Description
A wholesome and flavorful vegetarian dish featuring acorn squash halves filled with a savory mixture of steamed tempeh, sautéed mushrooms, walnuts, herbs, and dried cranberries. This stuffed acorn squash is roasted to tender perfection and garnished with fresh parsley and pomegranate arils, making it a perfect nutrient-packed meal for fall or any time of the year.
Ingredients
Scale
Squash
- 2 acorn squash, halved
- Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Filling
- 1 (8-ounce) package tempeh
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- ½ yellow onion, chopped
- 8 ounces cremini mushrooms, diced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- ⅓ cup coarsely chopped walnuts
- 1 tablespoon tamari
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- ½ tablespoon chopped rosemary
- ¼ cup chopped sage
- ⅓ cup dried cranberries
Garnish
- Parsley, for garnish
- A few pomegranate arils, for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Squash: Preheat your oven to 425°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Scoop out and discard the seeds from the acorn squash halves. Place them cut-side up on the lined baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil, and season with pinches of salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- Roast the Squash: Roast the acorn squash cut-side up for about 40 minutes, or until tender when pierced with a fork. Remove from oven and set aside.
- Steam the Tempeh: While the squash roasts, cut the tempeh into ½-inch cubes. Place the tempeh cubes into a steamer basket and set it over a pot filled with about 1 inch of simmering water. Cover and steam for 10 minutes to soften and cook through. Remove from heat, drain any excess water, and crumble the tempeh using your hands.
- Sauté Vegetables and Cook Filling: Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped onion, ½ teaspoon salt, and several grinds of black pepper. Cook for 5 minutes until softened. Add the diced cremini mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 8 minutes until they release their moisture and become soft.
- Add Remaining Filling Ingredients: Stir in the crumbled tempeh, minced garlic, chopped walnuts, tamari, apple cider vinegar, chopped rosemary, and chopped sage. Cook for an additional 2 to 3 minutes, adding ¼ cup water as needed if the pan becomes dry. Stir in the dried cranberries and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper to taste.
- Stuff the Squash: Spoon the prepared filling evenly into the roasted acorn squash halves.
- Garnish and Serve: Garnish the stuffed acorn squash with fresh parsley and a few pomegranate arils before serving for a bright, fresh finish.
Notes
- Steaming the tempeh helps remove any bitterness and softens it for better texture in the filling.
- If you don’t have tamari, soy sauce can be used as a substitute, but tamari is gluten-free.
- Feel free to add other herbs like thyme or sage to elevate the filling’s flavor.
- To make this recipe gluten free, ensure the tamari used is certified gluten-free.
- Leftover filling can be stored separately and used as a topping for salads or in sandwiches.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 stuffed acorn squash half
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 8g
- Sodium: 420mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 2.5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 30g
- Fiber: 7g
- Protein: 15g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
