Stuffed Acorn Squash With Wild Rice

Stuffed Acorn Squash With Wild Rice

Whether served as a centerpiece or a side, this stuffed acorn squash with wild rice is the perfect fall dish. The sweet and comforting squash pairs wonderfully with the rice and is great for anyone who's not a fan of meat alternatives during the holidays!

Course dinner

Cuisine American

Keyword vegan side dish, vegan squash recipe, vegan thanksgiving side dish recipe

Prep Time 30

Cook Time 45

Total Time 1 15

Servings

Calories 388kcal

Author Michelle Cehn | World of Vegan

Ingredients

For The Roasted Acorn Squash:

2 acorn squashes
drizzle olive oil
sprinkle salt

For The Roasted Brussels Sprouts:

½ pound Brussels sprouts
1½ tablespoons olive oil
⅛ teaspoon salt
⅛ teaspoon pepper

For The Rice Pilaf Stuffing:

½ cup + ⅓ cup vegetable broth or bouillon and water
½ cup wild rice medley or your choice of grain—quinoa, farro, brown rice, etc. *Note: each rice medley has different cooking times and instructions, so please adjust liquid amount and cooking time to fit with your grain choice)
1 tablespoon olive oil
⅓ cup sliced green onion
3 large cloves garlic minced
½ rib celery thinly sliced
1 stem fresh rosemary minced
¼ cup dried cranberries
2 tablespoons raw pepitas hulled pumpkin seeds
pomegranate seeds optional

For The Tahini Sauce:

3 tablespoons tahini
1½ tablespoons lemon juice
3 tablespoons water
1 clove garlic very finely minced and crushed
two generous pinches salt

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Wash acorn squash, slice in half lengthwise with a sharp knife, and remove the seeds and stingy part by scraping a spoon against the seed filled area until it's clean. Drizzle with a little bit of olive oil and use your hands to spread it evenly around the acorn squash flesh. Place facedown on a large baking dish.
Wash and prepare the Brussels sprouts by slicing off any brown parts on the stem to leave a fresh cut and cutting each Brussel sprout in half lengthwise. Place them in a medium bowl and toss with olive oil, salt, and pepper to coat. Spread them evenly on the pan with the acorn squash, and bake everything together for 40 minutes.
In a medium pot, bring vegetable broth to a boil. Add the wild rice medley, cover, reduce heat to low, and allow to simmer covered for 35 minutes. At 35 minutes turn off heat, keep covered, and allow to steam for an additional 10 minutes covered. Once done, uncover, fluff, and set aside.
Once the squash, Brussels sprouts, and wild rice are finished cooking, prepare the pilaf. In a large saute pan add 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Once hot, add the green onion, followed by the garlic and celery. Allow to cook for a couple minutes and then add the rosemary, cranberries, and pepitas and cook for a couple minutes. Then add in the cooked wild rice and Brussels sprouts and mix together, allowing to cook until heated through.
Spoon the hot rice pilaf mixture into the roasted acorn squash, dividing it evenly among all four.
Prepare your tahini sauce. In a small bowl add the tahini and lemon juice and mix well. Add the water, garlic, and salt and continue to mix until the creamy mixture thickens a bit. Drizzle generously over the acorn squash and enjoy!

Notes

If you don't have a wild rice medley you can make your own mixture of wild rice plus brown rice, or you can use any other grain. Simply cook your favorite grain according to package instructions, using vegetable broth instead of water for more flavor.

Nutrition