Stuffed Acorn Squash (Vegetarian!)

acorn squash stuffed with quinoa, cranberries, and pecans.

Stuffed Acorn Squash (Vegetarian!)

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: stuffed acorn squash

Prep Time: 10

Cook Time: 45

Total Time: 55

Servings:

Calories: 342kcal

Author: Megan Gilmore

This Quinoa Stuffed Acorn Squash is one of my favorite Fall recipes. While the acorn squash roasts in the oven, you can prepare a quick quinoa stuffing on the stovetop. With sweet cranberries, crunchy pecans, and savory spices, this tastes like Thanksgiving dinner!

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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 information is for half of a squash filled with quinoa stuffing, assuming you divide it evenly into 6 halves. This is automatically calculated using an online ingredient database, so it's just an estimate, not a guarantee.

Nutrition