Vegan Maple Sage Stuffed Acorn Squash

Looking for the perfect fall meal or perhaps something fun to add to your Thanksgiving table? This vegan roasted acorn squash stuffed with pecans, mushrooms, and wild rice is an easy recipe to whip up and incredibly flavorful.

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This meal is:

• gluten free
• vegan
• low mess
• ready in under 45 minutes
• easy to meal prep for a weeknight meal or a big family holiday
• perfect for leftovers
  

To make this meal, you will need:

• acorn squash
• onions
• mushrooms
• pecans
• chickpeas
• kale
• cranberries
• rice
• maple syrup
• onion and garlic powder, salt and pepper
  

How to Make Vegan Stuffed Acorn Squash

Begin by selecting the right amount of acorn squash for how many folks you’ll be feeding. I made two squashes for a complete meal for two people and had leftovers. I recommend one acorn squash per person if you are serving this dish as a meal, and 1 acorn squash for ever 3 people if this is a side dish or there are lots of other things you’ll be cooking.

The first step is to cut your acorn squash in half. Scoop out the seeds with a metal spoon and be sure to scrape any excess out with them. You can discard these, although some people choose to wash and toast them with spices and eat like pumpkin seeds or even toss outside for your local wildlife to enjoy.

Spritz your acorn squash with olive oil and dust with salt and pepper. Place cut side up into an oven or toaster oven. I usually just put mine right on the rack, but you can roast in a baking dish if you prefer. Roast at 425° for about 35 minutes or until the edges turn golden brown.

How to Make Wild Rice

While your acorn squash is roasting, you can get started with the filling. The first thing to do is get your rice boiling, since this takes about 20-25 minutes to cook completely. I used a mix of brown and wild rice, and added 1 1/2 cups to my water with a pinch of salt. Let boil and then reduce to a simmer until it is fork tender.

How to Make the Filling

While your rice is boiling, you can begin dicing onions. Add to a pan with a teaspoon of olive oil over medium heat. When the onions begin to turn translucent, you can add in 3/4 cup crumbled pecans, a tablespoon of maple syrup, and a tablespoon of vegan butter, saving the other two tablespoons of butter for when you add the rice. I just crumbled the pecans in my hands as I put them in the pan, but you can also use a rolling pin or cup to crush them under a towel. Next, dice mushrooms and add to the pan.

Be sure to stir the filling ingredients and the rice every so often so they don’t burn. Next, add your chickpeas to the pan.

I had already made some chickpeas earlier in the week so I just drained and rinsed them and tossed right in. Canned chickpeas work just as well here. If you’d like some tips on how to cook chickpeas from scratch, check out my post here.

Next, remove the stems from a few leaves of kale, and then chop coarsely and add to the pan. I also mixed in fresh cranberries here, but feel free to use dried cranberries, golden raisins, etc., whatever’s on hand. Stir this until the kale begins to wilt.

After this, check to see if your rice is just about done cooking. If so, drain the excess water, and add about 2 cups of cooked rice to the pan along with the remaining two tablespoons of vegan butter.

Stir everything and add your spices at this point. Allow to simmer for just a few minutes until your acorn squash is done roasting. When the squash has finished up, spoon this mixture carefully into the centers and serve.

Substitutions for Vegan Roasted Acorn Squash

• The beauty of this recipe is that it’s great with just about any type of squash. I’ve successfully made it before with butternut, kabocha, and even delicata squash. Sub in whichever one you like best.
• Any cooking oil will do. I used olive oil because that’s what I had on hand, but sub in your favorite.
• I used fresh cranberries, but dried work just fine! Or golden raisins, dried blueberries, etc.
• Lastly, you can scoop the insides out of the acorn squash shell after it’s done roasting, chop into 1″ cubes, and mix into the filling if you think it would be easier to serve as a dish people can just scoop onto to their plate.