Easy Vegan Stuffed Squash with Brown Rice, Pecans, and Sage
Prep Time: 20 mins
Cook Time: 45 mins
Servings: 4 servings
This is a filling, wholesome recipe celebrating delicious winter squash!
Equipment
- Sheet pan
- Large Sauté Pan
Ingredients
Brown Rice, Pecan and Sage Stuffing
- 1 cup dry brown rice
- 1 large red onion diced
- 2 celery stalks thinly sliced
- 1 large carrot finely diced
- 5 garlic cloves minced
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- Pinch black pepper
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh sage or ¾ teaspoon dried sage
- 2 teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary or 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- ⅓ cup finely chopped dried cranberries
- ½ Granny Smith apple finely chopped (peel on or off)
- ⅓ cup chopped pecans
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- Optional garnish: chopped pecans,red pepper flakes, chopped rosemary
Squash
- 2 acorn squash (or similar sized kabocha squash)
Tahini Sauce
- ¼ cup well stirred tahini
- 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons maple syrup
- Pinch salt
- Water to thin
Instructions
Filling
- Cook the brown rice according to directions. Once cooked, fluff with a fork and set aside, covered, until needed.
- Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 375ºF and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Cut the squash in half (from stem to tip) and scoop out the seeds with a fork. Discard or save for later and toast! Place the squash halves face down on the baking sheet and pierce the flesh a few times with a knife. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until the squash begins releasing some juices and the flesh gives when pressed. Baking time will vary depending on the size and type of squash used.
- While the squash is roasting make the stuffing. In a large non-stick sauté pan, sauté the onion, celery, carrot with about ¼ cup water for 10 to 12 minutes until the onions are translucent and the carrots are tender. Then add the garlic, red pepper flakes, pepper, sage, and rosemary and continue to cook for another minute. Turn the heat off. If the rice isn’t cooked yet, set the veggies aside until the rice is ready.
- Add the cooked rice to the pan of veggies. Mix in the lemon juice, cranberries, apples, pecans, and salt. Taste and reseason with salt and pepper as needed. Cover to keep warm until the squash are ready.
Tahini Sauce
- To make the sauce, whisk the tahini, lemon juice, maple syrup, and salt in a small bowl. Add water, 1 tablespoon at a time, and continue to whisk until smooth.
Assemble
- Carefully turn the squash halves over. Add a drizzle of the tahini sauce to the bottom of each squash half and then fill with the brown rice stuffing. Pile the stuffing high until it’s spilling out. Drizzle with more tahini sauce, if desired, and garnish as you wish! Enjoy!
Notes
Leftover stuffing makes for delicious rice pilaf or grain salad.
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