Vegetarian Stuffed Acorn Squash makes for either the ultimate, complete meal or the perfect side dish. The way the flavors come together creates a symphony of sweet and savory that will have you wanting to create it again and again. I used to be intimated by the thought of cooking a whole squash, but it’s seriously so simple and the real key is to quickly microwave your squash for a few minutes until you can cut them in half with a knife, before roasting them in the oven.
The vegetarian stuffed acorn squash uses a base of buckwheat groats, which, contrary to the name, are actually gluten-free! Buckwheat is a gluten free seed from a plant related to rhubarb. It contains essential amino acids and is a solid source of high-quality protein. I love how versatile Buckwheat is – you can go sweet (think a delicious oatmeal alternative) or savory (think vegetarian stuffed acorn squash, of course) with them.
You can truly adapt the measurements of this vegetarian stuffed acorn squash to fit what you have on hand and how many you are serving. If you don’t have pomegranate seeds, feel free to use any dried fruit. No-added sugar dried cranberries or cherries would be wonderful in this as well. If chickpeas aren’t your thing, sub a different bean! And, if you have extra stuffing mixture left over, it’s also great on its own as a side! It’s a recipe you really can’t mess up, which is pretty great if you ask me.
Ingredients
- For the squash
2-3 2-3 medium acorn squashes
1 tbsp 1 garlic infused olive oil
salt, pepper to taste
- For the stuffing
1 cup 1 buckwheat
1/2 cup 1/2 pumpkin seeds, lightly toasted
1 cup 1 chickpeas
1/2 cup 1/2 pomegranate seeds
juice of 1/2 a lemon
green parts of 2 scallions
1 tbsp 1 garlic infused olive oil
Directions
- Quickly microwave your squash for a few minutes until you can cut them in half with a knife. Use a spoon to scoop out the seeds inside.
- Place your acorn squash halves on a parchment lined baking sheet, cut side up, and drizzle with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Bake at 400 for approx. 30 mins or until tender.
- While the squash is cooking, start the buckwheat for your stuffing by bringing 2 cups of salted water to a boil in a pot. Add 1 cup of the buckwheat, return to a boil, then reduce to a simmer, cover and cook until tender, approx. 10-15, and drain off any remaining water.
- In a bowl, add your buckwheat, lightly toasted pumpkin seeds, chickpeas, and pomegranate seeds, scallions, lemon juice, garlic infused olive oil, and salt and pepper to taste.
- Mix well until thoroughly combined and spoon the stuffing into the cooked acorn squash!
