Stuffed acorn squash recipe perfect for fall!

Stuffed Acorn Squash

I’m back! I had the chance to figure out what I’m doing for the next year, and now that things are stable again, I have time and energy to come back to blogging regularly. So I’m kicking it off with a healthier recipe that’s a personal fall favorite: stuffed acorn squash!

Let’s talk about this dish. Fall/winter squash like acorn, butternut, and spaghetti squash have thick skins and firm flesh, and are delicious roasted. They also have central cavities where the seeds are stored. Once you remove the seeds and pulp, this cavity is great for stuffing with all kinds of things.

In this recipe, I like brown rice. You could also use quinoa if you want more protein. Sausage pairs nicely with fall spices like sage and nutmeg, and the fat from sausage has a wonderful flavor that absorbs into the rice and kale. Yes, I use kale in this dish. It adds a beautiful green color that balances the yellows and browns, and I add it later so it absorbs the flavors of the rest of the ingredients before it has a chance to release its own grassy notes into the dish.

If you’re vegan or vegetarian, leave the sausage out and substitute a can of beans. Oh, and increase the amount of salt you use, because the starches in the beans need more salt to make the dish taste good.

Ingredients:

2 acorn squash, cut in half & seeded
Olive oil
Salt
1lb. ground sausage OR 1 can kidney or black beans, rinsed & drained
1 medium shallot, minced
½ tsp. minced garlic (1 clove)
More salt
Pepper
1 ½ tsp. Italian seasoning
1 tsp. ground sage
¼ tsp. ground nutmeg
1 c. brown rice
2 c. gluten-free chicken or vegetable broth
3-4 large handfuls chopped kale (or ½ bag frozen kale)

Directions:

Set oven to 350°. Coat squash halves with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Lay squash halves cut side down in foil-lined baking sheet. Bake to soften while preparing filling.
If making with sausage, brown the sausage over medium heat (4.5/10), then remove and set aside in a strainer over a bowl to drain. Remember, hot grease can clog the sink or melt the trash bag, so collect grease in a bowl and allow to cool before discarding.
Add olive oil to pan if there isn’t enough leftover sausage grease. Soften shallot and garlic over low-medium heat (3.5/10) with spices, stirring frequently. If making vegetarian, add oil to the pan before aromatics and spices.
Add rice to the pan and stir everything to combine. Allow rice to warm with dry heat 3-4 minutes, stirring to prevent burning on the bottom. When rice becomes fragrant and smells nutty, add broth and cover with lid. Cook 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent rice from burning on the bottom. If rice looks dry, add more liquid and reduce heat.
When rice is ready, stir kale and sausage or beans into mixture. Cover with lid and cook another 5 minutes to wilt kale and warm all ingredients through.
Remove squash from oven, flip over, and season flesh of squash lightly with salt and pepper. Scoop filling into each squash half and pack lightly. Top filling as desired (cheese, tomato sauce, raw egg, fried onions, biscuit dough pie lid, etc.) and bake another 15-20 minutes to set filling and any toppings.
Each squash half will easily feed two people. Store leftovers for an easy and healthy dinner later in the week.

If you’re in a hurry and feel that this is a lot of steps, you could throw your aromatics, rice, and broth into your pan without toasting it all together, but the flavor profile won’t deepen as much, and you’ll only save ten minutes. In healthier dishes like this, I like to use a few extra steps like softening aromatics in the seasonings and toasting my rice to elevate some of the more nuanced flavors and bring them to the forefront.

I hope you enjoy making this delicious recipe at home! And be sure to tune in to my twitch channel this week for live Thanksgiving prep starting Sunday, November 18^th, at 2pm EST! Please leave your thoughts in a comment below, or get in touch with me directly by filling out the form on the contact page.

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https://www.twitch.tv/thedeglutenizer

Stuffed acorn squash recipe perfect for fall!

Jamie

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