If you are looking for a hearty and delicious holiday recipe that also happens to be gut-healthy friendly, then look no further, because this is it! This Quinoa Stuffed Acorn Squash is perfectly festive, rich in flavor, and is a delicious vegetarian-friendly option to serve your friends and family, this holiday season. Plus, it's also gluten-free!
Ingredients
For the Acorn Squash:
- 3 Small / Medium Acorn Squash
- 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
- 1 Pinch Sea Salt
For the Quinoa Stuffing
- 3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
- 1 Large Shallot diced
- 2 Cloves Garlic minced
- 2 Stalks Celery finely diced
- 1 Tablespoon Dried Thyme
- 1 Tablespoon Dried Rosemary
- 1 Teaspoon Dried Sage
- 1 Teaspoon Cinnamon
- 2 Cups Quinoa
- 3 ½ Cups Vegetable Broth
- 1 Teaspoon Sea Salt
- 1 Teaspoon Black Pepper
- 2 Tablespoons Apple Cider Vinegar
- ½ Cup Pepitas
- ⅓ Cup Dried Cranberries
- 1 Tablespoon Fresh Rosemary chopped; this is optional, for garnishing
Instructions
- Start by preheating your oven to 400 F and lining a baking sheet with parchment paper. Then, set aside.
- Next, prepare your squash. Slice a small piece off the top and bottom of each squash so they can sit upright, then slice them in half width-wise, being sure not to cut through the stem. If you get stuck, refer to the video above!
- Then, place the squash halves onto the baking sheet and brush the flesh side of each one with olive oil, and season generously with salt.
- Once they’re prepped, turn them upside down (so that the skin side is up) and roast them for 25 minutes or until they are fork tender.
- While the squash is roasting, prepare the quinoa filling. In a large pot on the stove over medium heat, add the olive oil, and sauté the shallot, garlic, and celery until it’s softened. This should take about 4 minutes.
- Then, add in the dried thyme, rosemary, sage and cinnamon, and and continue to sauté for about a minute, until it’s fragrant.
- Once it is, add in the quinoa and stir until it’s fully incorporated, followed by the vegetable broth.
- Finally, add in the sea salt and black pepper, then cover and bring your quinoa mixture to a boil.
- Once it’s boiling, turn the heat down to low, making sure to keep the pot covered, and continue to simmer for approximately 20 minutes.
- When it’s done, use a fork to fluff the quinoa, then add in the apple cider vinegar, pepitas, and dried cranberries.
- Mix until well combined, then taste and adjust salt & pepper levels, as desired.
- Finally, remove your squash from the oven and divide the quinoa stuffing among the 6 squash halves.
- Then, return the stuffed squash to the oven and broil for for 2-3 minutes to crisp up the top layer of quinoa.
- Once your squash is done, remove it from the oven, serve, and enjoy!
- Garnish with chopped fresh rosemary if desired, and store any leftovers in an airtight container, in the fridge, for up to four days.
Calories: 360kcal | Carbohydrates: 47g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 0.003g | Sodium: 1346mg | Potassium: 436mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 410IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 61mg | Iron: 4mg
Did you make this recipe?
I’d love to see what you made - tag @kalejunkie
in your posts and I’ll re-share!
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