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Plant-Based Thanksgiving Recipe: Wild Rice Stuffed Acorn Squash

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Thanksgiving is almost here in the US, and for those of us who might want a little more planty goodness in our lives, it often feels like Tofurkey is our only option. But there’s another option for a delicious plant-based main- or side for those of us who like a roasted bird at our table, as well! This stuffed squash recipe was in my holiday personal chef repertoire for years, and this year it got a little upgrade and photo shoot for the blog– and it might be my favorite Thanksgiving recipe I’m sharing this year.

I like to use a wild rice blend for this recipe (this is my favorite) because I find wild rice alone a bit intense- but the blend is the perfect amount of chewy and savory for this plant-based Thanksgiving main dish.

This recipe makes enough for four half-squashes, but you can double or triple as needed for a larger crowd.

Wild Rice Stuffed Acorn Squash

Ingredients:

2 medium acorn squash, halved and seeds scooped out
Avocado or olive oil, as needed
1 cup wild rice blend
2 cups vegetable broth, divided
3 tbsp ghee, butter or coconut oil, divided
1 small onion or 1 large shallot, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 heaping cup chopped mushroom
2 tbsp chopped fresh sage
1/3 cup chopped pecans
1/3 cup dried cranberries
sea salt as needed

Instructions:

To cook squash:

  • Preheat oven to 375
  • Drizzle squash with oil and place cut-side down on a baking sheet.
  • Roast in oven for 35-40 minutes, until a knife pierces easily through squash.

Stuffing:

  • Cook wild rice on the stove or in a rice cooker according to package directions, using 1 3/4 cup broth and 1 tbsp butter, ghee or coconut oil. Let cool slightly.
  • In the meantime, heat remaining 2 tbsp butter, ghee or coconut oil over medium-high heat in a medium sautee pan. Sautee onion and celery until translucent. Stir in mushrooms and continue to sautee until soft. Season well.
  • Stir in garlic and sage. Cook another 10-15 seconds.
  • Use 2 -4 tbsp remaining broth to deglaze pan, scraping the bottom.
  • Toss together warm rice with sauteed vegetables, cranberries and pecans. Taste for seasoning.
  • When squash is cooked and slightly cooled, stuff with wild rice blend and serve.
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Ingredients

Scale

2 medium acorn squash, halved and seeds scooped out
Avocado or olive oil, as needed
1 cup wild rice blend
2 cups vegetable broth, divided
3 tbsp ghee, butter or coconut oil, divided
1 small onion or 1 large shallot, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 heaping cup chopped mushroom
2 tbsp chopped fresh sage
1/3 cup chopped pecans
1/3 cup dried cranberries
sea salt as needed


Instructions

To cook squash:

  1. Preheat oven to 375
  2. Drizzle squash with oil and place cut-side down on a baking sheet.
  3. Roast in oven for 35-40 minutes, until a knife pierces easily through squash.

Stuffing:

  1. Cook wild rice on the stove or in a rice cooker according to package directions, using 1 3/4 cup broth and 1 tbsp butter, ghee or coconut oil. Let cool slightly.
  2. In the meantime, heat remaining 2 tbsp butter, ghee or coconut oil over medium-high heat in a medium sautee pan. Sautee onion and celery until translucent. Stir in mushrooms and continue to sautee until soft. Season well.
  3. Stir in garlic and sage. Cook another 10-15 seconds.
  4. Use 2 -4 tbsp remaining broth to deglaze pan, scraping the bottom.
  5. Toss together warm rice with sauteed vegetables, cranberries and pecans. Taste for seasoning.
  6. When squash is cooked and slightly cooled, stuff with wild rice blend and serve.

 

p.s. You might notice I used a delicious squash hybrid for these photos- Koginut squash– and I love it! Feel free to mix up your squash as you desire!

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