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Vegetarian Stuffed Acorn Squash with Kale

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  • Author: Kara Lydon RD, LDN
  • Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
  • Yield: 8 servings 1x
  • Diet: Vegetarian

Description

This vegetarian stuffed acorn squash is perfect for a hearty plant-based meal or side dish. Packed with chickpeas, kale, dried cranberries, and farro, 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

  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F and line baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.*
  4. 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.
  5. 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.
  6. Stir in cooked farro and chickpeas and remove from heat.
  7. Stir in thyme, rosemary, pecans and cranberries. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
  8. Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees F.
  9. 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

  1. 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.
  2. Roast the squash cut side down so it doesn’t dry out and form string-like strands.
  3. Save any leftover stuffing for a delicious, satisfying topping for salads.
  4. For a vegan version, substitute parmesan cheese with nutritional yeast.
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 55 minutes
  • Category: Dinner
  • Method: Oven
  • Cuisine: Holiday

Find it online: https://karalydon.com/recipes/thanksgiving-stuffed-acorn-squash-vegetarian/