Stuffed Acorn Squash

This is one of those magical dishes that checks all of the boxes. Healthy, check! Delicious, check! Jaw-droppingly gorgeous on your holiday table, check check!! If you can’t tell already, I am absolutely in love with this stuffed acorn squash and I can’t wait for you to be too!

One of the bonuses here is that this is an extremely versatile recipe. You can use any squash or gourd that you like. Pumpkin, kabocha, delicata, or butternut squash would all be marvelous. And same goes with your stuffing. Not into rice? You can swap quinoa, farro, or any grain that you fancy!

*Chef’s Note* This recipe is for one acorn squash, which would be excellent for two to share, or shared between 4-6 as a side dish. If you’re using a larger squash, you may need to double the filling ingredients to completely fill your squash.

Stuffed Acorn Squash

What You’ll Need…

• 1 Acorn squash

• 1 cup cooked rice (or grain of choice)

• 1/2 cup shredded kale (spinach or chard could work)

• 1/3 cup chopped walnuts

• 1/4 cup golden raisins

• 1/4 cup dried cranberries

• 1 Tbsp maple or honey

• 1 Tbsp olive oil

• 1 tsp apple cider vinegar

• 1 tsp chopped fresh thyme leaves, plus more for garnish

• Salt & pepper to taste (I like lots!)

What You’ll Do…

• Preheat your oven to 425. Cut your squash in half through the middle (longways is fine too!), then scoop out seeds. You may need to cut a teeny tiny bit off of the bottom & top of your squash for them to stand upright without wobbling.

• Place both squash halves cut-side down on a parchment lined baking sheet and bake for 35 minutes.

• Meanwhile, cook your rice or grain of choice, if you haven’t already.

• In a bowl, toss to combine all stuffing ingredients (everything but the squash)

• When squash comes out of the oven, season with salt & pepper, then fill the cavity with the stuffing mixture. It’s ok to really stuff it in there and have some overflow.

• Place back into the oven and bake an additional 10-12 minutes.

• Serve topped with an extra drizzle of olive oil, sprinkled with sea salt, and extra fresh thyme

Enjoy!