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This 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 flavorful vegetarian filling that is packed with bold flavors. Perfect as a vegetarian side dish for the Holidays or just for a healthy fall meal.
Vegetarian stuffed acorn squash is a fall favorite in our family. It is filling and satisfying and loaded with flavor and texture. Everyone who tries this stuffed acorn squash recipe goes crazy for it.
You can make the stuffed squash 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 stuffed butternut squash!
We like to keep this acorn squash recipe vegetarian because it is just so amazing and it makes a wonderful, filling, tasty MEATLESS dish that everyone can enjoy!
The stuffing is made with fluffy wild rice, chickpeas, spinach, cranberries, nuts, and creamy parmesan cheese. We added a hint of orange for a touch of bright flavor that takes this recipe to a whole other level!
Jump to:
- Why you’ll love this stuffed acorn squash recipe
- How long will acorn squash keep before you need to cook it?
- Stuffed Acorn Squash Ingredients & Substitutions
- How to make Vegetarian Stuffed Acorn Squash
- Recipe Tips & Variations for stuffed acorn squash with vegetarian filling
- Make it ahead
- Serving Suggestions
- Storing and reheating
- FAQs
- More delicious squash recipes to try
- Vegetarian Stuffed Acorn Squash
Why you’ll love this stuffed acorn squash recipe
- Hearty and filling
- It is 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 a vegetarian main dish for the holidays
How long will acorn squash keep before you need to cook it?
Acorn squash like many other hard squashes will last for 1-2 months if stored properly in a cool, dry place. Alternatively, it will last about 2-3 weeks if stored at room temperature. I like to store squash in the pantry.
Stuffed Acorn Squash Ingredients & Substitutions
This vegetarian stuffed squash has more ingredients than a typical PMG recipe but it is well worth the effort. Here is what you’ll need:
- Acorn squash – 1 medium ripe acorn squash. Or 2 small acorn squash.
- Wild rice – any will work or you can also use brown rice or quinoa.
- Chickpeas – canned low-sodium chickpeas, or use black beans or even kidney beans.
- Spinach – fresh baby spinach or you can also use kale or collard greens.
- Dried cranberries – I used sugar-free dried cranberries. Raisins or currants are also great in this recipe.
- Mushrooms – Baby Bella mushrooms work best because they are so hearty but button mushrooms will also work in this recipe as well.
- Parmesan cheese – grated parmesan cheese, omit this if you need to keep this recipe dairy-free. You can also use manchego or asiago cheese.
- Shallots – 1 medium shallot or ¼ cup diced red onion.
- Walnuts – for that crunch. Pecans will also work or leave out if you need to keep this recipe nut-free.
- Garlic – fresh minced garlic works best garlic paste or garlic powder can also be used.
- Olive oil – or avocado oil.
- Spices + salt & pepper – I used onion powder, cumin, chili powder, salt and pepper. But you can use any seasoning blend you like.
How to make Vegetarian Stuffed Acorn Squash
You can get the complete list of recipe ingredients and detailed instructions in the recipe card located at the bottom of this post. Here is a summary of the recipe steps with step-by-step photos of how to make it.
How do you cut acorn squash for stuffing?
Roasting acorn squash is very similar to roasting spaghetti squash or butternut squash. You use a sharp kitchen knife to cut the squash in half from the stem to the root. Then use a spoon to scoop out the seeds. You can roast them later or discard them. This gives you a nice vessel to hold the acorn squash stuffing. As shown below.
Step 2– roast the acorn squash: Season the cut side of the squash with olive oil, salt, and pepper and bake it for 25-30 minutes at 375°F until it is fork tender.
Step 3 – Make the filling: Cook the veggies in a saute pan with some oil then add in the chickpeas, walnuts, and rice.
Sprinkle in the grated parmesan, orange juice, and zest then add the cranberries and toss everything together.
Step 4 – stuff and bake the squash: Fill each acorn squash half with the filling and bake at 425° F for about 5-7 minutes, until the tops are nice and golden brown. The filling will get crispy and flavorful, allowing the cheese to melt perfectly which makes this acorn squash so appetizing.
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 stuffed acorn squash recipe is incredibly flavorful and delicious and it makes a show-stopping meatless meal. Perfect for a vegetarian Thanksgiving main dish! It is so filling and tastes even better the next day!
Recipe Tips & Variations for stuffed acorn squash with vegetarian filling
- 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. Note: The squash may take longer to fully cook since ovens vary as well as the size of the acorn squash you are using.
Make it ahead
To make this vegetarian stuffed acorn squash recipe ahead of time: cut and roast the squash, make the filling, and fill the squash, Cover it with plastic wrap or place it in a sealed container and keep it in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. When you are ready to serve it, remove it from the fridge and bake it at 350°F in the oven for 15-20 minutes.
If you are only roasting the squash ahead of time, you can let it cool, transfer it to an airtight container, and keep it in the fridge for 1-2 days before you fill and bake it. You will want to warm the squash up in the oven at 350°F on a baking sheet for about 10 minutes before you fill it with the stuffing.
Serving Suggestions
This vegetarian stuffed acorn squash is great as a complete meal all on its own. If you are serving this stuffed squash for Thanksgiving then you will have so many other sides to pair it with. Here are a few more ideas:
- Salad: Like this Easy Kale Salad, Kale and Brussels 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 this stuffed acorn squash: let it cool completely, place it into an airtight container, and keep it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Freezing: 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.
Reheating: You can reheat it in the microwave for 5-7 minutes or in the oven at 350 degrees for 10 minutes. If reheating from frozen, defrost in the refrigerator overnight then reheat in the oven at 350°F or in the microwave until warmed through.
FAQs
How do you pick a ripe acorn squash?
Considering squash is 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 scrape those off. Make sure to choose a squash with dull skin. Because shiny skin means it was picked too early and will not have as much flavor. True for any type of squash.
Does acorn squash need to be peeled before cooking?
Cooking acorn squash is a breeze since it is not necessary to peel it. The flesh can easily be eaten directly from the shell of the squash once you cook it.
How can you tell when the acorn squash is done?
Most acorn squash will take about 30-35 minutes when roasted in the oven at 375° F. Of course the cooking time depends on the size of the acorn squash. You can tell it is done when the flesh is fork tender.
Can you eat the skin of the acorn squash?
Yes, the skin of an acorn squash is delicious and fine to eat.
More delicious squash recipes to try
If you enjoyed this vegetarian stuffed squash then try these too:
- 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
Looking for more Thanksgiving recipes? Check out this full list of healthy gluten-free Thanksgiving recipes!
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!
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Vegetarian Stuffed Acorn Squash
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: 2–4 servings 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 or 2 small acorn squash – will yield 4 servings
- 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)
- ¼ cup chopped walnuts
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 2 cups cooked wild or brown rice
- 3–4 tablespoons orange juice – or the juice from 1 medium orange
- 1–2 tablespoons orange zest
- ½ cup grated parmesan cheese
- ½ 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 ¾ 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° 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 down onto the baking sheet and bake for 25-30 minutes, remove and let cool. NOTE: You can do this 1-2 days in advance, let the squash cool, then store it in an airtight container in the fridge until you are ready to fill it. Warm it at 350°F on a pan in the oven for about 10 minutes before you fill it.
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° 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 that 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 to roast 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 it to the freezer. When ready to eat, remove from bag and microwave on high from frozen for 5-7 minutes.
- Can you eat the skin of an acorn squash? Yes, the skin is totally edible and delicious.
- 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
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!
OMG….SOOOOOO good!!! Tweaked it a little with some items on hand, but received rave reviews from the family!!! Keeping this one in the mix!!!! Thank you 😊
Thank you, Linda! I am so happy you liked it!
This recipe looks amazing and am making it tonight along with your kale salad! I am cutting out carbs due to health reasons and will be substituting the beans with turkey meat. I am going to omit the brown rice and was wondering if you could suggest a substitution? Thank you and am super excited to make this!!
Hi Lynda, you could use quinoa, riced cauliflower or right rice that has less carbs and more protein. Or just use more ground meat in place of the rice. Enjoy!
So my first time cooking with acorn squash. My husband and I thought it was good, it would have been better if the squash would’ve cooked through more. The filling combo is delicious. I ended up using the container of mushrooms so I didn’t have them sitting around to try to use up. I also used white rice since that’s what I had on hand. Might be good to cut up the squash (or sweet potatoes) and roasted then mix with filling contents.