Description
This vegetarian stuffed acorn squash is perfect for a hearty plant-based meal or side dish. It’s warm and cozy for fall or winter evenings and is especially delicious on Thanksgiving or over the holidays!
Ingredients
Scale
- 4 acorn squash, cut in half lengthwise and seeded
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- Salt and pepper
- 2/3 cup farro
- 2 cups vegetable broth
- 1/2 medium onion, diced (about 1/2 cup)
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1/2 bunch kale, stemmed and roughly chopped (about 4 cups)
- 1 cup canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- ½ tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
- ½ tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
- ¼ cup chopped pecans
- 3/4 cup dried cranberries
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F and line baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Brush inside of squash with 1 tablespoon olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place squash cut side down on parchment-lined baking sheet and bake until fork-tender, about 40-50 minutes.
- Add farro and vegetable stock to a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer, cover, and cook until farro is chewy but no longer tough, about 30-40 minutes. Drain excess liquid.*
- In a large sauté pan, add 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat. Add onion and let cook until translucent, about 4-5 minutes. Add garlic and let cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Stir in kale and add 2 tablespoons water and cover until wilted, about 3-5 minutes. Reduce heat to low and continue to cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Stir in cooked farro and chickpeas and remove from heat.
- Stir in thyme, rosemary, pecans and cranberries. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
- Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees F.
- Fill each squash cavity with about 1/2 cup farro mixture. Top with Parmesan cheese. Bake until filling is heated through, about 15 minutes.
Notes
- For time-saving, I like to use quick cooking farro, which cooks in just 10 minutes on the stove. It’s partially cooked and dried, which is how it takes significantly less time to cook.
- Roast the squash cut side down so it doesn’t dry out and form string-like strands.
- Save any leftover stuffing for a delicious, satisfying topping for salads.
- For a vegan version, substitute parmesan cheese with nutritional yeast.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 55 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: Holiday
Keywords: vegetarian stuffed acorn squash, vegetarian acorn squash recipe, stuffed acorn squash for vegetarian