• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Crowded Kitchen
MENUMENU
  • Recipes
  • About Us
  • Contact
menu icon
go to homepage
search icon
Homepage link
  • About Us
  • Recipe Index
  • Contact
×

Home » Squash and Pumpkin » Vegan Stuffed Acorn Squash

Vegan Stuffed Acorn Squash

Published: Oct 21, 2020 · Modified: Oct 23, 2020 by Lexi

Jump to Recipe·Print Recipe

This vegan stuffed acorn squash is filled with a wild rice, cranberry, apple, mushroom & kale filling. It's a flavorful, gorgeous holiday side dish, or even a lighter vegan main dish. It's also naturally gluten free and nut free.

overhead view of vegan stuffed acorn squash with black rice, mushrooms and pomegranate seeds on top.

This stuffed acorn squash is a real showstopper! It's absolutely packed with flavor and reminiscent of a Thanksgiving stuffing, without the bread, of course.

I've had many a stuffed squash at restaurants (I feel like it's often the one vegan option at fancier restaurants every fall). More often than not, they're either not cooked long enough, or seriously lacking flavor.

Since I've had so many mediocre stuffed squash experiences, I didn't totally trust my mom when she raved about how much she loved this one. As you probably guessed at this point, I LOVED these! I literally ate them for 3 meals in a row (lunch, dinner and the next day's lunch again).

So, so flavorful. Such a lovely vegan Thanksgiving, Christmas or general fall dinner party recipe. It works as both a main dish and a side dish, and you can even slice it into smaller portions after baking to serve a larger crowd.

overhead view of slices of vegan stuffed acorn squash with black rice, mushrooms and pomegranate seeds on top.

How to prep acorn squash

The key to this recipe is roasting the acorn squash ahead of time so it has time to get tender and slightly crispy before the filling goes in.

Get your oven preheating to 375˚F. Wash and dry each squash. Using a very sharp knife, carefully slice each squash in half lengthwise.

close up view of acorn squash sliced in half.

Use a spoon to scoop out the seeds and any stringy filling. (Did you know you can roast and eat acorn squash seeds? Try this recipe!)

To add a bit of flavor (and get the exterior nice and crispy), brush each half with a liberal amount of olive oil. You'll need about 2-3 tbsp total, depending on the size of your squash. Season with plenty of salt and pepper.

scooping seeds out of a half of an acorn squash.

Flip the squash face side down on a large sheet pan or baking dish. Pop them in the oven for at least 30 minutes. They're done when they're just fork tender and slightly browned.

side view of roasted acorn squash half in a pan.

What kind of rice is best?

We love using either a wild rice blend or black rice in this stuffed acorn squash recipe. Both options are nutty, super flavorful, and a bit firmer than other varieties of rice, so they hold up well in the filling.

If you can't find/don't have either, the next best choice would be long grain brown rice. Or, opt for a different grain like quinoa, farro or bulgur.

Pro tip: to add more flavor to rice, cook it in vegetable broth and a big pinch of salt!

side view of vegan stuffed acorn squash with black rice, mushrooms and pomegranate seeds on top.

Filling ingredients

The vegan filling for this stuffed acorn squash is honestly good enough to eat on its own! It's nutty, savory, slightly sweet, tart, herby and delicious. Here's what you'll need:

  • Cooked wild or black rice (see above for notes on other varieties of rice).
  • Onion, garlic & celery for that quintessential Thanksgiving stuffing flavor.
  • Mushrooms: regular cremini or button mushrooms do the trick, but feel free to use a more flavorful variety like shiitake if desired.
  • Baby kale or spinach
  • Cranberries: we love the tart, sweet, vibrant pop!
  • Apple: for a bit of sweetness to balance everything out. Peeled and finely diced is best (pretty much any variety will work!).
  • Pepitas: for a nutty crunch.
  • Sage, thyme, apple cider vinegar, salt and pepper for seasoning.
overhead view of vegan stuffed acorn squash with black rice, mushrooms and pomegranate seeds on top.

Prep ahead of time

The great thing about this recipe is that both the squash and the filling can be prepped ahead of time!

Roast the squash halves for 30 minutes, as noted in the directions, then let cool before covering and refrigerating. While the squash is cooking, make the filling. Let it cool, then store in an airtight container.

When you're ready to serve, heat the oven to 350˚F. While the oven is heating, quickly reheat the filling in a skillet for a few minutes until warmed. Fill each squash and bake for 15-20 minutes, until completely warmed.

side view of vegan stuffed acorn squash with black rice, mushrooms and pomegranate seeds on top.

More vegan holiday recipes you'll love:

  • Butternut Squash Lasagna
  • Crispy Maple Mustard Brussels Sprouts
  • Hasselback Butternut Squash
  • Scalloped Potatoes
  • Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms
  • Best Vegan Mashed Potatoes
overhead view of vegan stuffed acorn squash with black rice, mushrooms and pomegranate seeds on top.

If you make this vegan stuffed acorn squash with wild rice, we’d love for you to leave a comment and rating below! We also love to see your creations on Instagram – tag us at @crowded_kitchen so we can see what you’ve been cooking.

Print
clock clock iconcutlery cutlery iconflag flag iconfolder folder iconinstagram instagram iconpinterest pinterest iconfacebook facebook iconprint print iconsquares squares iconheart heart iconheart solid heart solid icon
overhead view of slices of vegan stuffed acorn squash with black rice, mushrooms and pomegranate seeds on top.

Vegan Stuffed Acorn Squash


  • Author: Lexi
  • Prep Time: 30 minutes
  • Cook Time: 45 minutes
  • Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
  • Yield: 6 servings 1x
  • Diet: Vegan
Print Recipe
Pin Recipe

Description

This vegan stuffed acorn squash is filled with a wild rice, cranberry, apple, mushroom & kale filling. It's a flavorful, gorgeous holiday side dish, or even a lighter vegan main dish. It's also naturally gluten free and nut free.


Ingredients

Scale
  • 3 acorn squash, halved and seeds removed
  • 1 ½ cups cooked black or wild rice (about ½ cup dry)
  • 4 tbsp olive oil, divided
  • ½ cup diced shallot or yellow onion
  • 2 tsp finely minced garlic
  • ½ cup diced celery
  • 1 cup thinly sliced mushrooms
  • 1 ½ cups chopped spinach or baby kale
  • ⅔ cup apple, diced finely
  • ⅓ cup fresh or frozen cranberries
  • 3 tbsp pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
  • 1 tbsp fresh sage, finely chopped
  • 1 tbsp fresh thyme
  • 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tsp fine kosher salt
  • ¼ tsp black pepper
  • Pomegranate arils for topping

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 375˚F. 
  2. Slice each squash in half lengthwise and use a spoon to scrape out the seeds. Brush each half with olive oil (about 2 tbsp total between all 6 halves) and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Set face down on a baking sheet and roast for 30 minutes, until fork tender. 
  3. Meanwhile, cook rice according to package directions. 
  4. Add 1 tbsp of olive oil to a large sauté pan over medium heat. Sauté shallots for 4-5 minutes, then add garlic and celery and cook for an additional few minutes. Add mushrooms and spinach.
  5. Once mushrooms are cooked down, add cooked rice, apples, cranberries, pumpkin seeds, sage, thyme, vinegar, salt, and pepper. Stir well and cook for 4-5 minutes, until apples and cranberries soften. Taste and adjust seasoning as desired.
  6. Reduce oven heat to 350˚F. Remove the squash and carefully flip over. Fill each squash cavity with rice mixture. Return to oven for additional 10-15 minutes. Serve warm.
  • Category: Side Dish
  • Method: Oven
  • Cuisine: American

Keywords: vegan stuffed acorn squash

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @crowded_kitchen on Instagram and hashtag it #crowdedkitchen

Previous Post: « Pesto Spaghetti Squash Boats with Mushrooms
Next Post: Polyjuice Potion Cocktail »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Leilia Peake

    November 21, 2020 at 10:41 am

    I’m going to make this for Thanksgiving. Looks absolutely delicious. Your thoughts on cooking the rice the day before? My only worries are the apples getting mushy. I will tag and post.

    Best, Leilia

    Reply
    • Lexi

      November 21, 2020 at 10:48 am

      Wonderful, hope you love it! I think it should be fine to make the rice the day before - just be sure to use a firmer variety of apple (I'd suggest honeycrisp or something similar).

      Reply

Let us know what you think! Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe rating ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆

Primary Sidebar

Lexi and Beth toasting with wine.

Hi, we're Lexi and Beth, a mother-daughter team from Michigan. The recipes you'll find here are a reflection of how we bring our family together around the dinner table despite various dietary differences.

More about us →

Featured in:

Featured in Buzzfeed, yahoo, Men's Journal, Huffpost, MSN, Food & Wine, Country Living, yummly, and Parade.

Spring recipes

  • Vegan Asparagus Soup
  • Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp (Vegan)
  • Vegan Blueberry Muffins
  • Asparagus Potato Salad
  • Spring Vegetable Pasta
  • Creamy Polenta with Mushrooms

Most popular recipes

  • How to make Infused Liquors (5 Ways)
  • Vegan Rice Noodles with Crispy Tofu and Mushrooms
  • Super Green Vegetable Soup
  • Cranberry Orange Whiskey Cocktail
  • Vegan Mushroom Stew over Mashed Potatoes
  • The Best Vegan Mac and Cheese

See more-->

Footer

Back to top ↑

About

  • Learn About Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Accessibility Statement
  • See our Portfolio

Newsletter

  • Sign up for weekly emails and updates

Contact

  • Contact Us
  • Work With Us
  • As Seen In

Copyright © 2021 Crowded Kitchen