Vegetarian Stuffed Acorn Squash

This vegetarian stuffed acorn squash is a beautiful and delicious meal perfect for the colder season. Stuffed with herbs, rice, lentils and parmesan cheese, this is the plant based dinner equivalent of a hug!

Ingredients in Vegetarian Stuffed Acorn Squash

• 2 medium size acorn squash
• Olive oil
• Salt & Pepper
• Yellow onion
• Garlic
• Red bell pepper
• Cooked brown rice
• Fresh parsley
• Canned lentils
• Red pepper flakes
• Dried thyme
• Parmesan cheese

Garnish Suggestions:

I garnished this dish with fresh parsley and a few pomegranate seeds to add to the festive feel. Total optional but some more garnish ideas include:

• Crumbled feta cheese
• Crushed salted pistachios for extra crunch
• Fresh herbs like parsley
• Shredded parmesan cheese

How to cut acorn squash

You’ll need:

• A sharp chefs knife
• A sturdy cutting board that won’t move around on you. Tip* Place a damp kitchen towel under your cutting board to prevent it moving around.

Lay the squash on its side. Cutting from the stem to the bottom of the squash, cut lengthwise between one of the ridges until you feel the knife has cut through to the hollow middle of the squash.

Rotate the squash and continue slicing through until you’ve sliced through the bottom and other side of the squash, leaving the end with the stem intact.

The stem is very hard to cut through, I recommend grabbing the two sliced ends to pull the entire thing apart. Don’t bother removing the stem, you can bake the squash with the stem right on!

*Extra tip: This may help if your squash is very large, making it harder to work with. Make shallow slices along the length of the squash, around the bottom and across the other side to create a bit of a guide. This may make it easier to get even halves when you go to cut through it.

How to make Vegetarian Stuffed Acorn Squash

• Preheat the oven to 400F and line a baking tray with parchment paper. 
• Cut both of the squash in half lengthwise and scoop out the pulp and seeds. Using a fork pierce the skin side of the squash in a few places.
• Drizzle the cut side of the squash with olive oil and season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Place the squash cut side down on the baking sheet and bake for 45-50 minutes, flipping halfway until the flesh can be easily pierced with a fork.
• While the squash cooks, prepare the rest of the recipe. Heat a large skillet over medium-low heat drizzle with olive oil. 
• Once hot, add in the onion, garlic and bell pepper. Saute for 3-5 minutes until soft. Remove from heat and mix in the rice, parsley, lentils, red pepper flakes, thyme, ¾ cup of the parmesan cheese
• Once the squash are out of the oven stuff generously with the rice mixture. Top with parmesan cheese and return to the oven for an additional 15 minutes until the cheese is melted and nicely browned.
• Allow to cool for about 10 minutes. Garnish with more fresh parsley, parmesan cheese, pomegranate seeds if desired. Enjoy!

If you’re looking for more vegetarian recipes, check out:

• Lasagna Roll Ups with White Bean Ricotta and Zucchini
• Vegetarian Pumpkin Chili
• Chipotle Black Bean Burger

Be sure to leave a star rating and review if you try it out, enjoy!