes.
- Remove the stuffing from the heat and stir in the chopped pecans and dried cranberries, if using. When the squash is tender, fill each half with a heaping scoop of stuffing and serve warm. Season with black pepper, if desired.
- If you have any leftovers, I prefer to store them separately for easier reheating later. To reheat, warm the squash in the oven at 350ºF for 15 minutes, and while it heats, stir the quinoa in a skillet over medium heat until heated through.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Can the left over stuffing be frozen?
Delicious! We loved the addition of the cranberries and pecans- Thanksgiving flavors all in one dish! My boys even ate an entire half squash portion each!
Once again, perfection! Our guests loved this dish! I did add vegan sausage and paired this with the cranberry relish. SOOO good.
I made this as a meatless Monday entree back in November. My husband just asked for it again. He said, Hey what about that Acorn quinoa dish! We will have a salad with it and will be set.
Oh boy, another awesome recipe from Megan. I made this for my dinner last night. I roasted the acorn squash the night before, so on the day of I just made the filling which was super easy and yummy!…… thank you for such a great recipe. Next I’ll make the kabocha recipe!
I can’t eat mushrooms (or cauliflower) due to a manitol intolerance. What would you substitute the mushrooms for?
I am the only GF person in my family, and as a vegetarian, I knew my Thanksgiving meal at my family’s was going to be rather sparse, so I decided to make myself an entree to bring. This was definitely the least sad Thanksgiving I have had in a decade. I gave it four stars since the acorn squash tasted like acorn squash, which I always forget I find uninspiring. The filling, however, was quite tasty. Good flavor and texture. I had a lot left over since no one in my family would try ITV and I froze the stuffing and really hope it thaws well when I am back on nuts. I also scooped out the rest of the acorn squash, sautéed It with some shallots and dumped in a box of Trader Joe’s carrot ginger soup, topped it with some toasted nut oil (maybe walnut?) and some fried sage, and it was pretty darn delicious. And, although I would make it again, next year I really want to try the parsnip stuffing on this site.
I like to cut the roasted acorn squash into cubes and stir it into the completed quinoa mixture. I live alone so I use 1 squash rather than 3 and eat all week. You can eat it cold with lettuce or warm it and eat as is.
I’d like to make the quinoa stuffing for the stuffed Acorn Squash in my InstaPot. Any suggestions on how long to cook it?
Quinoa cooks for 1 minute in the Instant Pot, with a 1:1 ratio of dry quinoa to water. Let the pressure naturally release for 15 minutes before removing the lid.
I’m wanting to include more vegetarian meals for my family, but I also want to make sure there is enough protein. Do you have the nutritional facts somewhere?
Thanks!
Hello,
I really love the look of this. Do you have any suggestions as to what else to have with it? I assume a salad, but not sure of what kind would go along with this.
It’s to serve guests, so something else on the plate would be nice.
Thanks for any advice.
I would serve it with traditional Thanksgiving sides, like mashed potatoes (or mashed cauliflower) with gravy, cranberry sauce, green beans, or roasted brussels sprouts, and maybe a holiday side salad.