Stuffed acorn squash

When it comes to winter squash, the acorn variety is one of our favorites. Not only is the skin thin enough to eat (less waste! no peeling!), but the gourd’s petite size also makes for a perfect vessel. Who doesn’t love an edible bowl, particularly one crammed full of actual stuffing?

This version—brimming with cozy fall flavors like sage, mushrooms, and dried cranberries—bakes inside of the squash. It’s pretty customizable, too: You can swap dried cherries or chopped dates for the cranberries and even get creative with your choice of bread. Try 'em with our quick, meatless pantry gravy.

Stuffed Acorn Squash 

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients:

• 2 acorn squash, halved and seeds removed
• 3 tablespoons olive oil. divided
• 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt, divided
• ¾ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
• 4 cups ½-inch cubes day-old crusty bread, like ciabatta or sourdough*
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 2 celery stalks, diced
• 1 ½ cups shiitake or cremini mushrooms, roughly chopped 
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped sage 
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped 
• 2 cups chopped kale leaves (from 1 small bunch)
• ½ cup vegetable broth 
• ⅓ cup dried cranberries*
• 2 tablespoons plant-based butter

Procedure:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper.
2. Rub the insides of the acorn squash with 1 tablespoon olive oil and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Place the squash cut side down and roast until the flesh begins to soften, about 30 minutes. 
3. On another baking sheet, toss the bread cubes with 1 tablespoon olive oil and bake until golden, about 15 minutes. 
4. Meanwhile, heat remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large pot on medium heat. Add the onion, celery, mushrooms, sage, and ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper and cook until onions are translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add the kale and cook, stirring, until wilted, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the toasted bread, vegetable broth, cranberries, and remaining ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper. Cook until the bread has absorbed all of the broth, about 5 minutes. If the mixture looks dry, add another splash of broth.
5. Once the squash are tender, remove them from the oven and fill each with about 1 cup of stuffing. Top each with 1½ teaspoons butter, arranged in dots. Return to the oven and bake until the squash are very tender and the stuffing is golden brown, about 20 minutes.  

Notes and Substitutions:

• You can prepare the entire dish up to two days ahead of time, but stop before the final bake. Once ready to cook, bake in the oven as directed. 
• If you don’t have ciabatta or sourdough, any leftover stale-ish bread will do. Cornbread or focaccia would be superb here.
• You can also swap the dried cranberries for any bitsy dried fruit, like raisins, cherries, or chopped dates.