This vegetarian stuffed acorn squash is a perfect fall dinner to satisfy vegetarians and the meat eaters at the table. Roasted acorn squash is stuffed with a cornbread stuffing with poblano peppers, red peppers, apples and sage.
Make this for a weeknight dinner or save it for a dinner party. It also is a fabulous Thanksgiving main dish option.
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Stuffed squash recipes are some of the best ways to celebrate the fall harvest. Once you scrape out the seeds and pulp, their cavities are perfect for holding a wide variety of stuffings. And there are so many stuffings to choose from to make roasted squash perfect for vegans, vegetarians or meat eaters.
This vegetarian stuffed acorn squash is my meat-loving husband's favorite vegetarian dinner. But we also make this stuffed delicata squash recipe regularly, and I love to make this stuffed butternut squash for dinner parties with quinoa, apples, and figs.
And because I love to stuff veggies, I also love these stuffed artichokes with tabbouleh. And these stuffed peppers with jambalaya rice and beans filling are a great vegetarian dinner option for Mardi Gras.
❤️ Why you'll love this recipe
- Roasted acorn squash is so easy to make. You can use your oven or air fryer.
- It's a showpiece entree for a holiday dinner and easy weeknight dinner.
- Parts can be made ahead, such as the cornbread and roasting the peppers.
- It's satisfying and filling with all the flavors.
- Serves as a one-dish meal.
🧅 Ingredients + Notes
- Poblano pepper
- Red bell pepper
- Acorn squash
- Red pepper jam - fig jam works well too.
- Yellow onion
- Apple - I use either fuji or honey crisp apples. Granny Smith will be too tart.
- Dried sage
- Cornbread - make your own or purchase ready-made at your market.
- Unsalted butter
- Fresh parsley
- Roasted pumpkin seeds - you can buy these at most markets or make your own spiced pepitas.
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🔪 Recommended Equipment
- 8" X 8" baking dish or other dish for the cornbread
- Small skillet
- Chef's knife
- Baking sheet or casserole dish large enough to hold the squash
- Large skillet
📝 Instructions Overview
Detailed instructions for making this vegetarian stuffed acorn squash recipe are in the recipe card below, but here's an overview!
Step 1
Make the cornbread and pepitas. Bake up some cornbread or purchase it ready-made at your market. Sauté pumpkin seeds to make pepitas.
Step 2
Roast the peppers. Roast both the poblano and red bell pepper until charred, peel, and coarsely chop.
Step 3
Prep the acorn squash. Slice off the top stem, and slice the acorn squash in half from the top (at the stem end) to the bottom. Scrape out the seeds and pulp.
Step 4
Roast. Roast the acorn squash in the oven or your air fryer if you have one.
Step 5
Make the stuffing. Sauté the onions, apple, and dried sage. Add the roasted peppers and butter. Coarsely cut the cornbread and toss with the onion and apple mixture. Add the parsley.
Step 5
Stuff. Stuff the acorn squash halves, and finish with a flurry of pepitas (roasted pumpkin seeds).
⏰ Tips to Simplify and Save Time
- Make the cornbread and roasted pumpkin seeds ahead of time.
- Nix the poblano pepper and use 2 roasted red bell peppers in jars that you can purchase at your market. The poblano pepper adds a little heat to the dish.
- Make the stuffing ahead of time, and reheat while the acorn squash roasts.
- Use the air fryer to roast the acorn squash instead of the oven. Preheat the air fryer to 380˚F and roast for 20 - 25 minutes.
👩🍳 Preparation Tips
Slicing the acorn squash. Acorn squash is denser than delicata squash, and it may be difficult to slice off the stems and to slice them in half. Popping the acorn squash, whole, into the microwave oven for 4 - 5 minutes softens them enough to easily cut through them.
Removing the pulp. Any spoon works well for scooping out the seeds and pulp, but grapefruit spoons, with their jagged edges, make it even easier.
Separating the seeds from the pulp. If you want to save the seeds for roasting, the easiest way to separate them from the pulp is to put the pulp and seeds in a bowl of water. Finger the seeds from the strands of pulp.
🥬 Make it Vegan
Use vegan butter and vegan cornbread.
💡 Ideas for Variations
There are many other stuffing ideas that work really well with acorn squash. If you'd like one that adds protein to your plate, I recommend this stuffed acorn squash that includes lentils, portabello mushrooms, dates, and walnuts. It's so full of flavor!
🍽 Side Dish Ideas
Air Fryer Potatoes are a great side for so many main dishes and are a favorite in our house. If you don't have an air fryer, just roast in a 400˚F oven until tender.
These maple-candied carrots with currants are a great partner with this squash dish, along with this green bean casserole.
Some apple chutney on the side is always popular!
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Vegetarian Stuffed Acorn Squash (Recipe)
Equipment
- 8" X 8" Baking Dish for the cornbread
- Small skillet for the roasted pumpkins
- Chef's knife
Ingredients
- 1 poblano pepper
- 1 red pepper
- 2 acorn squash
- 1 tablespoon red pepper jam or fig jam
- 2 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil divided
- ½ small yellow onion diced (about ½ cup)
- 1 apple cored and diced (Fuji, Honey crisp, or Braeburn)
- 1 teaspoon crumbled dried sage
- ½ teaspoon sea salt or 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 4 tablespoon unsalted butter, room temperature
- ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt or just a pinch of sea salt
- 3 cups lightly crumbled cornbread,
- ⅓ cup coarsely chopped parsley
- 2 - 3 tablespoons pepitas (roasted pumpkin seeds)
Serving Suggestion
- Apple chutney on the side
Instructions
- Make the cornbread and pepitas. Bake up some cornbread or purchase it ready made at your market. Sauté pumpkin seeds to make pepitas, or purchase them already roasted.
- Roast the peppers. Roast both the poblano and red bell pepper until charred under the broiler. Place in a container for 10 minutes, and then peel and coarsely chop.Lower oven temperature to 400˚F.
- Prep the acorn squash. Slice off the top stems of both acorn squash, and shave a sliver off the bottoms to allow them to stand upright on their own. Slice in half. Scoop out the seeds and pulp, and reserve for other uses or discard.Mix 1 tablespoon of the olive oil with the jam, and baste the rims and hollow of the squash.
- Roast. Set in a baking pan, and roast until tender - about 45-55 minutes, depending on their size.
- Make the stuffing. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet and add the onion, apple, sage and salt. Sauté until the onion and apple pieces soften, about 10 minutes. Stir in the chopped peppers, butter, and salt. Once the butter is melted, coarsely cut the cornbread and add in with the parsley.Toss to coat, cook for 5 minutes on the stove.
- Stuff. Stuff the acorn squash halves, and finish with a flurry of pepitas (roasted pumpkin seeds). Serve immediately.
Jenni
Susan, what a lovely, lovely post. So poignant. I would love to sit with you at dinner, and I would absolutely be thrilled to be sharing a meal with you in person. Although this virtual feast is always a treat too. The stuffed acorn squash is centerpiece-worthy. So fantastic! I hope your Thanksgiving is wonderful, friend!
The Wimpy Vegetarian
Thank you so much Jenni! This post has been bouncing around my head for awhile now, and I finally wrote it all down during my flight to Atlanta yesterday. I'm so happy you enjoyed it. I'd love to sit next to you too, my friend 🙂 xo
Liz
Your trip to Italy sounds marvleous---learning, exploring, developing lasting friendships! And your stuffed squash is pretty darned amazing, too! Perfect for the holiday table! Thanks for hosting us this month, Susan!
Megan
Lovely post - I always make Thanksgiving low-key so I can spend more time with my family. This dish looks fantastic for any night of the week.
Laura @MotherWouldKnow
Although they may have been short, the relationships between you and M, and between her and the older Italian lady make me smile and practically weep at the same time. What incredible women you 3 are! And as for the recipe, I may not make it in the next few days, but it's a fabulous one -dish meal for the 2 of us as soon as the Thanksgiving weekend is over and I turn my attention to the squash sitting on my counter.
Jane, The Heritage Cook
Such a lovely dish perfectly served with an equally delightful, insightful, and charming story. You are an artist Susan, painting the world with your words. I am so blessed to know you and call you my friend. And I am always thrilled when I have the opportunity to see you - it is never often enough! Let's make a point of getting together after the holiday crush is over ~ we can both agree that we are delighted to be sitting beside each other! 🙂 Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family and safe travels home! Rest up and let everyone wait on you!
Cynthia
This dish is amazing! I feel so lucky to have found your blog! While we are not vegetarians, I find so many recipes here that my family really love! It makes it so much easier to get everyone eating well.
Lana @ Never Enough Thyme
What an absolutely beautiful post! You and I, apparently, have a something in common. I detest interruptions and need much (much!) more alone time that the average person. Those two things tend to isolate one so that I have to make a determined effort to interact with others. On top of that, I'm quite shy, making it even more difficult.
The squash recipe sounds delightful. Love the poblano and cornbread stuffing!
Heather | All Roads Lead to the Kitchen
So beautifully said, Susan. And speaking of beautiful, this dish is just that - and so much flavor. I'd never miss the meat.
Barbara | Creative Culinary
I love hearing your story of 'M' - our culture so often just dismisses the very people we still can learn so much from. And the lesson was a good one!
Thanks for taking all of us down the vegetarian road for November's Progressive Eats. I'll never be a vegetarian (because...BACON!) but my days are often meatless and new ideas are always welcome. I wish I had some leftover cornbread stuffing but I think I'll maybe try a version without as I have a huge acorn squash just waiting to be used on the counter and this spicy dish sounds perfect!
Amanda
This was absolutely delicious! We loved every bite! The cornbread was a nice filler and soaked in all the flavors. Loved that this recipe has apples and figs flavors, as well. This one is a keeper.
The Wimpy Vegetarian
Thank you so much for letting me know! I'm so happy you loved it!!
veenaazmanov
I love the presentation of this delicious stuffed Acorn Squash. My first attempt to making this healthy vegan dish with all the amazing combinations. Thanks
The Wimpy Vegetarian
Thank you!!
Jamie
Wow! This recipe just looks so yummy! The color of this dish looks great and mesmerizing! It's so appealing to the eyes! Loved it!
The Wimpy Vegetarian
Thanks so much!! I'm so happy you liked it!
Erin
My husband bought an acorn squash and I had no idea what to do with it. This was just perfect! I'm so happy I found your recipe. I'm going to make it again for Thanksgiving!
The Wimpy Vegetarian
I'm so glad you liked it! It's perfect for Thanksgiving!
Alex
I just happened to have some red pepper jam and gave your recipe a try. I'm so glad I did! It was the perfect fall meal. Thanks a ton!
The Wimpy Vegetarian
Yay for having red pepper jam on hand! It is indeed a perfect fall dinner!
Jenny
Vegetarian dishes resonate with me. This stuffed acorn squash recipe is sophisticated and clever. It’s a whimsical creation and a gift to all who consume it. Your tastebuds will be on high alert. Enjoy!
The Wimpy Vegetarian
Thank you!
Jacqueline
This is the perfect entree when you have vegetarians for dinner. We aren't vegetarians but often eat meatless meals during the week. But making a vegetarian dinner for guests was a challenge. Everybody loved this stuffed squash even my meatloving hubby!
The Wimpy Vegetarian
I'm so happy to hear it!
Jeni
I am always looking for new ways to cook acorn squash. This vegetarian stuffed squash recipe is perfect for the fall months. Can't wait to try!
The Wimpy Vegetarian
I hope you give it a try! You're so right about it being perfect for fall!
Hayley
We throughly enjoyed this squash last night with my family. So comforting, delicious and everyone went for seconds!