This stuffed acorn squash recipe is everything you want in a fall dish—warm, hearty, and rustic. Each squash half is filled with a flavorful gluten-free quinoa and lentil stuffing. Cheese is totally optional, but a sprinkle on top makes it extra delicious. Serve it as a vegetarian main or an impressive side dish that everyone will love.
Put a fork in me
Oh baby, this recipe is a good one. One of my favorite challenges is coming up with vegetarian dinner recipes that are packed with flavor. And when you take a humble ingredient like a winter squash—or, say, a bell pepper—and stuff it with a nourishing, flavorful filling?
These vegetarian lentil and rice stuffed peppers are a HNL community favorite, but today we're going to be stuffing acorn squash. Or, in my case a carnival squash. Acorn squash is super hard to find where I live, so I often use these instead.
We're roasting some squash and mixing up a delicious, cheesy stuffing with quinoa, lentils, and sunflower seeds, with some crunchy celery and tomato paste for a big pop of flavor. The quinoa-stuffed acorn squash then gets a little stint in the oven so that everything is hot, melty, and delicious.
Acorn squash with quinoa stuffing is genuinely one of my favorites for a vegetarian main dish, but it's equally good as a festive holiday side. You decide!
Let's make stuffed acorn squash together!
You'll find detailed instructions in the recipe card at the end of this post. Feel free to use the "jump to recipe" button to skip right down there, or join me for a visual walkthrough now.
Step 1: roast the squash
Alright, fire up your oven and let's get going! Split your squash in half and scoop out the seeds. The easiest way to cut an acorn squash in half is to slice right through the stem.
Rub the flesh with just a little olive oil, then place them cut-side down on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Place the baking sheet into the oven, and roast the squash for about 20 minutes, until barely tender.
Step 2: make the filling
While the squash is roasting, we'll prepare the stuffing. If your quinoa and lentils are not already cooked, now's the time to do it!
Combine the lentils, quinoa, cooked onions and celery, sunflower seeds, cheese, and tomato paste in a large bowl. Mix well, give it a taste, and adjust the seasonings if necessary.
Step 3: stuff + bake!
Spoon the lentil stuffing mixture into your par-cooked acorn squash. This will be enough filling for one large or two smaller squash.
I like to use my hands and really pack it in there, then form a bit of a dome. If you like, you can sprinkle a bit of extra cheese on top.
Return the stuffed squash to the oven and roast for another 15-20 minutes, until the stuffing is crisp and brown on the top and the squash is fully cooked.
Step 4: serve!
Transfer your stuffed acorn squash to a serving platter and you are done like dinner.
Vegetarian Stuffed Acorn Squash with Quinoa and Lentils
Ingredients
- 1 large acorn squash or two smaller squash
- 1 cup cooked quinoa
- ½ cup cooked lentils I use Puy or beluga lentils
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1 small yellow onion finely diced
- 1 stalk celery finely diced
- ½ cup cheddar cheese shredded
- 3 Tablespoons tomato paste
- ¼ cup sunflower seeds toasted
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 200°C / 400°F.
- Split your squash in half and scoop out the seeds and stringy bits.1 large acorn squash
- Rub the squash with a bit of oil, and place the squash cut side down on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Roast for 15 - 20 min, until just barely tender.
- While squash is roasting, prepare the stuffing.
- Heat a small frying pan over medium-high heat. Add a teaspoon of olive oil, and sauté the onions and celery for about 5 minutes, until the onion is translucent. Remove from the heat.1 small yellow onion, 1 stalk celery, 1 teaspoon olive oil
- Combine quinoa, lentils, onions and celery, cheese, tomato paste, and sunflower seeds to a large bowl, and give everything a good stir to combine.1 cup cooked quinoa, ½ cup cooked lentils, ½ cup cheddar cheese, 3 Tablespoons tomato paste, ¼ cup sunflower seeds
- When the squash is just becoming tender remove from the oven and cool slightly, just until you can handle it.
- Spoon the filling in and press firmly in with your hands, making a mound of stuffing over the squash.
- Return the squash to the sheet pan (or use a baking dish if your squash is tippy), stuffing side up, and return to the oven for an additional 15-20 minutes.
- Squash is ready when it is fully tender and the stuffing is nice and crispy on top.
- Serve warm or at room temperature.
Notes
- Nutrition values are an estimate only.
- The squash can be par-roasted a day or two in advance and stuffed before baking.
- Stuffed squash can be kept in the fridge for 1-2 days and baked from cold - just add 10 minutes to the second roasting time.
- Leftover stuffing can be baked in a buttered ramekin, kept in the fridge for 3-5 days, or frozen for up to 3 months.
Rita says
In the evenings after work, I'm often too tired to cook. Thanks to this recipe, I now have something to warm up - and it's soooo good! Instead of quinoa, I used bulgur (pre-cooked). Thank you Katie for your always brilliant recipes.
Frances says
I love this recipe. I have done other stuffed acorn squash and I like this one the best. Easy to put together since I had some red quinoa left over and some canned lentils. I altered amounts a bit to keep my calorie count lower, as I had an entire half of the squash myself, (albeit an small acorn!) I like savory stuffing like this much more then sweet versions actually. A favorite. Thank you
Jennie says
I just so happened to have everything to make this last night and it was ON POINT - SO good!
My husband loved it too - the kids refused but that was fine, more for us. 🙂
Thanks for a great recipe!!
Katie Trant says
Ha! They don't know what they're missing! Glad that you and the husband enjoyed it 🙂
Allison says
I only had buckwheat kicking around so substituted for brown rice. The extra filling froze well and made an excellent (and easy!) 2nd round. Delicious!
themuffinmyth says
Cool! I think this would be really interesting with different grain / legume combos. Buckwheat, eh? I'll have to give it a try.
Nadiya says
Love Acorn Squash! I've only tried it stuffed with beans instead of lentils though
themuffinmyth says
Beans would be good too! I can picture a chipotle black bean stuffing in my head. Yum!
Nicole says
I should have know that the week I take an internet hiatus, you'd come through for me. 🙂
Joao Santos says
Hi Katie,
I love stuffed squash, so I will try your recipe. Usually I put meat, but in your respect I will follow exactly your recipe and ingredients. I wish you a great 2012. Happy New Year. Joao