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Crowd-Pleasing Stuffed Acorn Squash with Wild Rice

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A beautiful and hearty fall dish featuring roasted acorn squash filled with a savory wild rice, dried cranberry, and toasted pecan stuffing. Perfect for impressing guests at dinner parties or holiday gatherings.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 4 medium acorn squash
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • Salt and black pepper to taste
  • 1 cup wild rice (or wild rice blend)
  • 2 ½ cups vegetable broth
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 medium yellow onion, diced
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 celery stalks, diced
  • 1 medium apple (Honeycrisp or Fuji), diced
  • ½ cup dried cranberries
  • ½ cup toasted pecans, chopped
  • 2 tablespoons fresh sage, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
  • Salt and black pepper to taste
  • ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese (optional)
  • ¼ cup panko breadcrumbs (optional)
  • 2 tablespoons melted butter or olive oil (optional)
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley (for garnish)

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil.
  2. Cut each acorn squash in half from stem to tip. Scoop out seeds and stringy pulp. Brush cut sides and cavities with olive oil, season with salt and pepper. Place cut-side down on baking sheet. Roast for 25 minutes until just starting to soften.
  3. While squash roasts, rinse wild rice under cold water. In a medium saucepan, combine rice and vegetable broth. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 40-45 minutes until tender and liquid is absorbed. Fluff with a fork.
  4. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add diced onion and celery, cook 5-6 minutes until softened. Add minced garlic, cook 30 seconds until fragrant.
  5. Stir in diced apple, dried cranberries, chopped sage, and thyme. Cook 2-3 minutes until apple softens slightly. Remove from heat.
  6. In a large mixing bowl, combine cooked wild rice, sautéed vegetable mixture, and toasted pecans. Season with salt and pepper. If using, stir in Parmesan cheese. If filling seems dry, add a splash of vegetable broth.
  7. Remove baking sheet from oven. Flip squash halves cut-side up. Divide filling evenly among cavities, mounding slightly.
  8. Return to oven and bake 20-25 minutes until squash is tender and filling is heated through. If tops brown too quickly, tent with foil.
  9. Optional: In a small bowl, combine panko breadcrumbs with melted butter or olive oil. Sprinkle over stuffed squash during last 5 minutes of baking.
  10. Remove from oven, let rest 5 minutes. Garnish with fresh parsley and serve warm.

Notes

Don’t overcook the squash before stuffing; it should be just barely tender. Toast pecans in a dry skillet for about 3 minutes. Use a sharp knife to cut squash; microwave whole squash for 2-3 minutes to soften if needed. Filling can be made up to 2 days ahead.

Nutrition

Keywords: stuffed acorn squash, wild rice, fall recipe, vegetarian, holiday side dish, crowd-pleasing

Find it online: https://fizzlefork.com/crowd-pleasing-stuffed-acorn-squash-with-wild-rice/