This hearty and vibrant dish is a perfect celebration of fall flavors. Tender acorn squash halves are roasted to perfection, then filled with a savory-sweet mixture of quinoa, dried cranberries, and earthy Swiss chard. The combination of textures—from the crisp squash to the nutty quinoa and soft cranberries—makes each bite a delightful experience. Whether you’re serving it as a main course for a cozy dinner or as a stunning side dish for your holiday table, this stuffed acorn squash will surely impress!
Greg’s Stuffed Acorn Squash with Quinoa, Cranberries, and Swiss Chard
Equipment
- Baking sheet
- Parchment paper
- Small bowl
- Medium saucepan
- Large sauté pan
- Knife
- Fine mesh sieve
- Pastry brush
- Measuring cups/spoons
Ingredients
For Squash:
- 4 acorn squash
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Pinch of red pepper flakes
For Filling:
- 1 cup quinoa
- 1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon finely diced shallot
- 3 tablespoons finely diced fennel
- ¼ teaspoon ground cumin
- ¼ teaspoon ground coriander
- 2 cups vegetable broth or more if needed
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- Pinch of red pepper flakes
- ½ cup dried cranberries or raisins
- 6 cups stemmed and chopped Swiss chard or kale in bite-sized pieces
- Freshly squeezed lemon
Instructions
For Squash:
- Preheat oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Cut the tops off the squash and scoop out strings and seeds. Cut the pointy ends off the bottoms of the squash so they stand up once stuffed.
- Stir olive oil, salt, allspice, ginger, cinnamon, and red pepper flakes together in a bowl.
- Using a pastry brush, spread spice mixture on top and inside the squash. Place squash, top side down, on prepared sheet pan and roast for 20 to 25 minutes, until a fork easily passes through the squash. Once squash is done, remove from oven and cover with foil until ready to fill.
For Filling:
- Put quinoa in the fine-mesh sieve and rinse well under cold running water.
- Heat 2 teaspoons of olive oil in saucepan over medium heat. Add shallot and fennel and sauté until soft, about 3 minutes. Add cumin, coriander, quinoa, broth, and ¼ teaspoon of salt. Cover and bring to a boil, then lower heat and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, until quinoa has absorbed all the liquid. Remove from heat and fluff with a fork.
- While quinoa is cooking, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in large sauté pan over medium heat, then add garlic, red pepper flakes, and cranberries. Stir for 10 seconds then add chard or kale and remaining ¼ teaspoon salt.
- Sauté until greens are tender, about 3 minutes for chard, 5 minutes for kale. Remove from heat and stir in a squeeze of lemon.
- To assemble the dish, spoon quinoa mixture into the squash cavity, then top each squash with a scoop of greens.
- Storage: Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 days or in the freezer for 1 month.
Notes
Recipe adapted from The Cancer-Fighting Kitchen Cookbook, 2nd Edition, written by Rebecca Katz with Mat Edelson