Stuffed Acorn Squash with Quinoa
Nutritious acorn squash boats filled with a hearty quinoa stuffing with cranberries, pecans, and herbs. A complete vegetarian meal that's both satisfying and healthy.
Recipe Categories
Ingredients
- 2 Medium acorn squashhalved and seeded
- 1 cup Quinoarinsed
- 2 cups Vegetable broth
- ½ cup Dried cranberries
- ½ cup Chopped pecanstoasted
- 1 Small oniondiced
- 2 Celery stalksdiced
- 2 tbsp Fresh sage leaveschopped
- 3 tbsp Olive oildivided
- 1 tsp Salt
- ½ tsp Black pepper
- ¼ cup Parmesan cheesegrated, optional
Instructions
- 1
Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Cut squash in half and remove seeds.
- 2
Brush with 1 tbsp olive oil, season with salt and pepper, place cut-side down on baking sheet.
- 3
Roast for 30-35 minutes until fork-tender.
- 4
Cook quinoa in vegetable broth according to package directions, about 15 minutes.
- 5
Heat remaining oil in a large skillet. Sauté onion and celery until soft, 5 minutes.
- 6
Stir in cooked quinoa, cranberries, pecans, sage, salt, and pepper.
- 7
Scoop some flesh from squash halves, leaving a shell. Mix flesh into quinoa.
- 8
Fill squash shells with quinoa mixture, top with cheese if using.
- 9
Bake 15-20 minutes until heated through and golden on top.
💡 Pro Tips
Test squash doneness with a fork - it should pierce easily but not be mushy. Save the scooped flesh to add nutrients to the stuffing.
🔄 Variations
Use wild rice instead of quinoa, or add diced apples for extra sweetness.
🏠 Storage
Refrigerate leftovers for up to 4 days. Reheat covered in the oven at 350°F for 15-20 minutes.