Vegan Stuffed Acorn Squash with Wild Rice Stuffing

Thanksgiving will be here before we know it. I’ve been working in the kitchen testing recipes and coming up with some delicious options that will satisfy every guest.

This vegan stuffed acorn squash has a touch of sweetness, and the wild rice stuffing is savory. It is the perfect combination, and makes a beautiful presentation too!

Acorn squash is one of my favorite fall treats. This recipe is inspired by my very first experience with acorn squash when I was a kid.

The wild rice filling is made with carrots, celery, onions, red peppers, walnuts, and thyme which make this an authentic gluten-free version of a traditional Thanksgiving stuffing.

It’s an easy recipe to make, but it does take time to roast the acorn squash and cook the wild rice. You’ll need to set aside a good hour to pull this together from start to finish. But hey, that’s nothing compared to the time it takes to roast a whole turkey!

💗 Why You’ll Love this Vegan Stuffed Acorn Squash

• Vegan Thanksgiving Main Course
• Satisfying and Filling
• Naturally Gluten-Free
• Full of Autumn Flavors
• Suitable for Vegetarians
• Whole Food Plant-Based No Oil
• Stuffing has texture and crunch
• It’s simple to make!
• It takes about 60 minutes from start to finish.
• Make it in advance

🥣 Ingredients and Notes

This recipe makes four servings using two squash cut in half. For more servings simply double the amounts.

Acorn Squash: When buying in the grocery store look for ones without blemishes, and don’t have any soft spots.

Wild Rice: You could opt for brown rice if you don’t have wild rice, but I highly recommend using wild rice for this recipe. It has an excellent texture and holds firm which is a nice contrast to the soft baked squash.

Vegetables: You’ll need red onion, red bell pepper, carrot, and celery that is finely diced.

Herbs and Spices: The flavor of the stuffing really comes from the herbs and spices. Feel free to experiment with other flavors as you wish. I used garlic, thyme, salt, and pepper. But other herbs to try include sage, and rosemary.

Parsley (optional) for garnish.

📋 How to Roast Acorn Squash – Step by Step

Step 1: Preheat the oven to 400 F. Slice the acorn squash in half.

Step 2: Remove seeds with a spoon.

Step 3: Brush a light amount of olive oil on the flesh of the squash or leave oil off if you’re oil free.

Step 4: Sprinkle salt and pepper on top.

Step 4: Place the squash halves cut-side side down on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper.

Step 5: Bake in a preheated oven at 400 F for 40 minutes or until fork tender. Allow the squash to cool before flipping them over. They will be very hot and steamy.

📋 How to Make the Wild Rice Stuffing

While the acorn squash is roasting begin the wild rice stuffing.

Step 1: Bring 1 cup of vegetable broth and ½ cup of wild rice to a boil. Add one bay leaf. Cover and simmer for 40 minutes.

Step 2: While rice is simmering, chop the red onion, carrot, celery, and red pepper. Mince the garlic.

Step 3: Sauté red onions in ¼ cup of vegetable broth for 3 minutes or until softened. Add garlic and simmer for an additional 2 minutes. Add carrots, celery, red pepper, thyme, and a dash of salt and pepper. Simmer for an additional 5 minutes or until vegetables soften.

Step 4: When rice is done remove from heat and allow to sit covered in the pan for an additional 10 minutes to allow all liquid to be absorbed. Remove bay leaf and add rice to vegetable mixture. Stir in chopped walnuts.

👩🏻‍🍳 How to Assemble Vegan Stuffed Acorn Squash

To assemble the vegan stuffed acorn squash, scoop the wild rice stuffing and place it into the center of the roasted acorn squash. Top with parsley to garnish, and serve!

📖 Variations and Substitutions

Use Quinoa: If you’re not a fan of wild rice you can substitute quinoa in its place. It will still be gluten-free.

More Vegetables: Feel free to get creative with the vegetable combination you use in this dish. Use what you have on hand. I love the flavor of the carrots, celery, and red onion in this dish. It reminds me of an authentic Thanksgiving stuffing, but any combination of vegetables would work.

Different Types of Squash: This stuffing pairs well with other types of winter squash. Consider using butternut squash, delicata, or spaghetti squash.

🍽 How to Serve Vegan Stuffed Acorn Squash

You can double this recipe to make it for a larger crowd of 8. As written this recipe serves 4. I had leftover wild rice stuffing when making this which did not go to waste as my kids gobbled it up, and it makes an excellent lunch the next day! Top the rice with dried cranberries, and diced apples for a bit of tart and sweet flavor. If serving for Thanksgiving or a holiday meal, serve it alongside my almond milk mashed potatoes, and vegan gravy!

Add this recipe to your vegan prep meals rotation!

💭 Expert Tips

• Double this recipe to serve 8.
• Use a good knife to cut the acorn squash in half.
• Save the squash seeds to roast for later.
• Scoop out some of the squash flesh to fit more stuffing inside each half.

❓ Recipe FAQS

😋 More Vegan Autumn Recipes!