Best Acorn Squash With Mixed Grain Stuffing Recipes

SAUSAGE STUFFED ACORN SQUASH

Steps:

• Bake the squash: Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. With a sharp, sturdy chef's knife, carefully cut the squash in half from stem to base. Scoop out and discard the stringy core and seeds. Arrange the halves cut-sides up on a rimmed baking sheet. Brush each half with 1 teaspoon olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place in the oven and bake for 40 minutes, until the edges begin to wrinkle and the flesh is fork-tender. Set aside. Reduce the oven temperature to 375 degrees F.
• While the squash bakes, prepare the filling: Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sausage. Brown the meat, breaking it apart into small pieces for 3 minutes.
• Add the mushrooms, onion, apple, salt, pepper, nutmeg, allspice, and minced garlic. Cook, stirring frequently, until the sausage is cooked through, the vegetables and apple are softened, have given up liquid, and the liquid has cooked off, about 8 additional minutes.
• When the squash is cool enough to handle, scoop out its flesh, leaving a wall all the way around that is about ¼-inch thick. Add the scooped squash to the pan with the sausage. Add the herbs and ¼ cup Parmesan. Stir to combine. Taste and adjust salt and pepper as desired.
• Mound the filling inside of the hollowed squash halves. Sprinkle the remaining Parmesan over the top. Place the pan in the oven and bake until the cheese is melted and the filling is nice and hot, about 15 minutes. Sprinkle with additional fresh herbs as desired. Serve hot.

STUFFED ACORN SQUASH

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
• Place squash, face up, in a shallow baking dish. In each half place 2 tablespoons butter, 2 tablespoons brown sugar, 1 cup stuffing mix, 3/4 cup chicken broth, salt, pepper, garlic powder and onion powder. Wrap each half tightly with aluminum foil.
• Bake in preheated oven for 60 minutes, or until squash is very tender.

ACORN SQUASH WITH MIXED-GRAIN STUFFING

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425°F. Brush a baking sheet with oil. Mix together 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, cumin, and coriander; sprinkle inside of squashes with spice mixture. Place squashes on sheet, cut-sides down, and roast until just tender, about 20 minutes.
• Turn cut-sides up and fill with stuffing, mounding slightly (you should use about 3/4 cup in each squash half). These can be made ahead and refrigerated, covered, up to 1 day; bring to room temperature before baking. Bake, covered with parchment-lined foil, until heated through, about 15 minutes. Serve, with relish and sprinkled with toasted almonds and parsley.

MIXED-GRAIN STUFFING

Steps:

• Soak wheatberries in cold water overnight in the refrigerator (or place in a pot, cover with water by 1 inch, and bring to a boil; then remove from heat and let stand 1 hour). Drain; set aside.
• Heat oil in a large straight-sided skillet over high. Add onion, garlic, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is translucent and golden around the edges, 5 to 6 minutes. Add cumin and coriander and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add mushrooms and cook, stirring, until liquid evaporates and mushrooms begin to brown, 7 to 9 minutes. Add wheatberries; toss to coat.
• Add broth, 1 cup water, and saffron; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer until wheatberries are tender but retain some bite, about 1 hour. Stir in millet (if pan seems dry, add 1/2 cup water) and cook, covered, until grains are tender, 30 to 40 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in raisins, lemon and orange zests and juices, and parsley; season with salt and pepper. Stuffing can be made ahead and refrigerated in an airtight container up to 3 days.

STUFFED ACORN SQUASH

Steps:

• Heat oven to 400 degrees. Brush squash with 1 teaspoon oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast cut side down until tender, about 30 minutes. Flip and set aside.
• Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring, until tender, about 6 minutes. Add sage, thyme, beans, quinoa, and kale. Cook, stirring, until greens wilt, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
• Divide stuffing between squash halves and roast until golden, 15 to 20 minutes.
• For each serving, sprinkle with 1 tablespoon hazelnuts, drizzle with 1 tablespoon oil, and squeeze with lemon.

BAKED STUFFED ACORN SQUASH

Steps:

• Heat oven to 375 degrees. Place squash on a baking sheet and bake 20 minutes, until soft enough to easily cut in half. Wait until cool enough to handle (about 15 minutes), then cut in half (stem to tip) and scoop out seeds and membranes.
• Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat in a large skillet and add onion. Cook, stirring often, until it begins to soften, about 3 minutes. Add red pepper and a generous pinch of salt and cook, stirring, until tender, about 5 minutes. Add tomatoes and tomato paste and cook, stirring often, until tomatoes have cooked down slightly, about 5 minutes. Add honey, maple syrup or pomegranate molasses, vinegar, salt and cayenne, and bring to a simmer. Simmer 8 to 10 minutes, until thick and fragrant. Taste and adjust seasonings. Stir in beans and corn and simmer another 5 minutes.
• Oil 1 or 2 baking dishes or a sheet pan that will accommodate all the squash. Season cavities and cut sides of the squash with salt and pepper and brush with olive oil or melted butter. Fill with bean mixture. Mix together bread crumbs, Gruyère and remaining olive oil and sprinkle over the filling. Brush exposed edges of squash with oil. Place in the baking dish or on baking sheet and cover tightly with foil. Bake large squash for 45 minutes, check smaller squash after 30 minutes. The flesh should be easy to penetrate with the tip of a knife. Uncover and return to oven for 5 to 10 minutes, or until breadcrumbs and cheese are lightly browned. Serve hot or warm.

WILD RICE STUFFED ACORN SQUASH

Steps:

• Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease 2 baking pans, and place the cleaned-out squash, cut sides down, into the pans. Bake in the preheated oven until barely soft to the touch, about 25 minutes.
• Make the stuffing mix as instructed on the package, and set aside.
• Melt the butter over medium heat in a saucepan, and cook and stir the onion and garlic until the onion is translucent, about 10 minutes. Stir in the mushrooms, and cook and stir until they give up their juice, about 5 more minutes. Add the rice mix and sage, and cook and stir the rice and vegetables until the vegetables begin to brown, about 5 minutes. Pour in the vegetable stock, stir to combine, cover, and reduce heat. Simmer the rice mixture until tender, 30 to 40 minutes.
• Lightly mix the cooked rice mixture with the stuffing in a bowl, and pile the mixture into the centers of the squash without packing it. Return the stuffed squash to the oven and bake until the squash are tender and the stuffing is hot, about 15 more minutes.

MOROCCAN-STYLE STUFFED ACORN SQUASH

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Arrange squash halves cut side down on a baking sheet. Bake 30 minutes, or until tender. Dissolve the sugar in the melted butter. Brush squash with the butter mixture, and keep squash warm while preparing the stuffing.
• Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Stir in the garlic, celery, and carrots, and cook 5 minutes. Mix in the garbanzo beans and raisins. Season with cumin, salt, and pepper, and continue to cook and stir until vegetables are tender.
• Pour the chicken broth into the skillet, and mix in the couscous. Cover skillet, and turn off heat. Allow couscous to absorb liquid for 5 minutes. Stuff squash halves with the skillet mixture to serve.

ACORN SQUASH WITH LEFTOVER STUFFING

Steps:

• Cut squash in half; discard seeds. Place cut side down in a 15x10x1-in. baking pan; add 1/2 in. hot water. Bake, uncovered, at 400° until tender, about 30 minutes. , When squash is cool enough to handle, scoop out flesh, leaving a 1/4-in. shell (flesh will measure about 3 cups). Drain water from pan; place squash shells cut side up in pan and set aside. , In a large bowl, combine the flesh, egg, salt and pepper. Dissolve bouillon in boiling water; add to squash mixture. Add stuffing; spoon into squash shells. If desired, top with cheese. Sprinkle with paprika. Bake, uncovered, at 400° until heated through, 20-25 minutes. If desired, top with chopped parsley.