Acorn Squash Stuffed with Brown Rice, Mushrooms, and Cranberries is a pretty dish to serve anytime this winter. It not only looks good, but it’s a delight. Bonus: you can roast the seeds from the squash to nibble on later!
When my mom was visiting over the holidays we made a lot of food that she typically doesn’t eat or hasn’t made herself. As great of a cook as she is (her Pasta e Fagioli [Pasta and Beans] is pretty amazing), it’s fun to see her get so excited to try things she hasn’t had before. Acorn squash was one of those things.
Have you ever stumbled upon acorn squash at the grocery store and wondered how the heck you prepare and serve them?
There are a few ways to enjoy them, like as part of this Roasted Fall Vegetables and Couscous Salad with Pomegranate Vinaigrette.
You could also use acorn squash in my recipe for Winter Squash, White Bean, and Spinach Sauté if you can’t find one exactly like I used.
I had a plan for acorn squash this season: make Acorn Squash Stuffed with Brown Rice, Mushrooms, and Cranberries to serve with our New Year’s Day dinner. But we had so many leftovers from the previous few days we decided not to make a new meal for the day.
So on my counter these acorn squash sat. Each morning and afternoon, my mom would ask, “When are we going to make these black squash?”
She had never had them before and really wanted to check things out. Note they’re not black, but dark green.
The time finally came to get moving on this delicious, vegetarian dish. It turned out just as I expected — delicious and so pretty on a platter. AND my mom was intrigued and loved it, too.
I had roasted the seeds from the squash and sprinkled them over the tops of the finished squash. Together with the brown rice, mushrooms, and those sweet cranberries, it was the perfect bit of crunch.
I hope that if you were perplexed by acorn squash before, you won’t be any longer! Grab a few from the store and make Acorn Squash Stuffed with Brown Rice, Mushrooms, and Cranberries. You’ll love it!
Calories
Fat
Carbs
Protein
Patricia Conte/Grab a Plate
Yields Serves 4
Save Recipe5 based on 10 review(s)
Ingredients
- 2 acorn squash, sliced in half, vertically, seeds and stringy pieces removed (reserve pumpkin seeds to roast if you’d like)
- 4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- Salt and black pepper to season
- 3 cups cooked brown rice
- 1/4 cup diced onion
- 2-3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/2 cup chopped mushrooms
- 1/4 cup dried cranberries
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra as garnish
- Fresh parsley, torn, for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line a baking pan with aluminum foil.
- If you’d like to roast the seeds from the squash, wipe them off with a paper towel and place them on a baking pan lined with aluminum foil. Season with a bit of salt and pop in the oven for 4-7 minutes (keep a watch on them so they don’t burn). Remove from the oven and set aside.
- Brush the squash halves, inside and on the cut surface, with 2 tablespoons olive oil. Season with the salt and black pepper. Place on the foil-lined baking pan, cut side down.
- Bake for 25-35 minutes, or until the flesh of the squash is fork tender.
- As the squash cooks, add the remaining olive oil to a large skillet over medium-high heat. When hot, add the onion and cook for several minutes or until it softens. Add the garlic and cook for about 30 seconds. Add the mushrooms. Stir and cook until the mushrooms are soft, about 3 minutes.
- Add the cooked brown rice to the skillet. Season the mixture with about 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Toss to combine and cook until the rice is heated through.
- Turn off the heat and add the Parmesan cheese and cranberries. Mix to combine.
- Spoon the mixture evenly into the squash halves. Return to the oven for 5-7 minutes.
- Remove and sprinkle with a bit of additional Parmesan cheese and the parsley. If you roasted the seeds, sprinkle a few over the tops of the mixture.
- Serve warm.
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