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.
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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 tbsp olive oil
- 1 onion diced
- 1 apple cored and diced
- ½ cup sharp aged, or smoked cheddar cheese, shredded
- ¼ cup dried cranberries
- 2 tbsp chopped sage
- 2 tbsp 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 tbsp butter melted
- 1 tbsp 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.
Kare @ Kitchen Treaty says
Okay, so these are stunning. And brilliant. Voltron indeed (I have no idea what Voltron is and try to avoid Transformers altogether, but I love that your husband schooled you about it)!
This is really just the greatest idea. Quinoa so the vegetarians can have a nice complete protein ... and the smaller size really is just perfect for an already-piled-high Thanksgiving plate. And, dude! Would these totally work in a hamburger bun for a Thanksgiving-leftovers sandwich, veggie style?? I always feel so left out of that whole turkey sandwich business!
Okay, I'm excited about them too. 🙂
Kiersten says
I think they would work in a sandwich! They are definitely good with a little cranberry sauce on them, although I'm not sure what else you could pile on. Stuffing? Maybe? 🙂
Liz @ A Nut in a Nutshell says
Mmmm, I think my daughter and I would absolutely love these. They're beautiful and they sound like heaven .
Rachel (Two Healthy Plates) says
Oooh - such a good idea to make rings! I can think of so many things to stuff inside of them. These look great!
Kiersten says
There are so many possibilities! I also thought about stuffing them with stuffing.
Amy says
I love the idea of stuffed squash rings. A whole half 😉 just seems like too much for one sitting.
Kiersten says
Yeah, when I make stuffed squash like that, it's a whole meal. And let's face it, I am just too much of a glutton to sit there with my whole squash half while everyone else eats mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, cranberry sauce, etc. 🙂
Lauren says
Hah, that Transformers thing sounds like something my husband would say. Hey, if I started referencing Jem (80s girl cartoon), I doubt he'd have a clue either.
Your squash looks delicious! I love the combination of orange squash with quinoa. I've actually never tried acorn, so I'll have to give this a go! 🙂
Kiersten says
I love acorn squash! The skin gets crispy when you roast it and the flavor is really mild--a little less sweet than butternut. Oh, and now I have the Jem theme song stuck in my head. Truly outrageous!
Meg @ Beard and Bonnet says
These are so pretty! What a great idea:)
Shelbi says
Such lovely pictures! I cannot wait to try this!
Jackie @ Domestic Fits says
I love this! And the photos are stunning. Such a great Thanksgiving recipes, who needs turkey when squash is this amazing 🙂
ea-the spicy rd says
Such a fab idea to cut these in to rings so more people can share! This looks delicious! I can't believe Thanksgiving is only in 10 days!!!
Angie@Angie's Recipes says
This is a 5-star stuffed winter squash! Fantastic clicks too.
Jennifer The Quirky Momma says
Oh my, another to make item. I think tonight would work, I have everything but the cheese.
Kiersten says
I hope you like them! 🙂 I think you could get away with using a different cheese (Parmesan maybe?) too...
Jennifer The Quirky Momma says
I had to change it a bit due to not having everything I needed. I used chicken stock, spaghetti squash and acorn squash and thyme. They were delicious! I'm having leftovers today and I can't wait!
Kiersten says
Yay, I'm glad to hear that! 😀
Anele @ Success Along the Weigh says
I almost wee'd myself about the Voltron/Transformers reference because that would so be my Mr!
These look wonderful!! I'm wanting to make quinoa salad for a Christmas gathering so this might be a good recipe to keep in my back pocket!
Kiersten says
Minus the egg, the filling would make a really good salad! I was tasting it to get the seasoning right and I had that thought too.
Nancy/SpicieFoodie says
Wow...simply wow! These look scrumptious and so delicious! They would be perfect for vegetarians. Thanks for sharing!
Jessi says
I almost had a panic attack when I read the first sentence! I haven't even started to think about what I'm going to do for Thanksgiving! But dear lord, these are so beautiful and impressive! I am very excited to use some of your recipes for thanksgiving!
Kiersten says
It really seemed to creep up on us this year, didn't it? It seems like November just started, but Thanksgiving is next week!
Jessi says
And then Christmas a month after that... o.o
Kiersten says
This is how you know you're getting old. Because when you're young, it feels like these holidays can't come soon enough. And then you get older and you wonder how they snuck up on you so fast. :/
Bibi says
Ahhh they look like little cogs. That brings out the nerd in me and makes her very happy. "Watchmaker's Stuffed Squash'
Kiersten says
I didn't even notice that, but they do!
Robin says
They almost look too pretty to eat!!
Kelly @ A Girl Worth Saving says
Oh wow, gorgeous and I love this idea.
Shirley says
LOL! If it makes you feel better, I didn't even realize Voltron was the correct answer until you pointed it out. I love the idea of rings! All Thanksgiving sides should come portioned so elegant and small. And just gorgeous photography by Rikki.
Kiersten says
I guess now that I think about it, it makes sense--Transformers transform into something else. Oops.
Jeanette says
I love the idea of stuffed rings instead of an entire squash half - much better for Thanksgiving so you can sample all the other wonderful holiday dishes!
Brenda Williams says
These are beautiful! Makes my mouth water just looking at the photos. Yummy! Wonderful idea, but you always have such great ideas. Thanks for sharing.
Kiersten says
I'm so thrilled with how Rikki's photos turned out! She has a way of making everything look absolutely delicious. 🙂
Sara @my less serious life says
so i've never had acorn squash. ever. but, i love all things butternut squash and i certainly love all vegetables (i do not discriminate) - so im sure i would love it! maybe i'll make this for thanksgiving?!?
Kiersten says
If you like butternut squash, I think you'd like acorn squash too. The flavor is just a bit milder. On its own, it's a little bland, but when it's seasoned and combined with other things (like a quinoa filling!), it's fabulous. 🙂
Brian @ A Thought For Food says
I'm jazzed too! Can't wait to give these a try!
Sommer@ASpicyPerspective says
Oh girl, these are so pretty! What a fabulous Thanksgiving offering!
Rachel Cooks says
This is awesome! I love it!
A tasty love story says
This is such a good idea, making rings instead of whole or half pumpkins. I am having girls over tonight, and I plan on doing a meat-stuffed-hokaido-version with fresh cranberries, really hope it's gonna work out! But thank for the inspiration, and what a lovely blog you've got 🙂
Kiersten says
I love Hokkaido pumpkin! That would be perfect for a stuffed squash recipe. I hope your recipe turns out well!