Wild Rice Stuffed Acorn Squash
Beautifully roasted acorn squash halves are stuffed with wild rice, sautéed mushrooms, dried cranberries and seasoned with savory fall herbs. Enjoy it as a main dish at your next holiday meal or a healthy warming dinner on a cold evening.
Servings: 6 stuffed squash halves
Ingredients
- 3 medium-sized acorn squash
- 3-4 teaspoons refined coconut oil for sautéing
- 8 ounces mushrooms (white, bella or cremini) sliced
- 1 small yellow onion chopped
- 2 celery stalks chopped
- 2 cups vegetable broth I use low sodium
- 1 ¼ cups wild rice blend uncooked
- ⅓ cup dried cranberries
- ¼ cup walnuts chopped
Seasonings
- ½ teaspoon dried basil
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ⅓ teaspoon dried parsley
- ⅓ teaspoon garlic powder
- Himalayan pink salt to taste see notes
- pepper to taste
Instructions
For The Acorn Squash
- Start by preheating your oven to 425ºF and lining a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Now, lay the squash on its side. Carefully cut off the bottom point and trim the stem so it can lay flat on both sides. (see the post above for more details)
- While the squash is on its side, use a sharp knife to cut horizontally through the center of it into 2 flower-shaped halves. This may take a bit of work, which is why a sharp knife is important. If you’re having a bit of trouble cutting through it, rock the knife back and forth to help ease it through.
- Scoop out the seeds and pulp with a spoon or ice cream scoop. Discard them, or save them for roasting.
- Brush/rub the top and inside of the squash with coconut oil. Then, lay them cut-side down on the baking sheet.
- Place the baking sheet in the oven on the middle rack. Roast at 425ºF for 30-40 minutes, or until a fork easily pierces through the center of the squash.
- Remove the squash from the oven and allow them to cool on the baking sheet for 15 minutes before handling.
Wild Rice and Mushroom Filling
- While the acorn squash are in the oven, prep the wild rice and mushroom filling.
- Sauté the onion and celery in a saucepan with a bit of oil, just until they begin to change color and texture. About 5 minutes.
- Add the broth, wild rice, and seasonings to the pot. Cover and bring to a boil. Once boiling, lower the heat and simmer for 40-45 minutes, or until the rice is fully cooked. If the rice is still firm after cooking, add 1-2 Tablespoons of broth and cook slightly longer.
- While the rice cooks, add a small amount of oil to the bottom of a skillet and sauté the mushrooms until they are tender. About 10-15 minutes.
- Mix the mushrooms, cranberries, and walnuts into the pot with the fully-cooked wild rice.
Stuffing the Squash
- Once the squash is cooled enough to handle, flip each one over. Leave them on the baking sheet and spoon the wild rice mix into the cavity of each squash half.
- Pop them back into the oven and bake for an additional 8-10 minutes.
- Serve as-is or garnish with freshly chopped parsley or thyme.
Notes
- I use low-sodium vegetable broth and ¼ teaspoon of salt. You may find your broth has enough salt. If so, omit it from the recipe.
Nutrition
Serving: 1stuffed squash half | Calories: 156kcal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Sodium: 28mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 3g
