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Vegetarian stuffed acorn squash is a healthy main dish you can make that the whole family will love! Made with delicious roasted acorn squash filled with an incredibly satisfying filling that is amazing! Gluten-free!
Savory stuffed acorn squash
This acorn squash is a fall favorite in our family. It is filling and satisfying and loaded with flavor and texture.
You can make it as directed in this recipe or customize it with your fillings of choice, even add some cooked ground meat if you prefer as we did with this butternut squash!
We like to keep this version vegetarian because it is just so amazing and it makes a wonderful, filling, tasty dish that everyone can enjoy!
Plus it is a fun gluten-free dinner that the whole family will love! You can also make it ahead, which is a great time saver!
Why you’ll love this recipe
- Hearty and filling.
- Loaded with incredible flavor and texture!
- Meat-free and packed with plant-based proteins like chickpeas and wild rice.
- Impressive meal everyone will love!
- Easily adaptable recipe – you can make it vegan, it’s already gluten-free and vegetarian, or even add meat if you want!
- Great for meal prep!
Ingredients and variations
- Acorn squash – 1 medium ripe squash.
- Wild rice – you can also use brown rice or quinoa.
- Chickpeas – canned is fine, or use black beans or even kidney beans.
- Spinach – you can also use kale.
- Dried cranberries – I used sugar-free.
- Mushrooms – baby Bella works best because they are so hearty but button mushrooms will also work in this recipe.
- Parmesan cheese – omit this if you need to keep this recipe dairy-free.
- Shallots – or red onion.
- Walnuts – pecans will also work or leave out if you need to keep this recipe nut-free.
- Garlic – fresh minced garlic works best.
- Olive oil – or avocado oil.
- Spices + salt & pepper – I used onion powder, cumin, and chili powder.
How to make Vegetarian Stuffed Acorn Squash
Step one: Use a sharp kitchen knife to cut the squash in half. Then use a spoon to scoop out the seeds. You can roast them later or discard them.
Step two: Season the cut squash with olive oil salt and pepper and bake it for 25-30 minutes at 375 degrees F.
Step three: Cook the veggies then add in the chickpeas, walnuts and rice.
Step four: Sprinkle in the grated parmesan, orange juice, and zest then add the cranberries and toss everything together.
Step five: Fill each acorn squash half with the filling and bake at 425 degrees F for about 5-7 minutes, until the tops are nice and golden brown.
Expert tip: If you are using smaller acorn squash then roast two (four halves) in case you have enough filling since this recipe does make a good amount.
This amazing recipe is incredibly flavorful and delicious and it makes a great meatless meal. It is so filling and tastes even better the next day!
Recipe Tips & Variations
- Make this vegetarian stuffed acorn squash recipe vegan by removing the parmesan cheese and using vegan parmesan or omitting it altogether.
- Add in some meat for the meat-eaters in your life, such as cooked, crumbled sausage or ground turkey would both work in this dish.
- Alternatively, you can use roasted butternut squash or even a small pumpkin in place of the acorn squash.
- Make sure to cut the squash into even-size halves so they cook at the same time.
- You can roast the squash in advance and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat it easily in the oven at 350 degrees F for 15 minutes then fill and bake it as directed in this recipe.
What to serve with vegetarian stuffed acorn squash
This acorn squash recipe is great as a complete meal all on its own but here are a few other meal additions that it would pair great with.
- Salad: Like this Easy Kale Salad, Kale and Brussel Sprout Salad, or this Chopped Kale Salad with Quinoa.
- A side of veggies: Such as these Easy Ranch Roasted Carrots, Roasted Mediterranean Cauliflower Rice, or Easy Green Beans with Lemon and Garlic.
- More protein: Like these Healthy Black Bean Burgers, Chickpea Cauliflower Burgers, or these Kale and Quinoa Patties.
Storing and reheating
To store: To store this stuffed squash, let it cool completely then place it into an airtight container and keep it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
To Reheat: You can reheat it in the microwave for 5-7 minutes or in the oven at 350 degrees for 10 minutes.
FAQ
Can you freeze stuffed acorn squash?
Actually you can! To Freeze this vegetarian stuffed acorn squash: place one half-stuffed squash into a freezer-friendly quart-sized bag and remove as much air as possible. Place it in the fridge to cool it completely and then transfer it to the freezer. When ready to eat, remove it from the bag and microwave on high from frozen for 5-7 minutes.
How do you pick a good acorn squash?
Considering squash in not in season all year round you want to select a squash with a lot of green and less orange or white with very few blemishes. If it has some wart-looking hard spots, you can just scrape those off. Especially make sure to choose a squash with dull skin. Becasue shiny skin means it was picked too early and will not have as much flavor. True for any type of squash.
How long does it take to bake acorn squash?
Most acorn squash will take about 30-35 minutes when roasted in the oven at 375 degrees F.
More delicious squash recipes!
Looking for more squash recipes? Here are some of my absolute faves!
- The Best Mashed Butternut Squash
- Butternut Squash Lasagna with Spinach
- Instant Pot Spaghetti Squash
- Roasted Beets and Butternut Squash Salad
- Air Fryer Squash
- Healthy Butternut Squash Soup
Did you make this vegetarian stuffed acorn squash recipe? If so, please leave a comment and rating below! I would love to hear how it turned out!
Print
Vegetarian Stuffed Acorn Squash
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: 2 people 1x
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
Vegetarian stuffed acorn squash is a delicious healthy meal you can make for dinner any day of the week that is an impressive squash recipe!
Ingredients
- 1 medium acorn squash
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 3 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 shallot (minced)
- 1 cup sliced baby bella mushrooms
- 2 cups fresh spinach
- 1 (15 oz) can chickpeas (drained and rinsed)
- 1/4 cup chopped walnuts
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 2 cups cooked wild or brown rice
- The juice and zest of 1 large orange
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries
Instructions
Prep the squash
- Place the squash on its side, use a sharp kitchen knife, place it horizontally across the top of the squash and slice the top off about 3/4 inch below the stem. Then carefully place the knife horizontally in the center of the squash and slice it down the middle. You can cut the squash either vertically or horizontally down the center. Use a spoon to scoop out the seeds and scrape the inside to get it nice and clean.
Roast the squash
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F, and spray a baking sheet with cooking spray. Brush each half of the squash with some of olive oil and sprinkle each generously with salt and pepper. Place the squash, face-side up onto the baking sheet and bake for 25-30 minutes, remove and let cool.
Make the filling
- Heat a skillet to medium heat, and add 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Once hot, add in the minced garlic, minced shallots, and sliced mushrooms. Cook for 4-5 minutes, tossing gently as it cooks until the veggies start to brown.
- Add in the spinach and sprinkle everything with salt and pepper. Cook until the spinach is slightly wilted. Push the veggies to the side of the pan and pour in the chickpeas and chopped walnuts. Sprinkle the chickpeas with the spices (onion powder, cumin, chili powder) and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss and let them cook for 2-3 minutes to get them nice and golden.
- Add in the cooked wild rice, toss everything together and let cook for 2 minutes. Sprinkle in the parmesan cheese and let it melt into the mixture. Pour in the orange juice and zest and toss. Add in the dried cranberries and let that all cook for 1 minute to get the cranberries slightly plump.
Fill and bake the squash
- Fill each squash with the filling, I like to fill them with a lot of filling. Store any remaining filling for another meal. Top each stuffed squash with more cheese if desired and bake in the oven at 425 degrees F for 4-5 minutes to get the tops nice and golden brown.
Serve
- Serve warm and top with fresh herbs like sliced basil or parsley
Notes
- How to pick an acorn squash – Select a squash with a lot of green and less orange or white with very few blemishes. If it has some wart looking hard spots, you can just scrape those off. Make sure to choose a squash will dull skin. Shiny skin means it was picked too early and will not have as much flavor. True for any type of squash.
- How long to bake acorn squash – Most acorn squash will take about 20-35 minutes roasted in the oven at 425 degrees F.
- Can you freeze stuffed acorn squash? Yes, you can! To Freeze this stuffed acorn squash: place one half stuffed squash into a freezer-friendly quart-sized bag and remove as much air as possible. Place it in the fridge to cool it completely and then transfer to the freezer. When ready to eat, remove from bag and microwave on high from frozen 5-7 minutes.
- What can you serve with stuffed acorn squash? This recipe pairs great with so many things. Some of my faves are: Mushroom Asparagus and Leek Quiche and this Easy Kale Salad With Lemon Dressing.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Roasted
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: vegetarian stuffed acorn squash, stuffed acorn squash, roasted acorn squash, stuffed acorn squash recipe
Do you have the previous recipe with the pomegranate seeds and pistachios? Was one of my favorites and I never saved it
Hi Jenn, for the old version simply swap the walnuts for pistachios and the dried cranberries with pomegranate seeds. I will add this as a variation to the recipe.
This was easy to make and very delicious!
★★★★★
Thank you Stacey-Ann! I am so glad you enjoyed it!
There are so many amazing and complex flavors in this recipe! I’ve made this over and over again
★★★★★
Hi Danielle, Thank you so much! I am glad you liked it!
Can you make the filling ahead of time?
Hi Jeanne, Yes you can. Just make sure to let it cool completely, then transfer it to an airtight container and keep in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Looks yummy! If I wanted to make it ahead for Thanksgiving dinner, I’m thinking I could stuff the squash but not bake it that last 5 minutes, just put in the refrigerator. Not sure how long to allow for baking when I take out it of the refrigerator, though, since now it’ll be cold. And maybe I’ll need to cover with foil so keep it from browning too much as it heats up. Have you tried making the recipe ahead of time?
Hi Karen, yes you can make this recipe a day or so ahead of time. I would store the filing, once fully cooled and the squash in the refrigerator and then remove it 15 minutes before baking it and let it sit on the counter for a few minutes. I would bake it around 7-10 minutes at 350 degrees then increase the oven temp to 425 for 4-5 minutes to get the top and edges nice and golden brown.
Woow cuz this is great work! Congrats and keep it up!
★★★★★
The taste was amazing with a fantastic mixture of flavors. Unfortunately the caloric breakdown is extremely misleading with each serving realistically coming out closer to 1,000 kcal.
★★★★
Hi Tucker, thank you for your comments. So glad you liked it. Please keep in mind that nutritional information is only an estimate.
Fantastic – hubby and I loved it!
★★★★★
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★★★★★
This was a delicious meal with a great variety of flavors. The addition of orange zest & juice added a surprising layer of interest. . This was an easy but time consuming to make but well worth it. I absolutely love recipes like this I’ll be fixing it again and again.
★★★★★
Hi Betty! I am so happy you liked it.
Thank you so much for this wonderful and delicious recipe . Loved it. I didn’t have wild rice at home but wanted to make it anyway and turned out amazing.
★★★★★
Thank you Suzana! I am so glad you liked it!
This is fantastic! Flavor is fantastic. Fun to make too. I can only eat half and I was full.
Thanks Amy
Lou
★★★★★
I’m allergic to oranges. Can I use some other type of citrus or juice?
Hi Chelle, Lemon will work or you can just leave it out. Enjoy!
The multi layered variety of flavors make this dish a standout. When I read the nutritional information and saw the very high level of sodium, I did not any salt. For me, the flavors were enhanced.
So flavorful! Truly enjoyed this meal! Thank you!
★★★★★
Hi Cyn, I am so glad you enjoyed it! It is one of my favorites!
This was absolutely DELICIOUS!!! Made the filling the day before and then cooked squash, filled and baked for 15 min right before serving. I used kale instead of spinach and will absolutely be keeping this as a fall staple! It is so fancy looking and I served it to a friend, who also loved it. Thank you!
★★★★★
Thank you Alyssa! I am so happy you enjoyed it!
Making this tonight – with your kale salad with lemon dressing – and already thinking about what to make with extra stuffing, it sounds so good!
Thank you so much! I hope you enjoy it!
Thank you so much for the inspo!! I’m going to give this a go! I have been wracking my brain trying to come up with a Thanksgiving turkey substitute for my vegetarian mother. I am envisioning stuffing it with the thanksgiving dressing/stuffing, cranberries, cheese (parmesan and gruyere maybe??), mushrooms and walnuts. Do you think those flavors would go well? I will like to try your original recipe at another time also. It looks stunning.
Thank you, Emily! I bet that would work! Let me know how it turns out!
Had a large Lakota squash so roasted it then rimmed a casserole dish w/squash. Added minced candied ginger to cranberries; left out the beans. Delicious & filling. Shared, will make again!
★★★★★
Hi Donna, I am so glad you liked it!