This stuffed acorn squash with mushrooms and cranberries is a delicious vegan option for your Christmas dinner! Made with rice, fresh herbs, pine nuts, and topped with crispy bread crumbs, it can be served as an entree or side dish.
This stuffed acorn squash is a healthier holiday side dish that is perfect for your Thanksgiving or Christmas feast! Just like slow cooker brussels sprouts with cranberries, and brussels sprouts gratin - this recipe is packed with flavorful veggies
Tender roasted acorn squash stuffed with savory rice, mushrooms, cranberries, pine nuts and fresh herbs... it doesn't get any more delicious than this! Not only is this stuffed acorn squash absolutely delicious, but it's also vegan and can easily be made gluten-free.
There are three components to this recipe, but the good news is you can make each component ahead and assemble it later if you are preparing for a holiday feast. Or, you can also fully cook this recipe and reheat it in the oven when you're ready to enjoy!
Reasons you'll love This Recipe
- the stuffing is packed with flavor and delicious texture from the mushrooms, fresh herbs, cranberries and pine nuts
- you can prep it ahead and re-heat to serve
- it's perfect for a vegan holiday feast!
Ingredient Notes
- Acorn squash - has a mild nutty and slightly sweet flavor that is so delicious with the rice and herbs in this recipe; other types of squash have not been tested for this recipe.
- Rice - we tested with both basmati and wild rice (either will work), and found it's really beneficial to cook the rice in vegetable stock to get extra flavor. See how to cook rice for 3 tips on perfectly fluffy rice!
- Vegetable stock - you can use store bought or homemade vegetable stock to cook the rice in for extra flavor
- Cranberries - adds a subtle sweetness that pairs so well with the squash and enhances the other flavors of the stuffing.
- Pine nuts- the nutty flavor of the pine nuts compliments the earthy and savory flavors of the rice, and adds extra texture variation. Swap for almond slices or toasted walnut pieces.
- Herbs - this recipe calls for dried sage leaves and thyme. If using fresh, double the quantities. It also calls for fresh rosemary. If you have leftover herbs, freeze them and use for making homemade stock.
- Panko breadcrumbs - are Japanese style breadcrumbs that should be found in the same grocery aisle as regular breadcrumbs. The texture comes out nice and crispy and we don't recommend swapping for regular breadcrumbs.
Step by step driections
Prepare Acorn Squash
Heat oven to 400°F. Cut the acorn squash in half across the middle. Scoop out seeds. Brush or spray with oil, then season with salt and pepper. Arrange face down on a baking sheet and roast in the oven for 30 minutes. Turn over and roast for another 10-15 minutes, or until squash is tender and cooked through.
Cook Rice
Cooking the rice in broth brings a lot of extra flavor to the recipe. Follow the package directions, but replace the water with vegetable broth. Add ¼ teaspoon salt.
Prepare Filling
Heat olive oil in a non-stick pan over medium heat. Add the onion and mushrooms, salt, sage, thyme, and rosemary, and cook for 5-7 minutes, until softened. Make space in the pan, add the garlic, and sautée for 1 minute.
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Stir in the dried cranberries and pine nuts, and when the rice is ready, fold in 1 cup of cooked rice.
Stuff
Divide filling evenly between four acorn squash halves.
Crispy Breadcrumbs
Heat oil in a non-stick pan. Add the breadcrumbs, and cook, stirring frequently, for 5 or so minutes, until breadcrumbs are golden and crispy. Add sea salt, and divide evenly between the four acorn squash halves.
Return to the oven for 10 more minutes, then serve.
To Make Ahead
- Assemble through to step 4 (the filling step). Leave the crispy breadcrumbs off until just before serving.
- Let cool completely, then refrigerate in a covered pan overnight or for up to 4 days.
- Reheat (covered) in a 350°F oven for 20-30 minutes or until heated through. Add the crispy breadcrumbs just before serving.
FAQ
You can easily make this stuffed acorn squash gluten-free! You will just need to swap the Panko breadcrumbs with gluten-free bread crumbs.
You could use your Instant Pot to cook up the basmati rice, however, we have not tested this entire recipe in either the Instant Pot or the slow cooker.
You definitely can! You could swap the rice with quinoa for some plant-based protein or, add cooked turkey or cooked ground beef if you are not making this recipe vegan. See our taco stuffed acorn squash for another option.
Substitutions
We have lots of ideas for swapping out the filling for this stuffed acorn squash! That being said, it took a few recipe tests to get the seasonings just right for this recipe, so we wouldn't recommend changing them too much.
- swap the rice for quinoa or farro
- swap the dried cranberries for some apple (sautee with the onions & mushrooms)
- swap the pine nuts with walnuts, pecans or almonds
- swap the mushrooms or onions for celery, parsnips or carrots (you may need to cook for longer to soften)
Storage
- Fridge - cool completely, then store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- Freezer- we haven't tried freezing this recipe, but believe it would freeze/thaw well. Cool completely, wrap in plastic, and store in a larger container or freezer bag for up to 3 months. Note- breadcrumbs will loose their crisp after freeze/thawing.
- Reheat - cover the dish (we love the reusable silicone lids below), and bake at 350°F for 20-30 minutes, or until warmed through. I recommend adding the crispy breadcrumbs just before serving as they may not stay crispy after rewarming the squash.
Did you make this? Tag me on social @sweetpeasandsaffron and be sure to leave a comment and rate the recipe!
Stuffed Acorn Squash with Mushrooms and Cranberries
Ingredients
Acorn Squash
- 2 acorn squash medium - large
- olive oil
- salt & pepper
Rice
- ½ cup basmati or wild rice; uncooked
- 1 cup vegetable stock to cook rice; note 1
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Filling
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 cups mushrooms chopped; button or cremini work
- 1 onion diced
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon dried sage leaves note 2
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves note 2
- 2 tablespoons fresh rosemary chopped
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- ¼ cup dried cranberries
- ¼ cup pine nuts note 3
Crispy Breadcrumbs
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ¼ cup panko breadcrumbs
- generous pinch sea salt
Instructions
- Prepare acorn squash - Heat oven to 400°F. Cut the acorn squash in half across the middle. Scoop out seeds. Brush or spray with oil, then season with salt and pepper. Arrange face down on a baking sheet and roast in the oven for 30 minutes. Turn over and roast for another 10-15 minutes, or until squash is tender and cooked through.
- Cook rice - Cooking the rice in broth brings a lot of extra flavor to the recipe. Follow the package directions, but replace the water with vegetable broth. Add ¼ teaspoon salt.
- Prepare filling - Heat olive oil in a non-stick pan over medium heat. Add the onion and mushrooms, salt, sage, thyme, and rosemary, and cook for 5-7 minutes, until softened. Make space in the pan, add the garlic, and sautée for 1 minute.Stir in the dried cranberries and pine nuts, and when the rice is ready, fold in 1 cup of cooked rice.
- Stuff - Divide filling evenly between four acorn squash halves.
- Crispy Breadcrumbs - Heat oil in a non-stick pan. Add the breadcrumbs, and cook, stirring frequently, for 5 or so minutes, until breadcrumbs are golden and crispy. Add sea salt, and divide evenly between the four acorn squash halves.Return to the oven for 10 more minutes.
To Make Ahead
- Assemble - through to step four- filling the acorn squash (leave crispy breadcrumbs off until just before serving). Refrigerate in a covered pan overnight or up to a few days.
- Reheat - (covered) in a 350°F oven for 20-30 minutes or until heated through. Add the crispy breadcrumbs just before serving.
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Tips:
- highly recommend cooking the rice in stock for added flavor
- if using fresh herbs, double the quantity
- pine nuts can be swapped for sliced almonds or toasted walnut pieces in a pinch
- Fridge - cool completely, then store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- Freezer- we haven't tried freezing this recipe, but believe it would freeze/thaw well. Cool completely, wrap in plastic, and store in a larger container or freezer bag for up to 3 months. Note- breadcrumbs will loose their crisp after freeze/thawing.
Nutrition Information
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Lisa says
This is a fantastic recipe!The flavors are perfect for Thanksgiving. I have it all ready to go for Thanksgiving tomorrow for our plant based and meat eating crowd. Just need to reheat. Thank you for the storing and reheating suggestions and for this great recipe!
Jasmine @ Sweet Peas & Saffron says
Hi Lisa, we're so glad to hear that you'll be enjoying this stuffed acorn quash for Thanksgiving! We hope you enjoy it, thank you so much for taking the time to come back and leave a rating and review!
Kimberly says
This was so good, Fiancee and I are trying to go more plant based and he loved this. Did use apple instead of cranberries, and fresh sage / dried rosemary because that is what I had, and just used a teaspoon instead but it still came out great!
Denise Bustard says
Hi Kimberly! I'm so happy to hear you enjoyed this recipe, thank you so much for taking the time to come back and leave a review with your modifications. That's so helpful!