Stuffed acorn squash makes for an easy weeknight meal. It’s easy to prepare and you can create numerous variations depending on the additional produce you have on hand.
Instead of rice, I “riced” cauliflower and cooked it with sautéed onions and celery. One secret my mom taught me years ago: always plump dried fruit before adding it to a recipe. All you need is a bit of juice and some heat; you’ll transform those little dried grapes into soft, juicy raisins with a new burst of flavor.
Here are a few more stuffed squash recipes you might be interested in:
Mediterranean Stuffed Squash by Bev Cooks
Stuffed Zucchini with Turkey Sausage by Simply Recipes
Zucchini Stuffed with Mushrooms, Sausage and Sage by The Kitchn
Stuffed Acorn Squash (Grain-Free, Paleo, Gaps)
Adapted from Chow.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Category: Main Dish
- Diet: Gluten Free
Ingredients
For the Squash:
- 2 acorn squash, cut in half pole-to-pole, seeds removed
- 1 tablespoons ghee, melted (click here for an easy homemade recipe)
- 1 tablespoon honey
- Celtic sea salt
For the filling:
- 4 tablespoons ghee
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- 3 celery stalks, chopped
- 2 cups “riced” cauliflower*
- 2 teaspoons fresh thyme, chopped
- 1/3 cup pecans (omit for nut-free)
- 1/4 cup plumped raisins**
- 1/2 teaspoon Celtic sea salt
- 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450ºF and adjust rack to middle position. Place squash, cut-side up, on a baking sheet. Combine ghee and honey then brush the squash with the mixture using a pastry brush. Season with sea salt. Roast in the oven for 25 minutes.
- Meanwhile, melt 4 tablespoons ghee in a large sauté pan and swirl to coat. Add onion and celery then cook, stirring frequently, for 5-7 minutes until soft. Stir in cauliflower and cook for 3-4 minutes until hot. Stir in thyme, pecans, raisins, sea salt and pepper. Spoon filling into acorn squash and roast for 20 minutes. Serve.
*To rice cauliflower: Cut cauliflower into bite-size pieces and place half of the pieces in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse 12-15 times until cauliflower is the size of rice. Repeat. As an alternative, you can grate the cauliflower with a cheese grater or chop finely with a large chef’s knife.
**To plump raisins: Place raisins and 1/4 cup juice (orange, apple, even kombucha works!) in a small saucepan. Bring to a low simmer. Turn off heat. Using a slotted spoon, remove raisins.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: Serves 4
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