Vegetarian Stuffed Acorn Squash – Healthy and Delicious

Name: Vegetarian Stuffed Acorn Squash
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 55 min
Cuisine: American
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

November 3, 2019 by Amy Estes 37 Comments

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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!

To stuffed squash halves on a white baking sheet with a wooden bowl of parmesan cheese behind it.

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

Vegetarian stuffed acorn squash ingredients with labels over each ingredient.

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.

Two halves of squash with the seeds removed on a wooden cutting board.

Step two: Season the cut squash with olive oil salt and pepper and bake it for 25-30 minutes at 375 degrees F.

Roasted acorn squash halves on a baking sheet.

Step three: Cook the veggies then add in the chickpeas, walnuts and rice.

Spinach and mushrooms cooking in a black cast iron pan 9.

Rice, chickpeas and veggies cooking in a black pan.

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!

Close up of a stuffed round squash with green herbs on it on a white platter.

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.

Two stuffed acorn squash on a round plate with a fork on the plate.

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.

Two acorn squash filled with grains and veggies on a white dish

More delicious squash recipes!

Looking for more squash recipes? Here are some of my absolute faves!

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!