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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.
Course Main Course
Cuisine Quinoa
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings 8
Calories 215kcal

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

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