Date night during Autumn calls for a fancy, yet stunning dish! Stuffed Acorn Squash for Two features an apple and veggie filling topped with herby gluten-free breadcrumbs and lots of butter.
Date night cooking is becoming more and more popular as prices in restaurants (and elsewhere) begin to skyrocket. Cooking a meal at home with your loved one is a dedicated activity, plus, you might come up with some interesting flavor combinations that you would not have thought of without your partner there!
For your next date night-in, try these beautifully Autumnal Stuffed Acorn Squash for Two! These adorable squash halves are filled with a veggie and apple filling before topping with crunchy, herby breadcrumbs. This dish can either be a main course or a hearty side dish!
Feel free to change up the veggies, depending on what you have on hand. Also, multiply the recipe by the number of guests to make this dish for Thanksgiving or your next dinner party. Stuffed Acorn Squash for Two is extremely versatile!
Stuffing Veggies 101
Making stuffing, especially without gluten products, can sometimes pose a challenge. Traditional bread stuffing holds together well and bakes very nicely, so we need to mimic that in our gluten-free versions.
To remedy this, our stuffing uses quinoa to hold everything together. In addition, any veggies from the fridge can be used to flavor the stuffing. This recipe uses onions, carrots, and celery. Please, feel free to use whatever you have in the fridge or garden.
To still get a crispy topping when baking, use gluten-free breadcrumbs. To make them extra flavorful this recipe uses dried herbs and lots of butter for a golden topping. Once you master the stuffing, you can fill almost any grain, veggie, or meat of your choosing!
Ingredients in Stuffed Acorn Squash for Two
- 1 acorn squash, halved and seeds removed
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 1 teaspoon salt, divided
- 1 onion, small dice
- 2 carrots, small dice
- 2 celery ribs, small dice
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
- ¼ cup vegetable broth
- 1 cup cooked quinoa
- 1 small apple, small dice
- 2 cups chopped fresh spinach
- ½ cup gluten-free breadcrumbs
- 1 teaspoon dried Herbes de Provence
- 2 tablespoons butter
How to Make Stuffed Acorn Squash for Two
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Halve your acorn squash and scoop out the pulp and seeds from the middle, making a cavity for the stuffing later.
Place cut-side-down on a lined baking sheet. Rub both sides liberally with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and season with some salt. Bake in a preheated oven for 30 minutes or until the squash becomes slightly tender.
Meanwhile, heat the other tablespoon of oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
Add the onion, carrots, and celery to the hot oil. Cook, frequently stirring, for about 5 minutes until the veggies start to caramelize.
Next, add the garlic, dried herbs, and broth. Bring to a simmer and reduce for 2 minutes. Season to taste with the remaining salt.
Then, add the quinoa, apple, and spinach. Cook gently until the spinach begins to wilt, about 2 minutes, then turn off the heat.
In a small bowl, mix the breadcrumbs and herbs.
Flip your cooked acorn squash so that it is cut-side-up. Generously fill each half with the filling, creating a mound in the middle.
Top each mound with the breadcrumb mixture. Then, top each with 1 tablespoon of butter.
Place back into the 400-degree oven and cook for another 20-30 minutes until the filling is browned and the squash is very tender.
Serve as a main course or side dish.
Stuffed Acorn Squash for Two
Ingredients
- 1 acorn squash, halved and seeds removed
- 2 tbsp olive oil, divided
- 1 tsp salt, divided
- 1 onion, small dice
- 2 carrots, small dice
- 2 celery ribs, small dice
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp dried Italian seasoning
- 1/4 cup vegetable broth
- 1 cup cooked quinoa
- 1 small apple, small dice
- 2 cups chopped fresh spinach
- 1/2 cup gluten-free breadcrumbs
- 1 tsp dried Herbes de Provence
- 2 tbsp butter
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
- Halve your acorn squash and scoop out the pulp and seeds from the middle, making a cavity for the stuffing later.
- Place cut-side-down on a lined baking sheet. Rub both sides liberally with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and season with some salt. Bake in a preheated oven for 30 minutes or until the squash becomes slightly tender.
- Meanwhile, heat the other tablespoon of oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
- Add the onion, carrots, and celery to the hot oil. Cook, frequently stirring, for about 5 minutes until the veggies start to caramelize.
- Next, add the garlic, dried herbs, and broth. Bring to a simmer and reduce for 2 minutes. Season to taste with the remaining salt.
- Then, add the quinoa, apple, and spinach. Cook gently until the spinach begins to wilt, about 2 minutes, then turn off the heat.
- In a small bowl, mix the breadcrumbs and herbs.
- Flip your cooked acorn squash so that it is cut-side-up. Generously fill each half with the filling, creating a mound in the middle.
- Top each mound with the breadcrumb mixture. Then, top each with 1 tablespoon of butter.
- Place back into the 400-degree oven and cook for another 20-30 minutes until the filling is browned and the squash is very tender.
- Serve as a main course or side dish.
