Stuffed Acorn Squash with Wild Rice, Grapes, Feta and Roasted Almonds
By Sammi Brondo — July 24, 2024
This blog post is sponsored by California Grapes. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Meet your dream fall meal. Full of different flavors and textures, this stuffed acorn squash has got it all.
HAVE YOU HAD THIS CLASSIC FALL DISH BEFORE?
If not, I’m so glad I can introduce you. It is delicious.
You take a perfectly roasted and caramelized acorn squash and stuff it with a blend of even more delicious foods.
This one has wild rice to add a grainy and heartiness. It also has creamy and salty feta cheese, juicy and sweet California grapes, and savory and crunchy roasted almonds.
That combination of so many different flavors and textures is beyond.
I absolutely love the combination of the sweet grapes with the caramelized squash. It’s the sweetest combination of the season’s best produce.
California grapes are already one of my favorite fruits on their own, but it’s amazing how versatile they are.
Eat them on their own? Delicious. Pair them with some parmesan cheese? A perfect snack. Make them into jam for a PB&J? Classic.
And of course, add them to this stuffed acorn squash.
Plus, there’s so much more to love about this recipe too.
It’s full of different nutrients. It has every different food group: grains, vegetables, fruit and dairy.
It’s also a great way to get plant-based protein. The wild rice, feta cheese, and almonds all contribute protein to this meal.
Plus, especially as the weather gets colder, this meal has so many immune health benefits too. Grapes specifically have antioxidants and other polyphenols that help protect the health of cells. And the resveratrol found in grapes may also positively benefit immune function.
Personally, I’ll take all the extra immune support I can get as the weather gets colder!
Lastly, what I love about this meal is the sheer volume of food it makes. Any recipe that allows you to eat a few times and only cook once is a win in my book.
When you make it, you’ll likely have extra of the wild rice stuffing mix. You can either 1) roast extra acorn squash, 2) serve the rice mixture on its own, or 3) store the wild rice in the fridge for a few days and roast a few more acorn squash again when you’re ready to eat.
It’s delicious, it has different flavors and textures, it’s nutrient-dense and it offers plenty of leftovers. You’re going to love this one.
Prepare & Bake the Squash
Preheat oven to 400 F. Wash the acorn squash and slice off the ends. Slice in half lengthwise and scoop out of the seeds.
In a small bowl, mix together 3 tablespoons of olive oil with balsamic vinegar, maple syrup, salt and pepper.
Brush the squash with the olive oil mixture (there will be a lot left – reserve the rest). Place on a lined baking sheet and bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes, until fork tender.
Lightly Roast Almonds
While the squash is baking, roughly chop the almonds. Drizzle with the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil, salt and pepper. Add to the oven and bake for about 10 minutes, until lightly roasted.
Add Cooked Rice, Almonds, Grapes & Feta to Bowl
Bring a pot of water to a boil and add the wild rice. Turn the heat down and let the rice simmer, covered, for about 25-30 minutes.
Slice the grapes in half and, using your hands, crumble the feta cheese.
In a large bowl, add the cooked wild rice, roasted almonds, grapes, and feta. Add the remaining olive oil mixture and toss to combine.
Stuff the Squash
Once the acorn squash is done is cooking, add the wild rice mixture to the inside of each squash (note: you may want to scoop more of the squash flesh out with a spoon once cooked to have more area to fill.
There will be extra of the wild rice mixture to serve on the side or eat as is).
Ingredients
- 2 medium acorn squash
- 1/4 cup olive oil divided
- 3 tablespoons maple syrup
- 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 cup unsalted almonds
- 2 cups wild rice cooked
- 1 cup California grapes
- 2/3 cup feta cheese
- Salt
- Pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 F.
- Wash the acorn squash and slice off the ends. Slice in half lengthwise and scoop out of the seeds.
- In a small bowl, mix together 3 tablespoons of olive oil with balsamic vinegar, maple syrup, salt and pepper.
- Brush the squash with the olive oil mixture (there will be a lot left – reserve the rest). Place on a lined baking sheet and bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes, until fork tender.
- While the squash is baking, roughly chop the almonds. Drizzle with the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil, salt and pepper. Add to the oven and bake for about 10 minutes, until lightly roasted.
- Bring a pot of water to a boil and add the wild rice. Turn the heat down and let the rice simmer, covered, for about 25-30 minutes.
- Slice the grapes in half and, using your hands, crumble the feta cheese.
- In a large bowl, add the cooked wild rice, roasted almonds, grapes, and feta. Add the remaining olive oil mixture and toss to combine.
- Once the acorn squash is done is cooking, add the wild rice mixture to the inside of each squash (note: you may want to scoop more of the squash flesh out with a spoon once cooked to have more area to fill. There will be extra of the wild rice mixture to serve on the side or eat as is).
