18 Best Stuffed Acorn Squash Recipes

They say the best things come in small packages and that is certainly the case with stuffed acorn squash.

Acorn squash is tiny, but mighty. It’s packed with vitamins and nutrients.

Acorn squash is a delicious way to create a warming and hearty meal for the family.

The thing is, there are so many different ways to enjoy and prepare acorn squash that it can get pretty overwhelming.

To help you through your acorn squash confusion, I’ve put together this list of 18 Best Stuffed Acorn Squash Recipes.

Which one will you try first?

18 Best Stuffed Acorn Squash Recipes

So what’s the best stuffed acorn squash recipe?

It’s a little subjective, but there are a lot of variations on stuffing acorn squash.

You can have one or two of these recipes in mind and then experiment by trying them out with your family.

If you like these, save them to your favorite recipes collection!

1. Sausage Stuffed Acorn Squash

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/476748310567840866/

There’s nothing better than a sweet, delicious acorn squash recipe during the fall and winter.

This particular acorn squash is stuffed with sausage and cooked to perfection!

2. Wild Rice Stuffed Acorn Squash

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/502503270933474387/

Wild rice stuffed acorn squash is an easy recipe that you can serve quickly on busy weeknights.

If you want to try it but don’t have all the ingredients on hand, there are plenty of substitutions you can make.

For example, instead of using wild rice, you can use quinoa or brown rice.

3. Vegetarian Stuffed Acorn Squash

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/233835405643245834/

Vegetarian stuffed acorn squash is a great recipe to try if you are not sure how to prepare and cook acorn squash.

It is also a delicious way to take advantage of the many health benefits of this popular winter squash.

I like this recipe because it’s easy to prepare and you can use ingredients you have on hand.

4. Sausage and Apple Stuffed Acorn Squash

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/99501473009312562/

Every year, I look forward to the autumn produce. The root vegetables and winter squash warm my heart as much as they do my stomach.

This sausage and apple stuffed acorn squash recipe is a great way to use the bounty of fall vegetables.

Acorn squash is such a great canvas for so many flavors. This sausage and apple stuffed acorn squash recipe is a winner because it combines sweet and savory perfectly.

5. Easiest 3-Ingredient Stuffed Acorn Squash

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/373517362851580375/

When the weather starts turning cool in fall and winter, I live off of roasted vegetables.

They’re so easy to prepare, you can roast them with just about anything, and they taste delicious.

This Sausage Stuffed Acorn Squash is one of my favorites because it’s a complete meal that’s packed full of fall flavours.

To make this stuffed acorn squash recipe, start by halving your squash, scooping out the seeds, drizzling with olive oil and roasting until tender.

While your squash is roasting, saute up some turkey sausage (or chicken sausage) and kale to stuff inside.

Once your squash is done roasting, stuff each half with an equal amount of the sausage mixture and sprinkle on some goat cheese. The result is a hearty meal that’s sure to please any time you make it!

6. Chicken Chili Stuffed Acorn Squash

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/6755468181657501/

The best winter squash recipes are the ones that can be stuffed and served as a complete meal.

This recipe for Chicken Chili Stuffed Acorn Squash is just such a recipe. This spicy acorn squash recipe is a warm comfort dish that’s loaded with flavor, low in fat and high in fiber.

This recipe can be made with either lean ground chicken or lean ground turkey. For an even heartier meal, you could use leftover or rotisserie chicken instead of the ground meat.

You could also add 1 cup of cooked brown rice to the filling mixture to make it even more filling and nutritious.

7. Mediterranean Stuffed Acorn Squash

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/559924166183287451/

This Mediterranean Stuffed Acorn Squash features quinoa, dried cranberries, pine nuts, fresh herbs and chickpeas for a healthy, vegetarian filling.

This dish is loaded with fiber and protein from the quinoa and chickpeas, plus healthy fats from the pine nuts and olive oil.

The sweet dried cranberries add an extra pop of flavor to the savory filling. And feel free to experiment with different spices; you could use curry powder or even pumpkin pie spice for something different!

8. Vegan Quinoa-Cranberry Stuffed Acorn Squash

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/67624431891884449/

This recipe is vegan and gluten-free.

You can easily make it ahead of time and reheat for a fast dinner or healthy side dish on Thanksgiving or Christmas.

We eat acorn squash all the time in our house. I love the mildly sweet flavor and that they’re super easy to make!

This quinoa-cranberry stuffed acorn squash takes only an extra 10 minutes of prep compared to plain roasted acorn squash, but it’s so worth it!

The combination of tart cranberries and orange zest is such a nice, unexpected change to traditional sweet stuffed squashes. I love how pretty the orange quinoa looks, too!

If you don’t want to bother with an extra step, you could always use pre-cooked frozen quinoa instead of raw quinoa.

I think this would be a great addition to your Thanksgiving table this year. The colors are festive and everyone will enjoy the delicious flavor! Enjoy!

9. Baked Stuffed Acorn Squash With Cranberry Stuffing

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/297800594120304007/

This stuffed acorn squash recipe is a delicious way to incorporate seasonal fruit into your fall side dishes!

A healthy spin on the classic flavor of stuffed acorn squash, this recipe uses cranberries and apples in place of traditional stuffing ingredients.

While it may look like a meal fit for royalty, this stuffed acorn squash recipe is totally easy to put together—you can have these beautiful squash halves ready in less than an hour!

The unique combination of nutrients in acorn squash makes it a superfood.

10. Caramelized Onion, Apple and Sausage Stuffed Acorn Squash (Paleo & Whole30)

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/463307880424657285/

This recipe for Caramelized Onion, Apple and Sausage Stuffed Acorn Squash is delicious with a hearty stuffing, fresh apples and caramelized onions.

This is the perfect fall meal and it’s Whole30, Paleo, gluten-free and dairy-free!

I remember the first time I had acorn squash. It was at a friend’s house and she made it stuffed with sausage and apples.

I was immediately hooked. I’d never had acorn squash before this but it quickly moved up in my list of favorite fall vegetables.

Plus, it’s adorable so how could you not love it!?

11. Stuffed Acorn Squash with Ground Turkey

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/17170042320634478/

Holiday season is in full swing and I am excited to share this keto stuffed acorn squash with ground turkey recipe!

You might be thinking, “Keto and Holidays don’t go together…” or “Stuffed Acorn Squash isn’t keto.” But friends, I am here to prove you wrong!

I can confidently tell you that yes, you can enjoy eating healthy KETO during the holidays AND enjoy traditional holiday foods like Stuffed Acorn Squash.

12. Baked Italian Sausage Stuffed Acorn Squash with Mushrooms

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/5136987063367210/

I’m so excited to share this one with you today.

Stuffed Acorn Squash! It’s baked acorn squash filled with tasty Italian sausage, herbs, garlic, onion, spinach, mushrooms, and finished with a crunchy buttery parmesan breadcrumb topping. It’s so delicious and is the perfect fall dish.

I love making stuffed acorn squash every year during the fall months when it’s nice and crisp outside.

The weather is just so perfect for enjoying a hearty winter squash like acorn squash in the evenings.

It’s also such a fun time of year because there are so many different kinds of winter squashes available at the farmers market.

Of all the different types of winter squash I love cooking with acorn squash the most because it has such a sweet nutty flavor that works perfectly with savory flavors like sausage and mushrooms.

And since I got to spend some time in Italy this past summer I couldn’t help but make my favorite dish that combines all my favorite things in one dish: Italian sausage!

And since I am pretty much obsessed with mushrooms right now too, they had to be included as well!

13. Stuffed Acorn Squash with Lentils, Pecans and Brown Butter

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/237635317828297307/

This recipe is a reader favorite. It’s impressive enough to be a vegetarian Thanksgiving centerpiece — or a side dish on any table, for the holidays or not. It’s simple to make, and no one will guess how healthy it is.

14. Stuffed Acorn Squash with Hazelnuts, Quinoa, and Kale

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/58335757663898275/

I’m in love with this quinoa-stuffed acorn squash.

Have you ever eaten something that was so delicious, so perfect, that it was as if every bite was better than the one before?

That’s how I felt about this recipe. It’s a little sweet from the squash and dried cranberries, a little savory from the garlic and sage, with a pleasant earthiness from the quinoa.

The crunchy hazelnuts provide an irresistible textural contrast to the tender squash, and their flavor is really fantastic here.

This is also one of those recipes that makes me feel good.

The ingredients are all wholesome and nourishing. It’s naturally vegan and gluten-free. And there is even kale in there!

It’s hard to believe that something this tasty could be so healthy.

I made these stuffed squash for dinner on a weeknight last week, and they were hearty enough to satisfy my husband (who usually wants meat at every meal), yet they were light enough to leave me feeling energized rather than weighed down.

15. Stuffed Acorn Squash with Ground Beef

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/65161525850590224/

I love stuffed acorn squash with ground beef and pears.

This is a fantastic all-in-one dinner that is hearty and comforting on those chilly fall days or nights. I find it to be the perfect holiday recipe for either Thanksgiving or Christmas.

Just about everyone in my family enjoys this meal, and we have made it many times over the years. It’s always a crowd-pleaser, even with the pickier eaters in my house!

16. Beef Enchilada Stuffed Acorn Squash

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/491244271863061815/

This Beef Enchilada Stuffed Acorn Squash is the perfect dinner recipe for cold nights or those of you looking to add more healthy veggies to your diet.

The subtly sweet flavor of the squash with the spicy beef enchilada concoction in this Beef Enchilada Stuffed Acorn Squash is a match made in heaven.

One thing that I have been trying to do is add more veggies into my diet. I will admit, I am not always great about this. In fact, a lot of times for dinner I will just make a big bowl of meat and call it good.

But, lately I have been making an effort to eat more veggies and so far it has been going pretty well.

First I started adding veggies on the side of my meat dishes, then I started roasting them and eating them as a side dish.

Then one day I found these beautiful acorn squash at the store (I can’t believe that was the first time I had ever bought them!) and decided to try my hand at stuffed acorn squash with my favorite enchilada sauce combo.

And let me tell you, this thing was GOOD!

17. Roasted Acorn Squash with Farro Stuffing

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/239042692711111724/

This is a perfect fall side dish. It’s great with roasted chicken or pork, and the stuffing makes a nice main dish if you want to serve something vegetarian.

The key is to use the right mushroom. White button mushrooms are the most common, but they’re also pretty boring.

Cremini mushrooms (also called baby bellas) have a little more flavor, but still not much.

If you can find maitakes or oyster mushrooms, though, use those instead–you’ll be glad you did.

Maitake mushrooms are also called hen of the woods; they’re medium-size clusters that look like chunks of cauliflower.

They’re meaty, crisp, and rich, but not overpowering.

Oyster mushrooms are delicate and tender; they’re shaped like oyster shells that have been cut in half lengthwise and then stacked on top of each other.

If you can’t find either type of mushroom, just double the amount of cremini mushrooms in the recipe; it won’t be quite as good but it’ll still taste fine.

18. Mexican Stuffed Acorn Squash (Vegan & Gluten-Free)

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/515028907392680112/

This is a simple recipe for stuffed acorn squash, using Mexican flavored quinoa, black beans, corn and bell peppers.

The quinoa stuffing gets cooked in the skillet while the acorn squash roasts in the oven. An easy dinner for two ready under an hour.

I had some acorn squash sitting around that I wanted to use up. I decided to make stuffed acorn squash.

For my stuffing, I used quinoa, which has a nice nutty flavor and is packed with protein. I used canned black beans and canned corn, because they are so convenient.

Just drain and rinse them before adding them to your skillet. I added some bell peppers too. They add color and taste great.

To make this dish vegan just omit the cheese on top or use vegan cheese instead.

5 Tips For Stuffed Acorn Squash Recipes

Stuffed acorn squash recipes are a favorite for many people, especially during the fall and winter seasons.

Squash is in season and there are many ways to incorporate it into your daily diet.

There are several things to keep in mind when using stuffed acorn squash recipes:

1. When choosing an acorn squash, make sure it is firm and has no cuts or bruises on the skin. Also, try to find one that is heavy for its size.
2. To cut the squash easily, microwave it first for two to three minutes. This will soften it up so it can be cut easier.
3. Acorn squash can be difficult to stuff, but if you cut it into rings instead of halves, you can just place the filling in between the slices of squash and then bake it easily.
4. If you are preparing a recipe that calls for cooked acorn squash, you can just microwave it instead of baking or boiling. Poke holes in the squash with a fork and then place it in a microwave safe dish with water on the bottom of the dish and cover with plastic wrap. Microwave on high for 15 minutes or until soft inside when pierced with a fork.
5. Don’t forget to remove the seeds! If you’re trying to make stuffed acorn squash and your recipe doesn’t mention removing the seeds, don’t panic! It’s easy to do: just use a spoon or melon baller scoop out all of the seeds and stringy bits in the middle of each half of your squash. You can discard these or save them for roasting later!

FAQ

What Goes Well with Stuffed Acorn Squash?

Recipes for stuffed acorn squash are great. They’re colorful, aromatic and tasty.

However, these healthy dishes don’t always come with suggested side dishes to go with them.

Here are a few ideas of what you can serve next to stuffed acorn squash:

Crusty bread and butter – The bread will help soak up the sauce and any extra filling left on your plate.

Baked potato or sweet potato – These potatoes provide a nice starchy base for the filling on your plate.

Salad and dressing – The salad will add some nice freshness to the meal.

Vegetables – Consider serving a simple vegetable dish that’s easy to prepare and goes well with the filling in your squash boats.

Hot cooked pasta – If you have lots of extra stuffing, this is a great way to use it up.

Do You Eat the Skin of Acorn Squash?

Like most squashes, acorn squash is lightly sweet and starchy. It has a thin, edible skin that varies in color from green to orange to deep yellow.

Its flesh is orangey yellow and somewhat stringy.

When baked, acorn squash meat becomes soft and moist but still retains its shape.

You can eat the skin if you like — it’s perfectly edible and quite nutritious.

How Do You Soften Acorn Squash Before Cutting?

When I make stuffed acorn squash, my husband cuts the squash in half and then microwaves the halves for about four minutes.

This softens them enough that he has no problem cutting them into cubes. I clean out the seeds, salt and pepper the inside, and fill with stuffing.

He then puts the squash in a roasting pan with water in the bottom and covers it with foil.

He bakes it at 350 degrees for about an hour, or until the squash is soft. It’s delicious!