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My Easy Vegan Stuffed Acorn Squash Recipe – How to Make it in 18 Simple Steps

By: Author Alice Mesa

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A delicious pair of vegan stuffed acorn squash.

When it comes to winter squash, I’m a bit of a late bloomer. Up until the last couple of years, I always gave these tough-skinned gourds a wide berth when browsing the produce area of my local grocery store. Something about them intimidated me. Maybe it was the scabs on their skin. Maybe it was warts.

Or, maybe it was the fact that I had no idea how to cook with them. It was always easier just to go with the yellow summer squash and the zucchini. The only times I made an exception were between mid to late October of every year, and then it was open season for winter squash. But it was only to round out the jack-o-lanterns and the scarecrow on the front porch.

And then I discovered that winter squash has so much more potential beyond getting the house into Halloween mode. Especially acorn squash. These gourds are high in fiber and vitamin C, low in calories, and contain just about zero fat. The yellow-orange antioxidant-rich flesh is not only a treat for our eyes but beneficial to our bodies.

A delicious pair of vegan stuffed acorn squash.
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Easy Vegan Stuffed Acorn Squash Recipe

Alice Mesa
In this recipe for Vegan Stuffed Acorn Squash, the stuffing consists of a colorful mix of sauteed broccoli, yams, mushrooms, and onions. Once the vegetables are cooked al dente, cashew cream is added to bind the mixture. This makes it easy to scoop a generous mound neatly onto each half of the squash without having to fight the vegetables that will otherwise want to tumble down the sides.
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Prep Time 30 mins
Cook Time 1 hr 10 mins
Cashew Soak Time 2 hrs
Total Time 3 hrs 40 mins
Cuisine American
Servings 4 Servings

Equipment

  • Blender
  • Baking Sheet
  • Brush
  • Small bowl
  • Saute Pan
  • Spatula

Ingredients
  

Alfredo Cashew Cream Ingredients

  • 1 cup Cashews soaked at least 2 hours in water and drained
  • 3/4 cup Water
  • 1 clove Peeled Garlic
  • 1/2 tbsp Lemon Juice
  • 1/2 cup Diced Onion
  • 2 tbsp Nutritional Yeast
  • 1/2 teaspoon Salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon Black Pepper

Squash and Stuffing Ingredients

  • 2 pcs Acorn Squash cut in half tip to stem
  • Olive Oil for brushing squash
  • 1 tbsp Vegan Melted Butter
  • 1/4 cup Panko Bread Crumbs
  • 1 tbsp Olive Oil
  • 1/2 cup Diced-Small Onions
  • 1 cup Yam ½-inch dice
  • 4 ounces White Button Mushrooms or cremini mushrooms, quartered
  • 1 cup Broccoli
  • 1/4 cup Veggie Broth
  • 1/2 cup Alfredo Cashew Cream
  • 1/4 cup Chopped and Toasted Walnuts
  • 1/2 teaspoon Cinnamon
  • 1 pinch Ground Black Pepper

Instructions
 

  • Alfredo Cashew Cream Instructions
  • Combine all ingredients in a blender.
  • Blend until the consistency is smooth and creamy.
  • Refrigerate any unused cream in a closed container.

Squash And Stuffing Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 400F.
  • Brush the cut sides of the acorn squash with olive oil.
    The halved squashes to be brushed with oil.
  • Transfer to the baking sheet cut side up.
  • Bake 45 minutes or until easily pierced with a fork.
  • While the squash is baking, melt the butter in a small bowl.
  • Add panko bread crumbs and mix well. Set aside.
    A bowl of panko breadcrumbs mixed well.
  • Add 1 tablespoon oil to a large non-stick saute pan and place over medium heat until oil shimmers.
  • Add onions and yam. Cook, stirring frequently, until onions turn golden, about 4 minutes.
  • Add mushrooms and broccoli. Stir to mix.
  • Add veggie broth and stir to mix. Cover with lid and let steam for 2 minutes, or until yams are al dente.
  • Add alfredo cashew cream, walnuts, cinnamon, and pepper.
  • Stir to mix. Cook 1 minute, stirring frequently. Set aside.
  • Scoop about ½ cup of the stuffing mix into the hallowed seed cavity of each half of the baked acorn squash.
    Each of the halved squash is stuffed with the cooked vegetables.
  • Sprinkle panko bread crumb mixture over the top of the stuffing and pat in place.
    These are then topped with the bread crumbs.
  • Bake an additional 10-15 minutes,
  • or until filling is heated through and bread crumbs are a deep golden brown color.
  • Remove from the oven.
  • Let cool for 10 minutes before enjoying.
    A close look at a stuffed acorn squash.

Notes

Acorn squash is a great item to keep in the pantry for many reasons. They’ll wait around a good long time before spoiling while you figure out how you want to cook them. When cut in half, each portion makes the perfect serving size.
It only takes a little bit of elbow grease and a sharp knife to do the job if you start from the pointy side opposite the stem. You can also start from the side. If you try going at it from the stem, however, it takes a whole can of elbow grease and all the flavorful curse words that you have on hand. Don’t ask me how I know. Once cut, the seeds are easily removed with a couple of swipes of a spoon.
When cooked, the flesh of acorn squash acquires a delicious sweetness and becomes tantalizingly tender. It makes for a thoroughly satisfying meal when scooped straight to your mouth plain, or maybe with a dab of butter. But why not take advantage of that little hollow in the center where the seeds were housed?
This cavity is a prime real estate just waiting for a delicious stuffing to move in. The hard part is deciding exactly what to stuff the squash with—there are countless combinations of ingredients to choose from.
It also adds a nice flavor and a bit of moisture. I experimented with this dish a couple of different ways—one using a regular garlic cashew cream sauce, and the other using an alfredo cashew cream adapted from Lisa Bryan’s Best Vegan Alfredo Sauce recipe from her website. The alfredo version won hands-down in the taste department.
A little bit of cinnamon adds a cozy warmth, making this dish especially satisfying during the fall and winter seasons. That said, I made the dish earlier for lunch on this warm Spring day, and it was just as yummy.
I also threw in chopped walnuts for some textural contrast against the cooked vegetables. If you’re allergic to walnuts, you can always leave them out and opt for something else, like toasted pumpkin seeds. The panko bread crumbs on top give the stuffing not only a gorgeous deep golden crust when it comes out of the oven, but a fun crunch factor as well.
Keyword Main Course, Recipe, Vegan Stuffed Acorn Squash

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