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Cozy Stuffed Acorn Squash with Wild Rice: Easy Holiday Side

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A comforting and elegant holiday side dish featuring tender roasted acorn squash halves filled with a savory mixture of wild rice, sautéed onions, toasted walnuts, and fresh sage.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 medium acorn squash
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 cup wild rice blend
  • 2 cups vegetable broth
  • 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/2 cup walnuts, chopped
  • 1/4 cup fresh sage leaves, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 1 tablespoon maple syrup

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. Carefully cut the acorn squash in half lengthwise. Scoop out seeds and stringy pulp with a spoon.
  3. Brush cut sides with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place cut-side up on the baking sheet and roast for 25-30 minutes until tender.
  4. While squash roasts, rinse wild rice. In a saucepan, combine rice and vegetable broth. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 40-45 minutes until tender. Fluff with a fork.
  5. In a skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Sauté diced onion for 5 minutes until softened. Add garlic and chopped sage, cooking for 1 minute until fragrant.
  6. Toast chopped walnuts in a dry pan over medium heat for 3-4 minutes until fragrant and lightly browned. Let cool.
  7. In a large bowl, combine cooked wild rice, sautéed onion mixture, toasted walnuts, and maple syrup. Mix well.
  8. Remove roasted squash from oven and let cool for 5 minutes. Scoop out some flesh from the center of each half, leaving about 1/4 inch attached to the skin. Chop the scooped flesh and add to the rice mixture.
  9. Fill each squash boat generously with the rice mixture. Place cut-side up on the baking sheet.
  10. Return to oven and bake for 15-20 minutes until stuffing is heated through and edges are caramelized.
  11. Remove from oven, let cool for 5 minutes, and serve garnished with extra fresh sage or balsamic glaze.

Notes

If the squash is too hard to cut, microwave it for 2 minutes to soften. Ensure wild rice is not too wet to avoid mushy stuffing. For a vegan version, substitute butter with olive oil and use vegetable broth. Toasting the walnuts and rice grains adds significant flavor depth.

Nutrition

Keywords: acorn squash, wild rice, holiday side dish, vegetarian, gluten-free, stuffed squash, fall recipes, winter comfort food

Find it online: https://blingbite.com/cozy-stuffed-acorn-squash-with-wild-rice-easy-holiday-side/