Best Wild Rice Stuffed Acorn Squash Recipes

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.

BAKED ACORN SQUASH STUFFED WITH WILD RICE AND KALE RISOTTO

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil and brush the foil with olive oil. Place the squash in the oven and bake 30 minutes. Each squash should be intact but beginning to give on the side it's resting on, and soft enough to cut through. Remove from the oven and let sit for 15 minutes, until the squash has cooled slightly. Then, resting a squash on the slightly flattened side that it was sitting on in the oven, cut away the top third. You will be putting the top "cap" back on once the squash is filled, so cut it off in one neat slice. Scrape out the seeds and membranes from both pieces and set aside. Repeat for the remaining squash. Turn the oven heat down to 350 degrees. Oil a baking dish or sheet pan that can accommodate all of the squash
• Meanwhile, blanch the kale in a large pot of salted boiling water for 2 to 4 minutes, until just tender. Transfer to a bowl of cold water, drain and squeeze out excess water. Chop medium-fine and set aside. Cook the wild rice, following the directions below, and set aside
• Put the stock into a saucepan and bring it to a simmer over low heat, with a ladle nearby. Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil over medium heat in a wide, heavy nonstick saucepan or skillet. Add the onion and a generous pinch of salt, and cook gently until it is just tender, 3 to 5 minutes
• Add the arborio rice and garlic and stir until the grains separate and begin to crackle. Add the wine and stir until it has been absorbed. Begin adding the simmering stock, a couple of ladlefuls (about 1/2 cup) at a time. The stock should just cover the rice, and should be bubbling, not too slowly but not too quickly. Cook, stirring often, until it is just about absorbed. Add another ladleful or two of the stock and continue to cook in this fashion, adding more stock and stirring when the rice is almost dry. You do not have to stir constantly, but stir often. Continue to add stock and stir until the rice is almost tender, about 20 minutes. The rice should still be a little chewy. Add another ladleful of stock and stir in the kale, wild rice and herbs. Stir together until the stock is just about absorbed, about 5 minutes, and add another ladleful of stock. Remove from the heat. Add pepper, taste and adjust seasonings. Stir in the remaining olive oil and the Parmesan if using
• Season the surface of the acorn squash with salt, pepper and nutmeg or cayenne (if desired). Fill the hollowed-out squash with the risotto. Place the tops back on the squash and put them in the baking dish or on the sheet pan
• Bake 40 minutes, or until the squash is tender all the way through when pierced with a knife

WILD RICE-STUFFED ACORN SQUASH

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°. Cut squash lengthwise in half; remove and discard seeds. Brush with 2 tablespoons oil; sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon coriander and 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg. Place squash in a 15x10x1-in. baking pan, cut sides up. Bake 35-45 minutes or until easily pierced with a fork., In a small bowl, combine carrots and remaining oil, salt, coriander and nutmeg. Bake 15-20 minutes or just until tender, stirring occasionally. Stir in pecans, cherries, sage, garlic and syrup. Bake 10 minutes longer., Rinse wild rice thoroughly; drain. In a small saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion; cook and stir 2-3 minutes or until softened. Stir in rice and cinnamon, then add broth. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 40-50 minutes or until rice is fluffy and tender. Drain if necessary., Combine rice and carrot mixtures. Arrange squash on a serving platter, cut sides up. Fill with rice mixture. Serve warm.

VENISON AND WILD RICE STUFFED ACORN SQUASH

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
• Bring rice and water to a boil in a saucepan over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and cook until the rice is tender, about 40 minutes.
• Meanwhile, place squash, cut-side down onto a deep baking dish filled with 1/2-inch of water. Bake in preheated oven for 40 minutes, then drain water and set aside.
• Bring some water to a boil in a saucepan, then remove from the heat. Add the cranberries and let stand for 5 minutes, then drain and reserve. Cook the ground venison in a skillet over medium-high heat until thoroughly cooked and crumbly.
• Stir together the wild rice, cranberries, venison, and brown sugar. Season with cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and pepper.
• Turn the oven on to Broil. Rub the inside of the squash halves with the butter, then place cut-side up on the baking dish. Stuff with the rice mixture, then broil in the oven for 5 minutes.

WILD RICE, CHERRIES, APRICOTS AND CHEESY STUFFED ACORN SQUASH

Steps:

• Squash -- Drizzle the olive oil the inside of the squash and sprinkle with sald and pepper. Place flesh side down on a baking sheet lined with parchment or even foil in a 400 degree oven, middle shelf for about 30-40 minutes depending on the size of the squash. Just poke with a knife and it should be tender but no falling apart. Remove from the oven so you can add the stuffing.
• Rice -- As the squash is baking, cook the rice according to the package directions. But as the rice cooks, add if your garlic and shallots, so it will cook right along with the rice. TIP: I always cook my rice in broth rather than water, so if you want to add some more flavor, rather than water, use chicken or vegetable broth.
• Finishing -- Once the rice is done, remove from the heat and stir in the butter, scallions, cherries, apricots and nuts. Then stuff the squash! I fill each squash half way, and then add a little cheese, add the rest of the rice and top with the remainder of the cheese.
• Bake -- 400 degrees for about 15 minutes. This will reheat the squash, rice, and melt the cheese.
• Serve -- ENJOY! 1 squash half per person is healthy and filling. As I mentioned, roast chicken is great with this or go lighter with a salad.

VEGETARIAN ACORN SQUASH STUFFED WITH WILD RICE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Lightly oil a baking dish.
• Place squash, cut sides-down, in the prepared baking dish.
• Bake in the preheated oven until tender, about 45 minutes.
• While squash is cooking, melt butter in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add bread crumbs and thyme; cook, stirring frequently, until golden, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
• Heat the same pan over medium to medium-high heat. Add mushrooms, celery, and bell pepper and cook and stir until tender, 4 to 5 minutes. Stir in cooked rice and vegetable broth; cook for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in sour cream and Parmesan cheese.
• Remove squash from the oven, leaving the oven on. Flip over squash and sprinkle with seasoning. Spoon the filling into the squash, mounding to use all of it. Sprinkle the tops with the reserved bread crumb mixture.
• Return to the preheated oven and continue to bake until heated through, 10 to 15 minutes.

ACORN SQUASH STUFFED WITH WILD RICE, HAZELNUTS AND DRIED CRANBERRIES

Steps:

• Bring 7 cups water and rice to boil in heavy large saucepan. Reduce heat; cover and simmer until rice is tender, about 1 hour. Drain. Transfer rice to large bowl.
• Preheat oven to 375°F. Oil baking sheet. Place squash, cut side down, on sheet. Bake until tender, about 40 minutes. Cool. Using spoon, scoop out pulp from squash, leaving 1/4-inch-thick shell; reserve shells. Transfer pulp to medium bowl. Reduce oven temperature to 350°F.
• Melt butter in large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add onions; sauté until very tender, about 15 minutes. Add sage; stir 2 minutes. Add rice, squash pulp and lemon juice; stir until mixed, breaking up squash pulp into smaller pieces. Mix in 1/2 cup cranberries, 1/2 cup hazelnuts and parsley. Season with salt and pepper.
• Divide rice mixture among reserved squash shells. Place in roasting pan. (Can be made 6 hours ahead. Cover and chill.)
• Bake squash until filling is heated through, about 25 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining 3 tablespoons cranberries and 3 tablespoons hazelnuts.

STUFFED ACORN SQUASH W/ WILD RICE & MUSHROOMS *VEGETARIAN*

Steps:

• Bring 2 cups broth, wine, and sugar to boil in large saucepan. Reduce heat to medium and simmer until reduced to 2 cups (about 25 minutes) ***Sauce can be made ahead and chilled***.
• Bring remaining 4 cups broth, rice, and 3 tablespoons butter to boil in a large saucepan. Reduce heat to medium-low. Partially cover; simmer until tender and some of rice is split (45 minutes or so) ***Rice can be covered and chilled a day ahead as well; do not combine with broth when chilling***.
• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Trim 1/2 inch off rounded side of squash to create a flat base for the squash to sit on.
• Divide squash halves between two rimmed baking sheets with the seeded side down and roast until tender (approx 45 minutes).
• Place potatoes in a large heavy saucepan. Cover with cold water and sprinkle with salt.
• Bring potatoes to a boil and reduce heat to medium, simmering until tender (about 15 minutes).
• Drain potatoes and mash them.
• Heat 8 tablespoons butter, cream, and sage in a small saucepan until it just begins to simmer, stirring to melt utter.
• Add cream mixture and goat cheese to potatoes, mashing to blend.
• Season potatoes with salt/pepper to taste.
• Melt 2 tablespoons butter in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and saute, stirring often, until soft. (about 8 minutes).
• Fold mushrooms into potatoes and arrange squash halves with the seeded side up on the same baking sheets.
• Divide potato mixture among squash halves (about 1 cup each).
• Preheat oven to 400°F.
• Place stuffed squash in oven and bake until heated through (about 15 minutes).
• Bring sauce (from step 1) to simmer. Whisk 2 tablespoons butter into sauce.
• Combine rice and reserved broth in heavy medium saucepan. Bring to boil.
• Melt remaining 3 tablespoons butter in large pot over medium heat. Add spinach and stir just until spinach wilts. (about 3 minutes).
• Drain excess liquid from spinach.
• Divide spinach among 6 plates, arranging in center of plate. Drain rice. Divide rice among plates, placing atop spinach. Place squash half atop rice on each plate, pressing to nestle. Ladle sauce around squash and serve.

WILD RICE STUFFED ACORN SQUASH

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 450°F and arrange a rack in the middle. Place squash cut side up on a baking sheet, brush 1 tablespoon of the melted butter over the tops and insides of the squash halves, sprinkle with brown sugar, and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Roast in the oven until just fork tender, about 25 to 30 minutes. Meanwhile, place 1 tablespoon of the melted butter in a large frying pan over medium heat. When it foams, add the onion, shallots, and celery, season with salt and freshly ground black pepper, and stir to coat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until just softened, about 6 minutes. Stir in thyme and cook until just fragrant, about 1 minute. Remove from heat and stir in the rice, pecans, cranberries, salt, and pepper. Divide the rice filling among the roasted squash halves (about 1/2 cup for each) and drizzle the remaining tablespoon of butter over top. Continue roasting until the squash is completely fork tender, the edges have started to brown, and the filling is heated through, about 20 to 25 minutes.

SAUSAGE AND WILD RICE STUFFED ACORN SQUASH WITH MOLASSES GLAZE

Steps:

• 1. Preheat oven to 350. 2. Cook 1 cup of wild rice. Wash rice. Boil three cups of water salted to taste. Reduce heat to a simmer and add rice. Cook for 50-60 minutes until rice is puffed open. Uncover and fluff with a fork, 3. Clean, cut in half and scoop seeds out of squashes. I recommend cutting them on the short axis, they fit in the pan better and have a fun texture. Cut a thin slice off the bottom of each half, if they don't stand up by themselves. 4. Brush the inside of each half with some molasses. Place cavity side down in ungreased 9x13 baking pans. Cover tightly with foil. Bake for 45-50 minutes or until tender when poked by fork. 5. Meanwhile, in a large non-stick frying pan cook the sausage on medium-high heat until pink and crumbly (about 5 minutes), if a lot of fat, drain some off. Then add the beef broth, apples, cranberries, raisin, green onions, bell peppers, thyme or rosemary, salt, and pepper. Cook about another 8-10 minutes until apples are tender when poked by fork. When the rice is rice done, add pan and reduce the heat to low. 6. When squash is done, uncover and turn the halves over. Fill each half equally with stuffing and brush tops of stuffing and rims of squashes with molasses. Bake uncovered for an additional 15 minutes.