Stuffed Acorn Squash

Tempeh sausage, lentils, kale, and roasted pepitas come together to make a heavenly filling for stuffed squash.

Stuffed Acorn Squash

So, squash is delicious. But stuffed squash is NEXT LEVEL.

Especially when it’s stuffed with tasty ingredients like tempeh sausage and lentils, and topped with vegan parmesan. I had some Follow Your Heart parmesan in my fridge, so that’s what I used, but homemade parm made with nutritional yeast is also a great option.

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This is a healthy recipe that tastes indulgent – which is my favorite kind of recipe. The filling is a total flavor explosion. The lentils are seasoned with a little allspice and garlic which, not to toot my own horn, is such an incredible combination with the squash.

Let’s talk about the squash. I chose acorn squash because it’s gorgeous and makes a great bowl. Just cut the squash in half, horizontally. The ends of an acorn squash are pointy, so you’ll have to trim those off so they will sit upright. Then, brush them with some maple syrup. The flavor goes well with squash, but it also creates a lovely glaze.

A little vegan butter can be drizzled over them, too.

Make sure to pick up squash that are about the same size so they will get tender at the same time.

The recipe calls for pepitas in the filling, but you can also use pecans or walnuts, or some other type of seed/nut. I love the crunch the pepitas add – but you can skip this ingredient without compromising the recipe if you have an allergy.

Another substitution you can make is using spinach instead of kale. Your call!

Stuffed squash can be a side dish, but it also makes an excellent main dish. It is certainly filling enough!

Recipes to Serve with Stuffed Acorn Squash

• Mashed Cauliflower
• Stuffing
• Green Bean Casserole
• Chopped Salad with Vegan Bacon Bits
• Scalloped Potatoes

I’d love to see your re-creations of this recipe. Post ’em up on Instagram and tag me @karissasvegankitchen!

Stuffed Acorn Squash

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Vegan

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 55 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes

Servings: 4 servings

Author: Karissa

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Ingredients

• 2 acorn squash
• 2 tbsp maple syrup
• black pepper
• 1/2 batch tempeh sausage
• 1/4 cup roasted pepitas or any seeds/nuts of choice
• vegan parmesan

For the lentils

• 1/2 cup dry lentils
• vegetable stock
• 1/4 tsp allspice
• 1/2 tsp garlic
• 2 cups fresh kale chopped

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400F degrees. Cover a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. 

2. Cut the acorn squash in half, horizontally. Scoop out the pulp/seeds and discard (or you can roast the seeds in place of the pepitas.)

3. Place on the baking sheet. Trim the pointy ends off so the squash will sit upright. Brush with maple syrup and sprinkle a little black pepper on top.

4. Bake for about 45 minutes, or until the squash is fork tender.

5. Make the tempeh sausage (instructions here) and the lentils while the squash bakes.

For the lentils

1. Cook the lentils, in a medium-sized pot, according to the package instructions - but substitute vegetable stock for the water, and mix in the allspice and garlic powder. 

2. When the lentils are finished cooking, turn off the heat but leave the pot on the burner. Mix in the chopped kale and cover for 5 minutes until the kale is tender.

3. In a large bowl, mix the lentils with the tempeh sausage and pepitas.

4. When the squash is tender, scoop in the filling. Top with vegan parmesan and bake for another 10-15 minutes.

5. Serve warm! Sometimes I like to drizzle a little extra maple syrup over top of the squash before serving.