Looking for a show stopping vegetarian main dish? You've come to the right place. These roasted acorn squash rings are stuffed with quinoa, apples, walnuts, cheese, sage, and onions for a delicious and hearty entrée. Yum!
Recipe by me. Images by Rikki Snyder.
Jump to:
When you're looking for a super hearty vegetarian main dish, look no further than stuffed veggies! Somehow stuffing your favorite vegetables full of delicious fillings like lentils, quinoa, or rice elevates them from a simple side dish to a hearty main meal!
And this stuffed acorn squash is no exception. These simple acorn squash rings are roasted and stuffed with the delicious flavors of apples, cheddar, and protein-packed quinoa.
This one makes a perfect meatless main dish for the holidays - both Thanksgiving or Christmas!
And if you are here looking for holiday recipe ideas, be sure to check out my new Vegan Thanksgiving Cookbook too!
Why Stuffed Acorn Squash Rings for Thanksgiving?
Stuffed squash often makes an appearance at vegetarian Thanksgiving meals, but usually it's in the form of squash halves, stuffed with delicious things like quinoa or rice or other grains and veggies. I decided to do rings instead. Why rings?
Well, first of all, there is so much food available on Thanksgiving. And a whole squash half is a lot of food on top of all the sides and other yummy things you definitely don't want to miss out on.
It's also a bit unwieldy to eat. Rings are a little more manageable, don't you think? Easier to eat and they don't take up nearly as much room on your plate.
And second, while these squash rings make a wonderful main dish for vegetarians, they also make a great side dish for the meat eaters.
No one is going to add a ginormous squash half to his or her plate on top of turkey and all the sides, but a squash ring is a different story. Everyone has room for a squash ring! 🙂
Tips & Tricks
So yeah, I'm pretty jazzed about these stuffed acorn squash rings. They're stuffed with quinoa, apples, dried cranberries, walnuts, onions, and sage, which is a lot, but it works, I promise.
You can mix things up if you want to experiment by using your own favorite combination of dried fruits, nuts, and herbs. I've done a spring version before with pistachios and Italian seasoning that was pretty delicious too!
You could also swap out the quinoa for something like rice or couscous and the recipe would work just fine - just adjust the cook times accordingly.
I originally developed this recipe for delicata squash. If you're able to find large ones- 2 or 3 of those could be used in place of acorn squash. And any similar winter squash would work as well, like the sweet dumpling or yellow acorn.
If you want to make a vegan version of these stuffed acorn squash rings, you can substitute dairy-free cheese shreds for the cheddar and use a flax egg in place of the egg.
You could also just omit the egg entirely - and be extra careful when transferring the squash rings to a plate!
Because there's no bottom to the rings, I added a little egg and cheddar to the quinoa mixture to help bind the filling so it doesn't fall out when transferring from the baking sheet to serving platter.
More Recipes
If you love these stuffed acorn squash rings, be sure to check out these other delicious recipes:
- The Vegan Thanksgiving Cookbook (new!)
- 12+ Vegetarian Stuffed Squash Recipes
- Rosemary Panko Acorn Squash
- Acorn Squash and Caramelized Onion Dip
- Stuffed Acorn Squash with Mushrooms and Chickpeas
📖 Recipe
Ingredients
- olive oil mister or cooking spray
- ½ cup quinoa, rinsed thoroughly
- 1 cup vegetable broth
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 onion, diced
- 1 apple, cored and diced
- ½ cup sharp, aged, or smoked cheddar cheese, shredded
- ¼ cup dried cranberries
- 2 tablespoon chopped sage
- 2 tablespoon chopped walnuts
- salt + pepper, to taste
- 1 egg, whisked
- 3 small acorn or sweet dumpling squash, cut into ½-inch slices (remove seeds & guts)
- 1 tablespoon butter, melted
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Spray two rimmed baking sheets with cooking spray or oil and place squash rings on sheets.
- Cook quinoa in broth according to package directions. Cool slightly.
- Heat olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add onion. Cook about 10 minutes, or until onion is just beginning to brown. Add apple and cook about 5 minutes more, until apple is softened. Allow to cool slightly.
- Combine quinoa, apple, and onion mixture with cheese, cranberries, sage, and walnuts in a large bowl. Add salt and pepper to taste. Stir in egg.
- In a small bowl, combine butter and maple syrup. Brush tops and insides of squash rings with butter mixture; season with salt and pepper.
- Stuff quinoa filling into the center of each squash ring, pressing down to fit as much stuffing as possible without overflowing. Spray centers of squash rings with oil or cooking spray. Bake 30-40 minutes, or until tops are golden brown and squash is tender.
Emily says
How thick should the squash slices be? I was going to try half an inch.
Kiersten says
It's in the recipe--they should be 1/2-inch thick. 🙂
karen baer says
I used my electric knife. Really helped! Also -- was wondering -- my stuffing was a little dry...did I put too much cheese or....?
Kiersten says
Hmm, if it was dry, it could either be that it was in the oven too long or that your oven is a little bit hotter than mine. Otherwise, I'm not sure what could cause that!
Debra says
I can't wait to make these on Thanksgiving! This is my first year as a vegetarian, so I'm so not grieving the loss of eating turkey - I'm looking forward to these instead! Thanks for the recipe.
Kiersten says
I hope you like them--Happy Thanksgiving! 🙂
JK says
Does the filling not fall through the ring when serving? Or does it harden enough to stay in place?
Kiersten says
The egg and cheese help the filling stick together. You do still need to be careful when transferring them to your plate, though!
Nicole Darcy says
Oh gosh, thank you, thank you, thank you! I made these yesterday as our vegetarian main course instead of a Tofurkey roast and I am so glad I did. I will admit I was a bit nervous -- sage, apple, cheese, squash, cranberry? It turned out perfect and was such a way to keep it "real" on Thanksgiving. I will be making it every year instead of any type of mock meat. Thank you!
Kiersten says
I'm so, so glad to hear that! We used to have Tofurkey every Thanksgiving too, but I find it's much more satisfying to make something that's delicious in its own right rather than something trying to imitate turkey. 🙂
Melissa says
SO YUMMY. Whenever I visit my mother's house, I survey the ingredients in her kitchen that are in need of being eaten (my mother doesn't cook but always has great intentions to when buying food at a grocery store…). A "quinoa and acorn squash recipe" search led me to your recipe and I am so happy it did! This was a huge hit tonight for both our veggie friends and meat lovers. Not only are they cute, they are incredible delicious and satisfying. We will be enjoying these squash rings again very soon. Thank you!
Kiersten Frase says
Thank you for your comment--I'm so glad to hear they were a hit! 🙂
Carlie says
Is there a special way to cut fresh squash? I tried to cut an acorn squash in rings recently and was surprised that I didn't accidentally cut my hand off lol. It was like cutting through a rock! Any suggestions? I would love to attempt your recipe, but cutting an acorn squash again has me intimidated lol.
Kiersten Frase says
I know! With acorn squash, it can help to cut a little sliver down one side so the squash will stay put on the cutting board. It doesn't look quite as pretty, but if you're just making them for yourself or family, it doesn't really matter. 🙂 Using a very sharp chef's knife is a must. Other than that, yes, it's always going to be kind of a pain.
whywhy says
I found that sticking the whole squash in the microwave for a minute helps to soften it up a bit without actually cooking before cutting it.
karen baer says
I used my electric knife. Really helped!
Don says
Great recipe! I love the idea of slices instead of half squash. I received many requests to make again.
Kiersten Frase says
I'm happy to hear it's a hit!
Stephanie says
I almost never leave comments on the blogs I browse (I'm a lurker, I suppose), but OMG THESE WERE AWESOME!!
I just started practicing a few recipes I would like to make for Thanksgiving and Christmas, and this one is perfect! I only had giant acorn squashes though, so next time I'll double the quinoa mixture to balance it out. I can't wait to have my family over and demonstrate how tasty vegetarian meals can be 😀
I'm so glad I found your blog, I'm really impressed by how lovely it is. I'll definitely try more of your recipes! Thank you!
Kiersten Frase says
Thank you for your comment! I'm glad I'm not the only one who does trial runs of recipes before holidays and get-togethers. 😉 I always get nervous things won't turn out on the big day, so I feel compelled to test things first!
Kat Jett says
Happy Sunday,
We cant use cheese ( like for the binding agent ) any other options? can we use a gluten free bread, and add spices, liked smoked Paprika?
Seems like a silly question, however my husband has been dx with a lot of food allergies and intolerance to several foods this past week, and looking for alternative food options.
Tembre J says
Hey Kat-
I made these tonight as a trial run for our plants-giving this year. I always use flax seed to substitute egg (1 tbs flax seed + 3 tbs water, let sit for about 5 minutes to thicken) and it really helped bind the ingredients. As a plant-based eater I don't use dairy either, so instead of the cheese, I added a small amount of nutritional yeast. I'm sure it's a slightly different flavor, but delicious all the same!
Good luck!
JENNIFER says
Thank, Tembre J!
I was just thinking about how I could substitute the egg and cheese too!!
Meredith Wilson says
I too was wondering about the egg and cheese replacement!! Does the flax seed need to be ground?
Megan says
Wow! I'm a new vegetarian, and this was my first time trying quinoa. These were so good!!! I like the stuffing taste with the hint of sweetness. Thanks for such a great recipe.
Pat says
Kiersten
Due to my work schedule I'm a little pressed for time this year.
Can I make the stuffing a week ahead of Thanksgiving and freeze? We have several vegetarians (affectionately known as "grazers") in our family and I know they will enjoy this recipe. Thanks and enjoy the holiday!
Kiersten Frase says
Sorry for the delay in replying - I've had all day morning sickness for the past few months and haven't been able to keep up with comments. The filling can be made in advance, but I'd make it minus the egg and fold it in just before you're ready to bake the rings.
Ursula says
Hey,
Acorn squash does not really exist in Germany. Any suggestions what kind of squash I could use instead? Thanks a lot!
Kiersten Frase says
Any squash that can be sliced into rounds will work.
Ursula says
Thank you for your answer. With a little help from all my friends, I luckily got probably Munich's one and only acorn squash. Happy Thanksgiving!
Doug says
What would make good sides with the squash rings?
Kiersten Frase says
We have lots of Thanksgiving side dish ideas here: https://ohmyveggies.com/tags/thanksgiving
Michele says
hi I was wondering about the make ahead factor too. I'm the lone veggie in our house and I'm afraid the oven will be occupied with all sorts of other dishes.
Kiersten Frase says
You can either make the filling in advance, minus the egg, or make the entire rings in advance and bake them, then reheat later.
Stephanie says
Is there something other than sage that would go well with this recipe?
Kiersten Frase says
Thyme or rosemary would work well too.
Wendy says
Thank you for making my daughter's Thanksgiving delicious. 🙂 I made these stuffed squash rings as a veggie/gluten free main dish and as a side dish for the carnivores. Everyone loved it. This recipe will become a Thanksgiving tradition at our house!
Amy says
Thank you so much for this delicious recipe!! My husband and I recently joined a crop share, and in this month's selection, two acorn squash were included. I've never cooked this type of squash before, so I was excited to try this recipe. My husband and I were thrilled with how the dish turned out, a great vegetarian main dish! I love the crunchy bits of quinoa and cheese.
Our squash didn't quite make full rings at the ends, so I carved out rings with a knife and diced the extra squash flesh to mix into the stuffing, and that worked out really well.
I'd like to try making this again using the suggestion that one of the previous poster's suggestion of substituting the egg and cheese with flaxseeds and nutritional yeast. Did anyone else try this?
I can't wait to bring this dish as our contribution for our next Thanksgiving! This recipe is definitely a keeper!
Colleen says
What type of apple do you recommend?
Leah says
Hello. I am new to your site and found very interesting recipes. Do you think this would work well with spaghetti squash rings?