This vegetarian stuffed acorn squash is filled with quinoa, mushrooms, apple, cranberries, and walnuts for a savory-sweet fall dinner. It's hearty enough for a vegetarian main dish and beautiful enough for Thanksgiving.
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This stuffed acorn squash is filled with savory quinoa, mushrooms, apple, cranberries, and walnuts for the perfect mix of savory, sweet, and crunchy. Roasting the squash cut-side down at 400°F keeps the flesh tender while encouraging caramelization around the edges, and a final bake after stuffing gives the quinoa filling a lightly crisp top.
It makes a satisfying fall dinner or beautiful vegetarian main dish for Thanksgiving and Christmas.
If you love vegetable-forward fall recipes, try my harvest salad with roasted shallot dressing, veggie sourdough stuffing, or garlic mashed red potatoes next.
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🍎 Ingredients & Substitutions
- Acorn squash - Choose squash that feel heavy for their size and have firm skin. The skin becomes tender when roasted and it's edible.
- Quinoa - Creates a hearty base for the filling. Rinse before cooking. Wild rice, brown rice, or farro can also be used.
- Shallots - You can substitute a small yellow onion or red onion as well.
- Cremini or button mushrooms - Adds a creamy meatiness to your vegetable filling, like in this mushroom pumpkin risotto.
- Apple - You want to use a firm-crisp apple, like Fuji, Gala, or Honeycrisp
- Dried cranberries - Adds a touch of sweetness and chewy texture. You could also use dried apricots that have been chopped finely.
- Thyme, sage, and ground cinnamon - This is your seasoning trifecta! It adds warm aromatics that are reminiscent of the holiday season.
- Walnuts - Adds a nutty crunch that pairs well with the quinoa filling.
How To Cut acorn squash Safely
Acorn squash can be difficult to cut because of its firm skin. Pierce it several times with a knife and microwave for about 3-5 minutes to soften it slightly.
Use a sharp chef's knife to cut each squash in half from tip to stem, then scoop out the seeds and stringy flesh with a spoon.
🔪 How to Make Vegetarian Stuffed Acorn Squash
*For a print-friendly version, see the recipe card below.
Roast the squash. Brush the cut sides with olive oil, season with salt, and roast cut-side down at 400°F for 35-45 minutes, until easily pierced with a fork.
Cook the quinoa. Simmer the rinsed quinoa in vegetable broth until tender and the liquid is absorbed.
Make the filling. Sauté the shallots and celery until softened. Add mushrooms and cook until their moisture has evaporated, then add the apple, cranberries, garlic, sage, thyme, and cinnamon.
Stuff and bake. Stir the quinoa and walnuts into the vegetables. Spoon the filling into the roasted squash halves and bake for another 15 minutes, until hot and lightly crisp on top.
👩🏻🍳 Expert Tips
- Roast cut-side down. This helps the squash cook evenly without becoming watery.
- Cook the mushrooms well. Let their excess moisture evaporate before adding the remaining ingredients so the filling doesn't become soggy.
- Don't overcook the squash initially. It should be fork-tender but still sturdy enough to hold the filling since it goes back into the oven.
- For a crispier top, drizzle the stuffed squash lightly with olive oil before the final bake.
- Taste the filling before stuffing. Quinoa and squash are mild, so make sure the filling is well seasoned.
Make-Ahead & Storage
Make ahead: Prepare the quinoa filling up to 2 days ahead and refrigerate it in an airtight container. Roast and stuff the squash when you're ready to serve.
Storage: Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
Reheating: Cover loosely with foil and reheat at 350°F for about 15 minutes, or until warmed through.
🍽️ What to Serve with Stuffed Acorn Squash
Serve one stuffed squash half as a vegetarian main dish or alongside other fall and holiday sides.
For a lighter dinner, pair it with apple walnut salad with cider vinaigrette.
For Thanksgiving or Christmas, serve it with vegetarian mushroom stuffing, roasted Brussels sprouts, homemade green bean casserole, or mashed red potatoes with garlic.
🥬 More Vegetarian Fall Recipes
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Vegetarian Stuffed Acorn Squash Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 medium acorn squash
- 3 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
- ¾ cup (uncooked) quinoa, rinsed
- 1 ½ cups low-sodium vegetable broth
- 2 medium shallots, finely chopped
- 1 celery stalk, finely chopped
- 8 ounces cremini or button mushrooms, diced
- 1 medium apple (Fuji or Gala), diced
- ¼ cup dried cranberries
- 3 garlic cloves, minced (or ½ teaspoon garlic powder)
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme (or 1 tablespoon fresh thyme)
- 1 teaspoon dried sage (or 1 tablespoon fresh sage)
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 ½ teaspoons sea salt, divided
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ cup walnuts, roughly chopped
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. and line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Use a sharp knife to cut squash in half horizontally (from tip to stem). To make it easier, pierce squash a few times with a sharp knife, then microwave them one at a time for 5 minutes. Use a spoon to scoop out the seeds and stringy pieces, and discard.
- Place the squash halves on prepared baking sheet cut side up. Drizzle 1 tablespoon of olive oil on top of the squash, (or use a pastry brush to spread it on evenly), and sprinkle with ½ teaspoon of salt.
- Turn squash over so that they are cut-side down. Bake for 35 to 45 minutes, until the squash is fork-tender.
- Meanwhile, cook the quinoa: Add the rinsed quinoa and vegetable broth to a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then cover and reduce to a low simmer for about 20 minutes, or until the broth is absorbed. Remove from heat and fluff with a fork.
- Prepare filling: In a large skillet, heat remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Saute the shallots and celery for 5 minutes, until softened. Add the mushrooms and cook for 5-7 minutes. Add the apple, cranberries, garlic, thyme, sage, cinnamon, remaining 1 teaspoon of salt, and pepper, and cook for an additional minute.
- Remove pan from heat and add the cooked quinoa and chopped walnuts. Stir to combine well, and season to taste.
- Using tongs, turn the cooked squash halves over to be cut-side up again. Use a large spoon to distribute the quinoa mixture evenly between the squash, pressing gently to pack the filling in a bit. (*For a crispier top, drizzle quinoa filling with a small amount of olive oil.) Place squash back in the oven and bake for another 15 minutes. Serve immediately.
Video
Notes
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- Storage: Place leftovers in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
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- How to reheat: You can either microwave your squash or place in a preheated 350 degree oven (covered with foil) for 15 minutes, or until heated through.
Barb says
I love squash! This will make a hearty autumn meal! Am excited to try it!
MaryAnne says
If you love squash, I think you'll love this dish!
Barb says
I made this for dinner last night! So flavorful and filling! I am guessing when I reheat the leftovers tonight it will be great!
MaryAnne says
So glad you loved it! Yes, it reheats beautifully!