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All About Winter Squash
Recipe
1 hr

Stuffed Acorn Squash

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Stuffed Acorn Squash
Author: Ashley Moore

Recipe By Ashley Moore

Published on September 12, 2024

Our goal: to dress up this humble squash without weighing it down.

Time

1 hr

Yield

Serves 6

Why This Recipe Works

To enhance the overall presence of acorn squash in our stuffed acorn squash recipe, we set aside two roasted wedges to mash and add to the filling. The roasted mash added nutty, caramelized flavor to the filling and also helped bind it. To round out our filling, we chose apples for sweetness, kale for added texture, and goat cheese for a welcome tang.

Ingredients

2 acorn squashes (1 ½ pounds each), quartered pole to pole and seeded
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
Salt and pepper
6 ounces kale, stemmed and sliced into ¼-inch-thick-strips
1 Fuji or Gala apple, peeled, cored, and cut into ¼-inch pieces
1 garlic clove, minced
½ teaspoon minced fresh rosemary
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 ounces goat cheese, crumbled (½ cup)
2 tablespoons whole blanched almonds, toasted and chopped coarse

Instructions

Cook along with these step-by-step instructions

step 1 imagestep 2 imagestep 3 imagestep 4 image
  1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 400 degrees. Toss squash wedges, 2 tablespoons oil, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper together in bowl until thoroughly coated. Arrange wedges on rimmed baking sheet with 1 narrow cut side down. Roast until browned on first side, about 20 minutes. Flip wedges so other narrow cut side is down and continue to roast until browned on second side and tip of paring knife slips easily into flesh, about 15 minutes longer.
  2. Remove sheet from oven and let wedges cool slightly. Once cool enough to handle, scoop flesh from 2 least attractive wedges into bowl; discard skins. (You should have about ¾ cup of scooped squash.) Turn remaining 6 wedges skin side down on sheet.
    Recipe Tip
    Of the eight wedges of squash, use the two that are least attractive for the stuffing.
  3. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add kale, apple, and ¼ teaspoon salt and cook, covered, until kale is wilted, about 3 minutes. Uncover and continue to cook until any liquid has evaporated, about 30 seconds. Stir in scooped squash, mashing with spoon to incorporate, and cook until beginning to brown, about 1 minute.
    Recipe Tip
    Any variety of kale will work in this recipe.
  4. Push squash mixture to sides of skillet. Add garlic, rosemary, and remaining 1 tablespoon oil to center of skillet and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir garlic mixture into squash mixture. Stir in vinegar and cook until evaporated, about 1 minute. Off heat, stir in butter and season with salt and pepper to taste.
  5. Divide filling evenly among wedges on sheet. Evenly sprinkle goat cheese and almonds over filling. Bake until cheese is softened and squash heated through, 5 to 7 minutes. Drizzle with extra oil before serving.

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Stuffed Acorn Squash

Recipe By Ashley Moore

Published on September 12, 2024

Time

1 hr

Yield

Serves 6

Stuffed Acorn Squash

Ingredients

2 acorn squashes (1 ½ pounds each), quartered pole to pole and seeded¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzlingSalt and pepper6 ounces kale, stemmed and sliced into ¼-inch-thick-strips1 Fuji or Gala apple, peeled, cored, and cut into ¼-inch pieces1 garlic clove, minced½ teaspoon minced fresh rosemary1 tablespoon cider vinegar1 tablespoon unsalted butter2 ounces goat cheese, crumbled (½ cup)2 tablespoons whole blanched almonds, toasted and chopped coarse

Instructions

  1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 400 degrees. Toss squash wedges, 2 tablespoons oil, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper together in bowl until thoroughly coated. Arrange wedges on rimmed baking sheet with 1 narrow cut side down. Roast until browned on first side, about 20 minutes. Flip wedges so other narrow cut side is down and continue to roast until browned on second side and tip of paring knife slips easily into flesh, about 15 minutes longer.
  2. Remove sheet from oven and let wedges cool slightly. Once cool enough to handle, scoop flesh from 2 least attractive wedges into bowl; discard skins. (You should have about ¾ cup of scooped squash.) Turn remaining 6 wedges skin side down on sheet.
    Recipe Tip
    Of the eight wedges of squash, use the two that are least attractive for the stuffing.
  3. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add kale, apple, and ¼ teaspoon salt and cook, covered, until kale is wilted, about 3 minutes. Uncover and continue to cook until any liquid has evaporated, about 30 seconds. Stir in scooped squash, mashing with spoon to incorporate, and cook until beginning to brown, about 1 minute.
    Recipe Tip
    Any variety of kale will work in this recipe.
  4. Push squash mixture to sides of skillet. Add garlic, rosemary, and remaining 1 tablespoon oil to center of skillet and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir garlic mixture into squash mixture. Stir in vinegar and cook until evaporated, about 1 minute. Off heat, stir in butter and season with salt and pepper to taste.
  5. Divide filling evenly among wedges on sheet. Evenly sprinkle goat cheese and almonds over filling. Bake until cheese is softened and squash heated through, 5 to 7 minutes. Drizzle with extra oil before serving.
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