Stuffed Acorn Squash
This vegan stuffed acorn squash works well as a Thanksgiving main dish but it can be enjoyed anytime for a healthy, filling plant-based meal. This recipe is gluten-free and oil-free.
How to Make Stuffed Acorn Squash
The great thing about stuffed squash is it looks a little fancy but it’s super easy to make. Before you prepare the squash, start cooking some brown rice if you don’t have any cooked brown rice on hand.
1. Bake the acorn squash.
To prepare the acorn squash for this recipe, preheat the oven to 400 degrees F, cut the squash half from the stem to the bottom tip then scoop the seeds out with a spoon.
Next, sprinkle each half with a little salt and pepper and bake the squash cut side down on a baking try until you can easily pierce it with a fork. This should take about 30-40 minutes.
2. Make the stuffing.
When the squash has about 20 minutes left, you can start making the stuffing. The stuffing is made with:
- veggies – you’ll need onion, garlic and celery
- apple
- herbs – I used sage, thyme and rosemary
- cranberries and pecans
- brown rice
Start by cooking the onion, garlic and celery, then add the herbs, then the apple. Once the apple is starting to soften, stir in the pecans, cranberries and cooked brown rice, cook for few more minutes, season with salt and pepper and that’s it!
When the squash is ready, fill each half with stuffing serve right away.
This is a very filling meal, packed with loads of nutrition. Healthy carbohydrates, protein and essential fatty acids are all in there, along with a bunch of vitamins and minerals sure to make your body happy.
This recipe is vegan, gluten-free, oil-free and has no added sugar if you use unsweetened dried cranberries.
Recipe Variations
- You can use any whole grain in place of brown rice. White rice, farro, quinoa or freekeh all work well.
- Raisins or chopped dates are fine if you don’t have cranberries.
- Chickpeas make a nice addition, just mix them in with the rice, pecans and cranberries.
- Walnuts or slivered almonds work in place of pecans.
- Use pumpkin seeds instead of pecans to make this recipe nut-free.
Related Recipes
Loving this stuffed squash? You might like these squash recipes too:
Looking for more vegan Thanksgiving recipes? Try my chickpea loaf, homemade cranberry sauce, roasted brussel sprouts, mushroom gravy or garlic mashed cauliflower.
PrintStuffed Acorn Squash
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 40 mins
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 4
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Oven, Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegan
Description
This delicious, vegan stuffed acorn squash features apple, cranberries, pecans and brown rice mixed with savory thyme and sage. Perfect for Thanksgiving, or anytime for a healthy, filling, plant-based meal.
Ingredients
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
- Cut each squash in half from the stem to the bottom tip and remove the seeds with a spoon.
- Sprinkle each half with salt and pepper and place cut side down on a baking tray. Bake in the oven for 30-40 minutes until you can easily pierce with a fork.
- When the squash has about 15 minutes left, add the celery, garlic and onion to a skillet with a few tablespoons of water. Cook over medium heat for 6-7 minutes until softened.
- Add the apple and herbs, mix and cook for 4-5 more minutes. If the pan starts to get dry, add a few more splashes of water.
- Add the cooked brown rice, cranberries and pecans and cook for 4-5 more minutes until heated through. Season with salt and pepper, if needed.
- Once the squash is cooked, remove from the oven and fill each half with the stuffing.
- Serve right away topped with chopped fresh parsley. Store leftovers in the fridge in a sealed container for up to 2 days.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1
- Calories: 336
- Sugar: 21 g
- Sodium: 30 mg
- Fat: 10 g
- Carbohydrates: 64 g
- Fiber: 9 g
- Protein: 5 g
Keywords: stuffed acorn squash, vegan stuffed squash
This recipe was originally published October 29, 2013. It was updated September 2019 with new photos, improved instructions and a revised recipe.
Hello, I am planning on prepping this the day before and re-heating the next day. How long and at what temp should I re-heat these fully stuffed? Also, should I cover them with foil or a lid?
About 12-15 min at 350 F. You can cover with foil if you like to help keep moist but it doesn’t need to be tightly covered. Allow a little room for steam to escape.
I’m doing a trial run for my first plant based Thanksgiving. Wondering how much can be done in advance? You know how crazy holidays can get!
You can filling up to 4 days in advance and store in the fridge. The squash can be roasted 2-3 days in advance and stored in the fridge. When you’re ready, fill the squash with the stuffing and reheat in the oven. Enjoy!
The filling was absolutely delicious!!! I often have to add extra spices than a recipe calls for my taste, but I made this recipe almost exactly as is (subbed 1 tsp fresh rosemary, and subbed half raisin for the cranberries bc I ran out) and I love love loved it! Amazing recipe. Cannot wait to try more of your recipes! Thank you!
★★★★★
You’re so welcome! I’m so happy you enjoyed it.
Delicious, swapped slivered almonds for the pecans. Perfect directions made this a very easy dish to make. Thank you!
★★★★★
Loved this recipe! So delicious! The only change I made was to add a splash of white wine before putting in the cranberries and nuts! Will totally make this again 🙂
So glad you enjoyed it! Sounds lovely with a splash of white wine!
This was fantastic! I wasn’t sure about “acorn squash” but I absolutely love this dish! it will be a repeater for the next few weeks. Easy to prepare, filling and delicious! Thank you.
Wonderful! So glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for the review.
Excellent recipe. I have made it a couple of times. Last time, I added some plant-based sausage which reminded me of some of my families stuffing recipes from before I became vegan.
★★★★★
Where is the old recipe!?
I updated it to the new one. The old recipe was very similar but made with quinoa instead of brown rice and red pepper instead of apple. The method was exactly the same. Had you made the old recipe?
I did. I made it many times. It was one of my favorites recipes you created.
Well, I’m very glad to hear you enjoyed it! This is why leaving comments for me is so helpful, haha! I didn’t think anyone had ever made it. Unfortunately I don’t have a copy of the old recipe but I will definitely keep the old recipes moving forward – just in case! Hopefully, you still enjoy this version and I like I said the only changes were quinoa instead of brown rice and red bell pepper instead of apple. Thanks so much!
Is the ginger fresh grated ot dried powder?
You can use 1 tbsp of fresh, grated ginger or 1 tsp of ground ginger. Thanks!
Maybe I’m a little more tired than I think, but I’ve reread the the list of ingredients several ties and I cannot find any reference to how much quinoa you use.
Based upon a apple, raisin, craisin, quinoa stuffing that I make for acorn squash, I’m guessing probably somewhere around 3/4 to 1 cup of dry quinoa before cooking??
Ohhhhhh – soooo yummy! Yeah, what is it about this year? I am CRAVING fall flavors this year!! And this, my friend, looks so perfect! Thanks for the amazing recipe!
Lol! I’m having the same issues with light and photography! It’s just totally different than summer light. I’m sure as soon as I figure it out, the icy winter light will have me all in a tizzy away!
Yum! I always love adding raisins to dishes. They really do add extra deliciousness =)