Wild Rice Stuffed Acorn Squash
These are vegan, plant-based, oil-free, Esselstyn-happy, heart-happy deliciousness. I made these wild rice stuffed acorn squashes last night and my house smells AMAZING. For the aroma alone these are worth making, but add in the tangy sweetness of the fresh cranberries, the crisp of the celery mixed with the nutty flavor of wild rice and it’s over the top.
Begin with two acorn squashes:
Slice in half and admire the beautiful flower pattern and count the petals:
Scoop out the filling inside… and stop to take photos, because they’re absolutely stunning.
At this point my daughters ran in and asked, “Um, WHY are you taking pictures of those? And what are they, anyway?”
Obviously we don’t eat enough acorn squash around here!
Take a small slice off the bottom of each so they’ll sit flat on a baking pan, and put in 400°F oven for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, add wild rice and spices to boiling water, cover, and let simmer for 20-25 minutes, until soft.
While those are both cooking, start the onion and celery cooking in a thin layer of water. Add the cranberries and parsley, and cook down until everything is just softening. You want it cooked but not too soft- the celery adds a great crispness to the final dish.
Pour the rice into your onion mixture, mix well, remove from heat… and stuff the squash with approx. 1/2 cup of mixture for each.
I had a little extra rice mixture, which was a lovely side for anyone who wasn’t filled up by the squash itself. The wild rice, sage and thyme are such a great combination, a gentle nuttiness that’s hearty without being heavy.
Bake for an additional 15 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes before serving.
Perfection!
Ingredients
Rice
- 1 cup wild rice blend
- 2 cup water
- 1 tsp sage
- 1 tsp thyme
Everything Else
- 2 whole acorn squash
- 1 cup fresh cranberries
- 2 stalks celery diced
- 1 small yellow onion diced
- 1 tsp dried parsley
Instructions
Rice
- Boil 2c water in small saucepan, add wild rice blend, sage and thyme. Let cook for 20 minutes or until rice is tender.
Squash
- Preheat oven to 400°F
- Halve each acorn squash crosswise, remove seeds. Cut thin layer off the bottom of each so they sit flat on the pan and plate.
- Bake for 30 minutes while rice cooks and you prepare the rest of the stuffing.
Stuffing
- Saute onion and celery with a little water until onions are translucent and everything is just starting to soften. Add cranberries and dried parsley, or reserve fresh parsley for the end. Saute all together until cranberries are softening and everything is melded together, about 5 minutes.
- Add rice to onion mixture, mix well.
- Remove from heat, stuff acorns with mixture, about 1/2 cup each.
- Bake at 400°F for 10-15 minutes, until golden brown and softened. Let cool 5 minutes and serve.
Nutrition
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