Vegan Stuffed Acorn Squash

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.

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.

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.

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 tablespoon total, depending on the size of your squash. Season with plenty of salt and pepper.

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.

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!

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.

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.

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

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.

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