Sweet and savory vegan stuffed acorn squash is a classic Fall side dish that deserves to be the star of the show. Wild rice is combined with yummy Autumn goodies, then loaded into tender roasted squash halves. Everything is drizzled with a maple tahini sauce that is mind-blowingly amazing and perfect to enjoy alongside your favorite Thanksgiving foods!
Are they a side dish? Are they a main dish? That’s for you to decide!
Vegan stuffed acorn squash are delicious, hearty, and absolutely Fall-bulous in every way. The squash is slightly sweet and earthy, and balances perfectly with the earthy and savory taste of the wild rice. Add in dried cranberries, crunchy pepitas and walnuts, and some razzle-dazzle (aka maple syrup) for a combination that’ll have you craving this recipe all year long.
Oh, but we don’t just stop there. To top it all off, each loaded squash half is drizzled with a luscious maple tahini sauce. (Just try to stop yourself from taking sips right out of the mixing bowl.)
I’m not exaggerating when I say that these beauties have all the flavors of Thanksgiving you love, cuddled together and stuffed into each edible squash bowl!
Ingredients
There are four simple key components to this stuffed acorn squash recipe.
For the Wild Rice:
- Wild rice
- Water
- Salt
For the Acorn Squash:
- Acorn squash
- Olive oil
- Salt and pepper
To Make the Filling:
- Olive oil
- Onion
- Celery
- Herbs De Provence
- Cracked pepper
- Salt
- Maple syrup
- Cranberries
- Pepitas
- Walnuts
- Fresh parsley
For the Maple Tahini Sauce:
- Olive oil
- Tahini
- Apple cider vinegar
- Maple syrup
- Water
- Salt and pepper
How to Make Vegan Stuffed Acorn Squash
First, make the wild rice as the base of the stuffing. Combine the rice, water, and salt in a pot, and bring to a low boil. Cover with a tight lid and simmer for 45 minutes while you make the remaining parts of the dish. When the rice is done, fluff with a fork and keep aside.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Cut the squash in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds and stringy parts. Place them on a baking sheet, cut side up. Brush the insides with oil and sprinkle on a generous pinch of salt and pepper. Flip them so the cut sides are now face down, and bake for 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, saute the chopped onions and celery with olive oil in a large skillet. After about 10 minutes the onions will be soft. Then mix in the Herbs de Provence, salt, and black pepper.
Remove the skillet from the heat. Add the cooked rice, dried cranberries, pepitas, walnuts, chopped parsley, and maple syrup. Mix, taste, and adjust seasonings as needed.
When the squash is done baking, carefully use tongs to flip them back over on the baking sheet. Fill each cavity with a heaping helping of the stuffing mixture.
Place back in the oven, and bake the vegan stuffed acorn squash for another 15 minutes.
Note: If you have extra stuffing, that’s totally ok! It’s super yummy to eat by itself. Or you can keep it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Make the Maple Tahini Sauce and Serve
Whisk together the maple tahini ingredients in a small bowl, or mix in a mason jar with a lid.
Done!
Drizzle the homemade tahini and maple sauce over each of the stuffed squash halves, and serve warm. You also can add a sprinkle of chopped parsley for an extra ooo of fresh flavor.
Recipe Variations
- If you aren’t a fan or or don’t have wild rice available, you can use brown rice instead. Cook per package instructions.
- Instead of pepitas you can use pine nuts in a pinch. But avoid the temptation to use plain ‘ol pumpkin seeds – the texture and taste are waaay different from pepitas, and don’t work so well in this vegan stuffed acorn squash recipe.
- Sub walnuts with chopped almonds or cashews, or you can skip nuts altogether.
- Replace the dried cranberries with purple or golden raisins for a less Thanksgiving-y flavor.
What to Serve with Stuffed Squash
Each loaded squash half is hearty enough to be a main dish on it’s own. Can’t get enough squash? Pair stuffed acorn squash with a kale apple salad with roasted butternut squash.
Or add it to the Thanksgiving table with all your favorite Fall sides! These are total BFF with vegan sweet potato casserole, roasted garlic mashed potatoes and gravy, and GREEN BEAN CASSEROLE
Storage and Reheating Tips
First of all, I recommend that you do not add the maple tahini sauce until you are serving each portion. If you do have leftovers keep the sauce in its own jar in the refrigerator for up to a week.
When the squash halves are completely cool transfer them to an airtight container. Keep in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Microwaving the leftover stuffed squash is a good option in a pinch, but if you can reheat them you should. Bake in a 350 degree F preheated oven for about 15 minutes until warm.
If you tried this vegan stuffed acorn squash recipe, let me know in the comments below and share a photo using #mindfulavocado. I’d love to hear from you! Want to see more recipes? Let’s get social! CONNECT WITH ME on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or Pinterest to see what I’m currently cooking up!
If You Like This Delicious Side Dish Recipe, You’ll Love:
Vegan Stuffed Acorn Squash
Ingredients
Rice:
- 1 cup wild rice rinsed well
- 2 cups water
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Acorn Squash:
- 2 medium acorn squash
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- salt and pepper
Filling:
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 yellow onion diced
- 1/2 cup celery diced (about 2 stalks)
- 1 teaspoon Herbs de Provence
- fresh cracked pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 Tablespoon maple syrup
- 1/4 cup dried cranberries
- 1/4 cup pepitas
- 1/4 cup walnuts loosley chopped
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley chopped
Maple Tahini Sauce:
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 3 Tablespoons tahini
- 1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 Tablespoon maple syrup
- 2 Tablespoons water
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- fresh cracked pepper to taste
Instructions
- Combine rice, water, and salt in a pot. Bring to a boil, cover, then simmer for 45 minutes stirring occasionally until liquid is absorbed. Fluff with a fork and set aside.
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Carefully cut acorn squashes in half lengthwise. Use a spoon to scoop out seeds and stringy bits. Place on a rimmed baking sheet facing up.
- Brush insides of acorn squash with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Flip squashes over so the insides are facing down. Bake for 20 minutes.
- In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onions and celery. Sautee until softened (about 10 minutes). Add Herbs de Provence, salt, and a few cracks of black pepper. Mix well and remove from heat.
- Add cooked rice, dried cranberries, pepitas, walnuts, parsley, and maple syrup. Stir well. Taste and adjust seasonings.
- Once acorn squashes are done baking, remove them from the oven and carefully flip over using tongs. Stuff acorn squashes. You may have some leftover filling – that's okay! It tastes great on its own too. Place squashes back in the oven and bake for 15 minutes.
- While the squashes are baking, make the sauce. Add all the ingredients for the sauce to a small mixing bowl and whisk until smooth. Add more water to thin the sauce if needed. Taste and adjust seasonings.
- Serve squashes warm drizzled with sauce and garnished with fresh parsley.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
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