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Easy Affordable Sweet And Savory Side Dish
This Vegan Apple Cinnamon Stuffed Acorn Squash is ready in minutes. It’s deliciously stuffed with apples, vegan butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Top it off with crumbled bits of walnut and maple syrup. This side dish can be filled with a variety of apples making it easy to find ingredients in the grocery store. Make this healthy dish for the little ones in the family and watch them dive in. It is a surprise to watch them enjoy a vegetable this much. One acorn squash makes two servings.
First as always, lets look at a little acorn squash history. It’s so fun to see where and what historical facts our food came from. Sometimes I find even funny stories.
A Little History On Acorn Squash
Acorn squash has been a favorite in our family for years. We grow it on the farm every summer. It is technically a fruit, but when cooked it is a starchy vegetable. It has such a sweet yellow fibrous meat, a lot like butternut squash.
I like the fancy looks of the ribs on them. Although, it can be a bit of work to clean and scoop out the long groves of the ribs of the squash, but so worth it.
Acorn squash or Cururbita pepo var. turbinata belonging to the Cururbitaceae gourd summer squash family. It was found by Archaeologist 8,000 to 10,000 years ago in Mexico. It has been a steady staple food for the North Americans for the last 5,000 years. The Native Americans named it “askutasquash“, meaning eaten raw or uncooked.
Native Americans nicely introduced early European Settlers to acorn squash and began growing it along with other Native American vegetables. By the 16th century this beautiful gem of a squash was brought over to Europe and quickly made it one of their own staple foods.
Today acorn squash is used in many culinary dishes. It is peeled, diced and sliced tossed with oils and adding cling on spices and herbs. Baked or roasted, served with or without skin in soups, risotto, cakes and stew making it so versatile. It is even stuffed and baked as halves like this recipe of Vegan Apple Cinnamon Stuffed Acorn Squash that have for you on this food blog today. Enjoy!
How To Pick A Good Acorn Squash
I have had many acorn squashes in my life and the best ones are fully green and a little dull in color. It is ok to have one with a little yellow on it. This yellow is only the spot where the squash was laying on the ground when it was growing. It is fine to eat.
I have picked a slightly unripe acorn squash here to show you in this photo how it will look when unripe. It is more green in color then yellow where it was on the ground. Plus it is a little more shinny. It won’t be as robust in flavor and a little hard in texture even after baking. That is ok, I’m use to both ripe and a little unripe acorn squashes.
Also make sure that the stem is dry like the photo above.
Can You Eat The Skin On A Acorn Squash
Yes! You can eat the skin of an acorn squash. It is packed full of nutrients of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and high in fiber. You don’t even need to peel it. It softens significantly after being cooked. If you are not fond of the skin just wait until after it is cooked to remove the skin. It will peel right off.
Although, be mindful that not all skins on some squashes, gourds and some pumpkins can be eaten. If it is your first time eating certain squashes, gourds or pumpkins, please look it up to see if you can eat the skins.
How To Make Vegan Apple Stuffed Acorn Squash
There are a couple of steps to making this easy dish but it comes together in no time.
First wash and dry the acorn squash and pat it dry with a paper towel. Balance the squash on the ribs to see what sits flat to see where you should cut the squash in half. After you cut it in half take the stem off. Make sure to take it off gently pulling upward on it. If you pull downward it may take too much squash flesh off with it leaving a hole for the stuffing to run out.
Clean out all of the inside seeds and loose flesh. Put it in a baking dish with an inch of water and place the squash with the cut side down. Put in a 350 degree preheated oven for 30 minutes.
While it is baking chop up the apple.
Take out the acorn squash when it is done and sprinkle a little salt on the cleaned out hole. Then in a bowl add all the ingredients and toss all together and fill the acorn squash. Top with some olive oil or vegetable oil spray to keep it moist. Return to the 350 degree oven and bake for 45 minutes.
While hot top with a dab of butter. Top with chopped walnuts and maple syrup if desired.
I hope you like this side dish as much as well do. Enjoy!
More Recipe You May Like:
Delicious Holiday Kale Salad With Cinnamon Thyme Vinaigrette
Roasted Portobello Mushrooms With Lentil Sun-Dried Tomato Salad
Robust Brussel Sprout Potato Soup
Healthy Rich Chocolate Sweet Potato Pudding
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Vegan Apple Cinnamon Stuffed Acorn Squash
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour and 10 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour and 20 minutes
- Yield: 2 servings 1x
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegan
Description
This Vegan Apple Cinnamon Stuffed Acorn Squash is ready in minutes. It’s deliciously stuffed with apples, butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Top it off with crumbled bits of walnut. This side dish can be filled with a variety of apples making it easy to find ingredients in the grocery store. Make this healthy dish for the little ones in the family and watch them dive in. It is a surprise to watch them enjoy a vegetable this much. One acorn squash makes two servings.
Ingredients
Vegan Apple Cinnamon Stuffed Acorn Squash
- 1 Acorn Squash
- 2 dashes of Salt (to sprinkle on after the first baking of the squash)
- 1 medium Apple, chopped (tart apple work well)
- 2 heaping Tbsp Brown Sugar or Coconut Sugar
- 2 Tbsp melted Vegan Butter
- 1/4 tsp ground Cinnamon
- 2 dashes ground Nutmeg
Instructions
Vegan Apple Cinnamon Stuffed Acorn Squash
- Clean and cut the squash in half with a large knife(I use Ninja Knives for this). Take the stem off pulling it softly upward.
- Place squash with cut side downward onto a ungreased 13X9X2 inch baking dish. Add an inch of warm water to the dish.
- Bake for 30 minutes uncovered in a 350 degree preheated oven for 30 minutes.
- When done drain the water and turn the squash over with the cut side up.
- Sprinkle with salt.
- In a bowl combine the rest of the ingredients and spoon into the squash. Add any extra liquid in the bowl into the squash as mush as you can.
- Bake for 45 to 50 minutes or until tender. (Check at about 35 minutes if it is a small squash)
- When done and while hot add a dab of extra butter to the top.
- Top with chopped walnuts and maple syrup if desired.
- Serve hot. (Let cool a little for little ones the sugars are hot)
- Enjoy!
Notes
Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days after baking. Put in a container with a lid.
