Stuffed Acorn Squash with Tomatoes, Spinach, and Goat Cheese

This vegetarian stuffed squash recipe doubles as a colorful, healthy main or side dish, and it reheats beautifully for workday lunches.

I love a basic roasted squash, but for this stuffed acorn squash recipe, I wanted bold flavors, bright colors, and a bevy of roasted vegetables. No rice or grains here, so it’s great for people seeking lower-carb and gluten-free options.

I first stumbled across this recipe at a restaurant about 10 years ago. It was so good, I became a regular, but sadly, the restaurant closed years ago. However, I couldn’t live without the stuffed squash. So I went to work in my kitchen and recreated it at home. While I usually make this on a weekend to reheat for weekday lunches, it’s gorgeous on a holiday table as a healthy side dish. I typically pair it with Roasted Turkey Breast or Baked Cranberry Chicken. Not a meat-eater? No worries. It’s also a beautiful vegetarian main dish. 

It’s one of my favorite fall and winter recipes because it makes good use of the acorn squash that’s plentiful throughout the season. Plus, it balances creamy and crunchy textures with sweet, savory, and tangy flavors. This recipe is a staple in my house, and I hope it becomes one in your house too. 

Ingredients for this Acorn Squash Recipe with Roasted Vegetables

• Pine nuts: These tiny and buttery nuts add a delightful crunch and nutty flavor to any dish. They’re like little flavor-packed powerhouses that add a little something special to this acorn squash recipe.
• Acorn squash, its vibrant orange flesh, subtle sweetness, and bowl shape, makes it a natural option for stuffing with all kinds of vegetables.
• Orange, yellow, or red bell pepper: These colorful bell peppers not only add a pop of vibrant hues to this recipe, but they also bring a mild, sweet flavor that complements the roasted acorn squash.
• Red onion: With its crisp texture and mild, slightly peppery flavor, red onion adds both crunch and color.
• Grape tomatoes: Bursting with sweet and juicy flavor, roasted grape tomatoes add a burst of acidity to balance the sweetness of the squash and the peppers. 
• Extra virgin olive oil: This liquid gold is the backbone of Mediterranean cooking, bringing its rich and fruity flavor to everything it touches. Any of our olive oils will work well in this recipe. 
• Oregano: A staple in Mediterranean cuisine, oregano brings a robust and earthy flavor to this recipe. 
• Dried basil: Packed with the fresh aroma and essence of summer, dried basil adds a subtle sweetness and herbal flavor to the roasted vegetables.
• Thyme: This fragrant herb with delicate leaves and woody stems adds a woodsy and lemony flavor. 
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper: Kosher salt helps every other flavor in this acorn squash recipe shine. A little pepper adds earthy warmth. 
• Baby spinach: These tender and vibrant green leaves add a pop of color, a boost of nutrition.
• Goat cheese (chevre): My love of chevre runs deep. Its creamy, tangy, and slightly tart flavor goes well with both sweet and savory recipes. I use it here to add almost a saucy texture as it softens with the heat of the roasted vegetables. Traditionally, goat cheese is made with animal rennet, but now many vegetarian goat cheese options are available. 

What to Serve with Stuffed Acorn Squash 

Pair this acorn squash recipe with other vegetarian show stoppers for a vegetarian feast. Try it with Whole Roasted Cauliflower, Vegetarian Stuffed Eggplant, and Vegetarian Moussaka. 

Use this stuffed squash recipe as a holiday side dish and serve with other celebratory favorites like Roasted Green Beans and Garlic Mashed Potatoes.

When it’s time to set the table, place them right next to Beef Tenderloin, Juicy Roasted Turkey Breast, or even a Whole Turkey when I’m feeding a crowd.

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5 from 22 votes

Stuffed Acorn Squash with Tomatoes, Spinach and Goat Cheese

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Summer Miller

Acorn squash is roasted and stuffed with bell peppers, grape tomatoes, spinach, and topped with crumbled goat cheese and toasted pine nuts. This stuffed acorn squash recipe is a lovely vegetarian main dish or healthy side, and it reheats beautifully for workday lunches.

Prep – 20 minutes mins

Cook – 40 minutes mins

Total – 1 hour hr

Cuisine:

Mediterranean/American

Serves – 4 people, as a main

Course:

Entree or Side Dish

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• ▢ 1/4 cup pine nuts
• ▢ 1 medium acorn squash, quartered and seeds removed
• ▢ 1 large orange, yellow or red bell pepper, diced
• ▢ 1 large red onion, diced
• ▢ 1 pint grape tomatoes
• ▢ 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• ▢ 1 1/4 teaspoons dried oregano
• ▢ 1 teaspoon dried basil
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• ▢ 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• ▢ 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• ▢ 3 big handfuls baby spinach (about 2 packed cups)
• ▢ 2 ounces goat cheese (chevre)

Instructions

 

• Heat the oven and toast the pine nuts. Set the oven to 400°F and let it warm up while you toast the pine nuts. Set a small dry skillet over medium high heat. Add the pine nuts. Stir and toss the pine nuts continuously for 3 to 5 minutes until they turn golden brown and fragrant. Remove from the heat.
• Roast the vegetables. Place the quartered squash flesh side up on one side of the baking sheet. Add the diced pepper, diced onions, and grape tomatoes to the other side. Drizzle all of the vegetables with olive oil and season with oregano, basil, thyme, salt, and pepper. Make sure you really rub the seasoning into the flesh of the squash. Use your hands to mix the tomatoes, onions, and peppers together. Spread everything out onto a single layer on the sheet pan and flip the squash quarters over so some of the flesh is touching the sheet pan. Place in the oven for 40 minutes, tossing halfway through and flipping the squash to the other flesh side.
• Test the squash. Pull the sheet pan out of the oven. Insert a fork into the flesh of the squash to make sure it's tender and cooked through before moving onto the next step.
• Wilt the spinach. Add the spinach to the tomato and onion mixture and use your spatula to fold it together as much as you can. You want to make sure the spinach is coated in the oil and vegetable juices (leave the squash alone). The spinach should wilt under the heat of the vegetables, but if it doesn't return the pan to the oven for about 5 minutes. Remove from oven, give the spinach a good stir with the tomato-onion mixture one or two more times.
• Serve. Remove from the oven. Place the squash quarters on individual plates or on one large platter. Toss the vegetables on the sheet pan once again. Taste and add a little more salt and pepper if needed, then spoon the roasted vegetables over the squash quarters. Top with crumbled goat cheese and toasted pine nuts.

Video

Notes

• Visit our shop to browse quality Mediterranean ingredients including olive oils, honey, jams, and spices.
  
• If your squash is particularly large, cut it into 8 wedges rather than 4. This allows you to serve more people and ensures the squash cooks at the same time as the other vegetables. You can also add the squash wedges to the sheet pan first and let them roast for about 15 minutes, before adding the remaining vegetables. 
• If you don’t have pine nuts you can also top this with toasted pecans or hazelnuts. 
• Swap the goat cheese for feta if you prefer. 

Nutrition

Calories: 308.3kcalCarbohydrates: 24.3gProtein: 6.5gFat: 22.7gSaturated Fat: 4.4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 4.5gMonounsaturated Fat: 12.2gCholesterol: 6.5mgSodium: 645.3mgPotassium: 834.3mgFiber: 5.2gSugar: 7.8gVitamin A: 1694.2IUVitamin C: 47.9mgCalcium: 109.4mgIron: 2.7mg

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