Rustic Quinoa-Stuffed Acorn Squash – a delicious recipe with Olive Oil, Vegetarian, Carrot, stalks Celery, Shallot, Kosher Salt. Easy to follow and perfect for any occasion.
-
1
Preheat oven to 325 F. Wash and dry squash, halve them lengthwise, scoop out seeds and rub the cut side with olive oil.
-
2
Place the halves face down in a 9x13 or other flat-bottomed baking dish and fill around the squash with about 1/4 depth of water.
-
3
Bake for 45 minutes.
-
4
While squash cook, prepare stuffing.
-
5
Add pancetta into a medium saucepan and turn to medium low heat, stirring occasionally until almost all the fat has rendered, about 20 minutes.
-
6
While pancetta cooks, heat 1 teaspoon olive oil in a small non-stick or cast iron skillet.
-
7
Add crumbled sausage (see note), and cook until browned, 5 to 7 minutes.
-
8
Remove to a bowl and set aside.
-
9
When pancetta is done, remove it to the same bowl as the sausage using a slotted spoon, leaving as much fat in the pan as possible.
-
10
Return the pan with the pancetta fat to medium high, and add a little olive oil if the pan looks dry.
-
11
Add carrots, celery, shallot and 1/2 teaspoon salt.
-
12
Cook until softened, about 5 minutes (any liquid should be evaporated).
-
13
Add the dry quinoa and cook, stirring constantly for about a minute, to toast and prevent clumping while it cooks.
-
14
Add stock, thyme bundle, and 1/4 teaspoon salt.
-
15
Bring to a boil, then simmer for about 20 minutes, uncovered, until quinoa is fully cooked.
-
16
Turn off heat and remove thyme bundle.
-
17
Add sage, sausage and pancetta, dried oregano, capers, balsamic vinegar, pine nuts, most of the Parmesan, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and pepper (seasoning to taste).
-
18
Stir until well mixed.
-
19
After squash are done, remove dish from oven.
-
20
Increase oven temp to 375 F. Turn the acorn squash halves cavity side up and drain the pan.
-
21
Use a spoon to carefully scoop out some of the squash flesh, leaving about 1/2 thick layer lining the skin.
-
22
Set aside the extra flesh for later use (see blog post for ideas).
-
23
Spoon 1/4 of the quinoa stuffing into each squash half, pressing it down slightly so it doesnt spill out.
-
24
Sprinkle lightly with Parmesan.
-
25
Bake for about 15 minutes, until squash are very soft and Parmesan is melted.
-
26
To brown Parmesan, broil for a minute or two, watching carefully to avoid burning.
-
27
Note: If using vegetarian sausages, crumble before adding to pan.
-
28
If using chicken or other sausage with casing removed, add whole links to pan and break up as they cook.
-
29
Dont use pre-cooked meat sausageit wont crumble.
-
30
Special diet adaptations: Meatless omit pancetta; omit sausage or use vegetarian sausage; use butter to cook vegetables.
-
31
Dairy free omit Parmesan; substitute nutritional yeast for added cheesy flavor if desired.
-
32
Vegan omit pancetta and Parmesan; ensure that vegetarian sausage is vegan as well or substitute mushrooms; cook vegetables in olive oil.
-
33
Vegetarian omit pancetta and ensure Parmesan and sausage are vegetarian.
-
34
Nightshade free confirm ingredients in sausage; omit shallot; ensure stock is nightshade free or substitute water or homemade.
-
35
Nut free omit pine nuts; substitute toasted pumpkin or sunflower seeds, if permissible.
No nutrition data on file — estimate from the ingredient list.
* Estimated from ingredient keywords · ingredients matched · Values are approximate and per serving (÷ 4).
No additional tips available.
No specific allergen information. Please check the ingredient list for possible allergens.
How did you like this recipe?
Frequently Asked Questions
This recipe makes 4 servings. You can adjust the portion size directly on this page.
You need 1 ingredient. The key ingredients include: ["2 whole Acorn Squash", "2 ounces, weight Pancetta, 1/4"" Chunks", "1 Tablespoon Olive Oil, Plus More For Rubbing On The Squash Before Roasting", "2 whole (3 To 5 Oz. Size) Vegetarian Or Raw Chicken Sausage Links, Removed From Casings And Crumbled", "1 whole Medium Carrot, 1/4"" Dice", "2 stalks Celery, 1/4"" Dice", "1 whole Shallot, 1/4"" Dice", "1- 1/4 teaspoon Kosher Salt", "1/2 cups Dry Quinoa, Thoroughly Rinsed", "3/4 cups Vegetable Stock", "7 sprigs Thyme, Tied In A Bundle With Kitchen Twine", "1 leaf Sage, Finely Chopped", "1/2 teaspoons Dried Oregano", "1 Tablespoon Capers, Roughly Chopped", "1- 1/2 Tablespoon Balsamic Vinegar", "2 Tablespoons Toasted Pine Nuts", "1- 1/2 ounce, weight Finely Shredded Parmesan", "1/4 teaspoons Ground Black Pepper"].
Yes, Rustic Quinoa-Stuffed Acorn Squash falls under the Vegetarian category and is a great choice for this type of meal.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3–4 days. Reheat gently before serving.