If you’ve ever hosted a holiday dinner, you know the struggle: one guest wants turkey, another is vegetarian, and someone else is vegan (and gluten-free, of course). You need a dish that can compete with turkey while meeting all the dietary requirements.
That’s where this Quinoa Stuffed Acorn Squash recipe comes in. I came up with it when my best friend showed up with her new boyfriend to last year’s Thanksgiving dinner, who happens to be vegan. And let me tell you, it served its purpose.
It worked beautifully as a plant-based holiday main dish for him, while the rest of the crowd enjoyed it as a side dish with turkey. The good news is that you can serve it warm, at room temperature, or cold, making it a no-fuss recipe that checks all the boxes.
Ingredients You’ll Need
This is one of those recipes that includes all the best festive fall ingredients. The full list with exact amounts is in the recipe card below, but here are a few helpful notes from my recipe testing:
Acorn squash: While it may be available year-round in most grocery stores, it is at its peak in the fall and winter months. To choose the best squash, look for a mix of dark green and orange skin colors that look slightly dull (not shiny). It should feel firm and heavy. You can use traditional green acorn squash or try white, golden, or even carnival squash.
Quinoa: Use the type of quinoa you prefer, such as white, red, black, or a mix of all three. You can cook quinoa on the stove, make microwave quinoa, or even make pressure cooker quinoa for a hands-off method. If you are not a fan of quinoa, you can swap it with cooked wild rice, farro, or couscous.
Apples: I love using Fuji apples here, but Gala and Honeycrisp also work. If you like a tangier bite, go for Granny Smith. You can also swap the apples for pears for a sweeter bite.
Dried Fruit: I prefer dried cranberries for this recipe, but I like to chop them so they are easier to chew. You can also mix it up with other dried fruits, such as chopped apricots or dates.
Nuts: Pecans are my favorite here, but you can use walnuts, almonds, or whichever nut you prefer.
For a nut-free option, try toasted pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds. I usually opt for roasted nuts for extra flavor, but raw ones also work well.
Herbs: I am using fresh parsley, but you can also add other fresh holiday herbs like thyme, sage, or rosemary. During the fall, stores like Trader Joe’s often have holiday herb bundles, and they work perfectly here.
Optional Additions:
This is one of those recipes you can really customize and make your own. Here are a few of my favorite ways to mix it up:
Pomegranate Arils: For an extra fall touch, add a handful on top for a pop of color and tartness.
Maple syrup: If you enjoy the salty-sweet combination, whisk a tablespoon of maple syrup with olive oil and brush it over the squash prior to sprinkling it with the spice mixture.
Chickpeas: For a protein boost and a more filling dish (especially if you are serving it as a vegan main dish), you can stir in a 15-oz can of (drained and rinsed) chickpeas into the stuffing.
Mushrooms: For a distinctive yet delicious umami boost, consider adding sautéed or roasted mushrooms to the filling.
Cheese: If you don’t mind making the dish vegetarian, you can garnish it with a handful of crumbled feta or Parmesan cheese for a creamy and salty bite.
How to Make Roasted Vegan Stuffed Acorn Squash
From start to finish, this vegan stuffed squash takes less than an hour to make. The process consists of three parts: roasting the acorn squash, preparing the quinoa and apple filling while it bakes, and filling the roasted squash with the stuffing. Here’s how I do it:
Step 1 – Cut the Acorn Squash: You should exercise extreme caution when cutting acorn squash, especially if you have kids around. Start with a sharp knife to make the job easier and safer.
First, cut a thin slice off the bottom so it can sit flat on your cutting board. Then cut from top to bottom vertically, pressing the tip of the knife into the center and working your way down until you have two halves.
Lastly, scoop out the seeds and stringy bits inside. You can toss these or bake them; they make a delicious crunchy snack.
Step 2 – Season and Roast the Squash: Preheat the oven to 400°F (204°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Mix together onion powder, garlic powder, cinnamon, cumin, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Brush the cut sides of the squash with a little olive oil and sprinkle it with the spice mixture.
Place the acorn squash halves cut-side down to help the edges caramelize and keep the flesh tender. Roast for about 40 minutes, until you can easily slide a fork through the meat. Your kitchen will smell heavenly while these are baking.
Step 3 – Make the Quinoa Filling: While the squash is roasting, sauté the onion and celery in a pan over medium-high heat until softened for 8-10 minutes, stirring frequently.
Then, add the apples and cook until they’re just soft enough, but not mushy. Stir in the garlic, cooked quinoa, cranberries, and pecans. Let it sit so the quinoa absorbs all the flavors, and add the parsley at the very end.
Step 4 – Assemble and Serve: Remove the roasted acorn squash halves from the oven and let them cool for 10 minutes. Then flip and fill each half with the quinoa mixture.
The acorn squash filling/stuffing recipe below yields 3-4 cups of filling. If you have leftovers, you can enjoy them as a side dish or a quick lunch the next day. It can also be served as a standalone side dish.
You can serve your filled acorn squash right away, or optionally, for a crispy, golden topping, return the stuffed squash to the oven and bake for an additional 10 minutes until the pecans are toasted and the quinoa looks golden brown. Garnish with fresh parsley, pomegranate arils, and your preferred toppings before serving.
Make Ahead, Storage & Reheating & Instructions
I love making this stuffed vegan squash recipe not only because it is a feast for the eyes, but also because you can easily prepare it ahead and serve it warm or cold, making it easy to incorporate into your holiday meal prep schedule.
Make Ahead: You can prepare the quinoa stuffing 1-2 days in advance, bring it to room temperature, and store it in an airtight container in the fridge. You can also roast the squash halves a day ahead, let them cool to room temperature, and refrigerate. When you are ready to serve, reheat the filling, stuff the squash, and warm them in the oven at 275°F (135°C) until heated through.
Alternatively, you can assemble the whole thing a day in advance, bring to room temperature, and store it in an airtight container. An hour before serving, you can reheat it in a low-heat (275°F (135°C)) oven for 15 minutes, or until heated through.
Storage: After the stuffed squash has cooled to room temperature, it can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. The leftovers make the most delicious lunch the next day.
Freezing: While you can technically freeze baked acorn squash, I don’t recommend it. It causes the squash to release extra water when thawed, resulting in a mushy texture and minimal flavor.
Expert Tips for Success
Microwave before cutting: Acorn squash can be hard to cut, especially if it is newly harvested. If you are having trouble cutting it, you can place it in the microwave for 1-2 minutes in 30-second increments to soften. Keep a close eye on it and check often rather than letting it run the whole time.
Cutting vertically vs horizontally: As you can see in the pictures, I cut my acorn squash vertically, but it is a personal preference. You can cut it horizontally if it is easier for you. However, be sure to cut a small amount from the top and bottom so they can sit straight after they are flipped.
Extra Caramelization: This is optional, but for a more golden, caramelized finish, flip the roasted squash cut-side up and place it under the broiler for 1-2 minutes after it’s finished baking. Just keep a close eye on it so it doesn’t burn.
Roast cut-side down: This is a crucial step, as it helps the edges caramelize and makes the flesh extra tender and sweet. While I didn’t think it was necessary, if you prefer, you can flip them at the end and put them under the broiler for a minute or two for even more caramelization.
Cook quinoa with stock: One of the best ways to season quinoa is by using stock instead of water as the cooking liquid. I usually use my homemade vegetable stock I make from scraps, but store-bought vegetable stock would also work. I highly recommend rinsing quinoa before cooking for optimal flavor.
Keep the filling moist: If you make it earlier in the day (or reheating), the quinoa mixture may dry out slightly. You can stir in a splash of water or stock to keep it fluffy and add more moisture.
Toast the nuts: Yes, it is an extra step, but toasting pecans (or pumpkin seeds) in a dry skillet takes just a few minutes and is a major upgrade in the overall taste of the filling. So, if you have a couple of extra minutes, place the nuts/seeds in an empty skillet and toast (keeping a super close eye on them) for 5-7 minutes over medium heat before adding them to the filling.
What to Serve with Quinoa-Stuffed Acorn Squash
This quinoa stuffed squash is one of those recipes that can play more than one role on your holiday table. You can enjoy it as a main dish for a vegetarian or vegan dinner, or serve it as a side alongside your favorite holiday mains. Here are a few of my favorite pairings:
- With a veggie side: Pair it with my Maple Balsamic Brussels Sprouts for a sweet and savory combination that will feel elevated without the extra work.
- With a holiday salad: My Harvest Salad Recipe includes kale, apples, dried figs, pomegranate arils, and pecans. It’s the perfect colorful salad to add to your Thanksgiving or Christmas table.
- With cranberry sauce: A scoop of my Cranberry Sauce with Maple Syrup adds just the right touch of tartness and sweetness to balance the richness of the squash.
- With meats: Serve this stuffed acorn squash with quinoa alongside Herb Roasted Turkey, Reverse Sear Prime Rib, or Reverse Sear Beef Tenderloin for a complete holiday spread.
FAQs
Yes, you can cook the quinoa filling a day or two before and keep it in the fridge in an airtight container. You can also roast the squash halves ahead of time and store them refrigerated for up to three days.
Technically, yes, but I do not recommend it. The squash becomes watery and loses its texture once thawed.
Yes, butternut squash also works. You can roast butternut squash halves or air-fry them and fill them with the quinoa mixture, following the same recipe.
The secret is to use a sharp knife and start by slicing a thin piece off the bottom so the squash sits steady. Then cut from top to bottom to split it in half, and if it feels too tough to cut, microwave it for a minute or two to soften the skin.
You can easily swap the quinoa for cooked rice, wild rice, farro, or even couscous for a similar filling.
Other Acorn Squash Recipes You Might Like
If you enjoyed this vegan acorn squash recipe, you might like these other fall favorite squash recipes:
- If you are craving a fall salad, try my Acorn Squash Salad. Made with arugula, pepitas, cranberries, goat cheese, and pomegranate seeds, it has everything you crave during the holiday season.
- Another reader favorite squash recipe is my Roasted Acorn Squash Slices! It takes the basic acorn squash but turns it into an easy side dish with a quick maple-cinnamon glaze.
Photos by Tanya Pilgrim.
Quinoa Stuffed Acorn Squash Recipe
Ingredients
To Roast the Acorn Squash
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 large acorn squash, cut in half and seeds removed
To Make the Stuffing:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 onion, medium-size / chopped (~1 1/4 cup)
- 3 stalks celery, chopped (~3/4 cup)
- 1 apple, peeled and cut into small ½ inch cubes
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 ½ cups cooked quinoa, from 1 cup uncooked quinoa
- ½ cup dried cranberries, chopped finely
- ½ cup pecans, coarsely chopped
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped, plus more as garnish
- Handful of pomegranate seeds, as garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (204 °C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a small bowl, mix together onion powder, garlic powder, cinnamon, cumin, salt, and pepper.
- Brush the insides of acorn squash with olive oil.
- Sprinkle each half with the spice mixture, ensuring that it is evenly distributed.
- Arrange the squash cut-side down and roast for 40 minutes, or until a knife inserted into the flesh of one of the squash comes out easily. Let it cool on the counter for 5 minutes before stuffing.
- While the acorn squash is roasting, make the stuffing. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and celery, and cook, stirring frequently, until translucent, 5-6 minutes.
- Add the apple and cook for 3-4 more minutes, or until the apples are softened.
- Stir in the garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
- Add the cooked quinoa, cranberries, pecans, and season with salt and pepper. Give it a stir and turn the heat to medium-low. Let it cook for 7-8 minutes, stirring occasionally to ensure it remains moist. If you feel like it is drying, add in a few tablespoons of water.
- Taste for seasoning and add more, if necessary. At the last minute, stir in the parsley.
- To assemble, fill each roasted acorn squash half with the stuffing and garnish it with pomegranate seeds (if using) and more parsley before serving.
Notes
- Yields: This recipe makes 8 halved stuffed acorn squash, which is ideal for serving 8 as a side dish. If you are serving it as a main dish, I would recommend serving 2 halves per person. The nutritional values listed below are per serving of one half.
- Filling: Take the time to cut up your apple evenly to ensure that you get some with each bite. I also recommend chopping up the cranberries for the same reason.
- Make ahead: You can roast the acorn squash and make the filling a day (or two) in advance. Bring them to room temperature and store them in an airtight container in the fridge. Assemble and bake right before serving.
- Storing leftovers: Bring them to room temperature and store in the fridge in an airtight container for 3-4 days.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I have made this recipe a handful of times and it’s always a hit. My question is can I prepare the squash and stuffing more than one day ahead, say 3 or 4 days, and then assemble and heat on Thanksgiving?
You sure can!
Delicious! Thank you for this recipe.
Happy to hear that you liked it NH. Cheers!
It was delicious. My husband and I loved it but my kids didn’t like it though. Thank you for the recipe!!
Hi Pepa,
Thanks for letting me know. I am happy to hear that you liked it.
Cheers!
About to try this recipe for Thanksgiving and i see in the picture that there’s pomegranate. Did you omit that from the recipe?
Hi Rhea,
I used pomegranate arils as a garnish, just a handful of them to make the photos look good. It is optional. Cranberries give it enough sweetness that you’d be fine if you didn’t have pomegranate on hand.
I hope this helps.
PS: I added it in the recipe too.
You don’t cook the quinoa in water first? New cook, here!
Hi Rachel,
You use already cooked quinoa in this recipe.
Here is how I cook my quinoa:
– Wash 1 cup (uncooked) quinoa under running water until the water is clear.
– Place rinsed quinoa in a small saucepan and stir 1 3/4 cup water and a pinch of salt over medium-high heat.
– Put the lid on and bring it to a boil.
– Once it boils turn down the heat to low and let it cook nice and slow for 12-13 minutes.
– Remove it from the stove and let it sit on the counter for 10-15 minutes.
– Fluff it with a fork and serve.
For this recipe, to save on time, I usually cook the quinoa a day in advance, bring it to room temperature, and store it in an airtight container in the fridge.
Let me know if you have any other questions. I am here to help.
Cheers!
Ice
Can you reheat the stuffed squash to be sure that it is served warm?
You sure can. I would place it in a low heat oven (325 degrees or so) and let it reheat until it is warmed to your liking.
Hope this helps.
My husband, who’s not a squash guy, took one bite and said: “Wow! That first bite is like something you’d eat out! It’s seasoned perfectly!”
I made two tweaks:
1. I didn’t have celery, so I swapped in diced up carrots, zucchini, mushrooms I had on hand from an earlier meal prep.
2. I took the advice of one of your commenters to add curry.
Thanks for the yumminess!!
YAY! This is music to my ears Kate.
So happy to hear that you guys liked it.
And yes, the addition of curry is such a great idea.
Thanks so much for coming by!
Cheers!
I cook lunch for our local volunteer fire department, which has a monthly day-long training session. They work hard all day and come to lunch ravenous. Three of the firefighters are vegan, and it’s a challenge to find really flavorful, hearty recipes. I made this recipe using 5 small acorn squash for the 3 vegan firefighters, and they wolfed up every scrap. Thanks for an easy, filling and tasty recipe.
Ohh Mary.. This note makes me so SO happy. What a nice thing to cook for firefighters. I am beyond thrilled to know that something that I created helpful to you to take care of the heros amongst ourselves.
Thanks for coming back and leaving a review. It means the world to me.
All the best,
Aysegul
What to serve my nephew for Thanksgiving? He follows a vegan diet. I wanted to offer him something that was substantial and as special and significant as a turkey dinner. This acorn squash with quinoa was the perfect solution. It was savory, beautiful, and delicious. He was so touched that we made an effort to accommodate his dietary needs. And he liked it so much that he asked to take home the leftovers.
Thanks for providing this wonderful recipe. We’ve made this winner a couple of times since then.
Ahh Cynthia… This is such music to my ears. I am so happy to hear that you guys enjoyed it. It was a favorite on our Thanksgiving table as well. Thank you for coming back and sharing your experience. Cheers!