Quinoa Stuffed Squash

This Quinoa Stuffed Squash is a delicious healthy addition to your holiday table!  It is the perfect vegetarian main course, or hearty side.

Fall is one of my favorite times of year. Being from Florida, I love the cooler, near perfect temperatures.

I always wondered what a traditional fall would be like. One that involved jackets instead of capri's. Walks in the woods crunching leaves instead of trips to the beach.

Two years ago, when I was pregnant with Skye, I had the chance to answer that question.

We spend a couple of months in Durango, Colorado where we enjoyed the very best that fall has to offer.

It was still warm enough to enjoy the outdoors during the day. But every night, we got to snuggle in with a crackling wood burning fire.

And it wasn't a typical suburban yup-wood (i.e. wood you pay too much for at the grocery store) fire that I'd enjoyed when we lived in Atlanta. Nope, this was the real deal. A huge fireplace that made it possible to keep the heat off on the entire first floor, with wood cut from the acreage of the house we were staying with.

I've got to say - I loved every minute of it. (Though I adore the beach in the fall too!)

I'm so excited to have an amazing fall recipe for you today, brought to us by Carlynn, of JJBegonia. Doesn't it look simply amazing?

If You Like This Quinoa Stuffed Squash You May Also Like:

• Gluten Free Cranberry Bread
• Apple Pear Crumble
• Spicy Quinoa Salad

Quinoa Stuffed Squash

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5 from 1 vote

Cranberry & Herb Quinoa Stuffed Acorn Squash with Walnut Parmesan Topping

This time of year, we eat acorn squash by the dozen, at my house. Pureed, roasted, or stuffed and baked whole, it’s an autumn staple. One of my favorite ways to prepare it is loaded to the brim with this fruit and herb quinoa (Although the quinoa is pretty delicious served on its own too!). The recipe calls for both dried and fresh herbs to pack an extra flavor punch. The whole squash can be cut and divided into pieces once baked, or eaten as a hearty, seasonal, dinner for one.

Prep Time10 mins

Cook Time30 mins

Total Time40 mins

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Quinoa

Servings: 8

Calories: 215kcal

Author: Wendy Polisi

Ingredients

• 2-½ cups vegetable stock
• 1 teaspoon ground sage
• ½ teaspoon ground thyme
• ½ teaspoon ground rosemary
• ¾ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon pepper
• 1 cup quinoa
• 4 fresh sage leaves chopped
• 4 sprigs fresh thyme with leaves removed from stem & chopped
• 2 sprigs fresh rosemary with leaves removed from stem & chopped
• ½ cup fresh cranberries or frozen
• 4 acorn squash
• ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
• ¼ cup chopped walnuts
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar OR maple syrup

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

• Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.
• Place the stock, dried herbs, salt & pepper in a large pot, and bring it to a boil. Once boiling, add the quinoa, and cover, reducing the heat to a simmer. Cook according to package directions (approximately 15-20 minutes), until tender. Once cooked, remove from the heat, and stir in the fresh herbs and cranberries. Set aside.
• While the quinoa is cooking, slice the tops off of the squash. Save the tops to bake with. Remove the seeds and pulp from the inside of the squash, and stand upright on a sheet pan. If necessary, slice a tiny piece off of the bottom of the squash to help it stand.
• Stuff each squash to the brim with the quinoa filling. Loosely place the tops back on each squash, and bake for approximately one hour, until completely cooked through.
• Meanwhile, combine the cheese, walnuts and sugar (or maple syrup) in a small bowl.
• Take the cooked squash out of the oven, and remove the tops. Evenly distribute the cheese mixture over each squash. Return to the oven and bake for an additional 10 minutes, just until browned (You could also place the squash under the broiler to speed up the process.).
• Serve hot or at room temperature.

Notes

This is gluten free and vegetarian friendly.

Nutrition

Calories: 215kcal | Carbohydrates: 40g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 2mg | Sodium: 567mg | Potassium: 888mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 1005IU | Vitamin C: 25.3mg | Calcium: 121mg | Iron: 2.8mg