This ridiculously satisfying vegan sausage stuffed acorn squash recipe is filled to the brim with a quick and easy herby & rich homemade vegan “sausage,” kale, and apple filling using ground tofu! Perfect for an easy autumn and winter weeknight meal with tons of leftovers or a fun and festive vegetarian and vegan friendly side dish or main dish for Thanksgiving and the holidays! AND you can easily prep this roasted stuffed acorn squash ahead of time for seamless holiday hosting!

And if you’re craving all of the wintery stuffed squash recipes, definitely check out my roasted lentil and walnut stuffed butternut squash with sage and mushrooms for another hearty vegan dinner that’s perfect for the holidays!

Why you’ll love this recipe:

  • Straight up comfort food: My husband quite literally houses an entire squash (yes, two whole halves) all to himself every time I make this because it’s just THAT good. I will say that somehow this stuffed acorn squash is the perfect balance of ridiculously comforting while also being not too heavy that you feel like you need a nap. Just enough to warm you up on those cozy winter nights!
  • Easy plant-based ingredients: Nothing is unfamiliar here. My main reason for starting this blog was because I was so tired of having the boring vegan option and wanted my family to actually CRAVE what I was having. So we’re sticking to the basics here of emphasizing flavor, satisfying texture, and deliciously nostalgic comfort food all with things that are probably already in your pantry!
  • Make-ahead option: I love prepping this dish at the start of the week and letting the leftovers roll into the busy weeknights!
  • Delicious holiday side or main: Honestly, it could go either way! With sides like my kale and squash salad recipe and classic vegan dinner rolls, this stuffed acorn squash recipe could absolutely be the star. But if you’re craving something else for a main (my family AWLAYS wants my vegan lentil loaf for the holidays!) then let this be an easy preppable side dish for a stress-free holiday 🙂

Key Ingredients:

  • Acorn squash: You can also use delicata squash or butternut squash- but I do have a phenomenal vegan stuffed butternut squash recipe!
  • Extra firm tofu: You can also use firm, but please don’t use silken tofu. I personally like the texture best with extra firm tofu, but silken will be absolute mush and will not work!
  • Onion & Garlic
  • Fresh thyme: The combination of savory herbs gives this tofu sausage that classic Thanksgiving stuffing flavor. I use a similar blend of rosemary, thyme, and sage in my buttery vegan Thanksgiving stuffing with fresh herbs and vegetables.
  • Nutmeg & Black pepper: For the sausage flavor!
  • Fennel seeds: This is what really gives our tofu that “sweet sausage” flavor. Don’t skip this!
  • Maple syrup & Soy sauce: More flavor enhancers to make the ground tofu taste like traditional sweet sausage. The soy sauce adds a nice umami flavor, while the maple syrup compliments that sweet fennel.
  • Kale: I used Lacinato kale here because I found it was the easiest to slice and integrate into the filling, but you can also use curly kale as well.
  • Apple: This gives us a nice texture variation in our filling, along with a little kick of sweet and tart to bring home all of those autumn flavors!
  • Vegan mozzarella cheese: This is optional…not in my family, at least, but it totally can be 😂My family loves a pour of my homemade vegan mozzarella on top for cheesy goodness. You can also use store-bought or just omit entirely!

Britt’s Tip: The Best Way To Slice Acorn Squash For This Recipe:

When I was first testing this recipe, I really LOVED the idea of slicing the acorn squash widthwise into little bowls- the top half and the bottom half each becoming their own little vehicle for the stuffing. However, I soon learned this will largely depend on the acorn squash available to you.

Some are shaped very easily to do this, others, it’s best to slice them in half lengthwise, as pictured here. You can really do either, but I often prefer the lengthwise slice.

I find it cooks a bit more consistently (but then again, this could also just be what I found in my testing with the squash available to me!).

How To Make Vegan Stuffed Acorn Squash

What to pair with stuffed acorn squash:

Whether you’re making this tofu-sausage stuffed acorn squash as the main dish or side dish, it pairs wonderfully with:

If you’re planning your full holiday menu, definitely check out my favorite vegan Thanksgiving main dishes and classic holiday side recipes! Fully approved by the non-vegans by the way 😉

Storage & Make-Ahead Tips:

Make-ahead: You can pre-roast the squash a day ahead, or even fill the squash boats before doing the final roasting of the squash the day of serving!

Storage: Store either the fully baked or the half-baked version of your vegan stuffed acorn squash in an airtight container and in the fridge for up to 5 days. If you’re doing the make-ahead version, I recommend storing for no more than a day ahead for the best flavor.

Stuffed Acorn Squash FAQ’s

What should I do with leftovers?

I LOVE repurposing leftovers into a big vegan dump-and-bake winter casserole! I’ll throw in some leftover wild rice from previous nights, a little extra veggie brother to rehydrate everything, and even add in some cooked beans, like cannellini or chickpeas! I sometimes pour a little bit of my liquid vegan mozzarella cheese on top as well for extra cheesy goodness.

How much filling do I really need for stuffed acorn squash?

When testing this recipe, I developed the filling to yield approximately 4 generous cups of vegan ‘sausage’ stuffing. That will fill 2 rather large acorn squashes cut in half for 4 portions.

I don’t like tofu…can I swap in anything else?

Absolutely! I used to make this recipe with lentils as well, and it’s really good (but definitely a different vibe). In my testing, I liked to use about 2 cups cooked brown or green lentils. Make sure to cook them in veggie broth, like in my stuffed butternut squash recipe, to make them extra flavorful!

Can I use a different squash?

Absolutely! While I really LOVE acorn squash with this recipe, it will also work with delicata squash, kabocha, butternut squash, and sweet dumpling squash. Obviously, you’ll need more or less squash to match the filling, depending on how big the squash variety is. I wouldn’t recommend spaghetti squash as my only one to stay away from, as it’s very watery and stringy.

Can I eat the skin of an acorn squash?

Yes absolutely! That’s why I particularly love this recipe- the entire boat is edible, from the stuffing to the peel of the corn squash!

🌟MADE THIS RECIPE & LOVED IT?🌟I’d love it if you’d like a comment and a rating ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ below! This helps others to find the recipes! As always, I absolutely love to see your beautiful creations on Instagram and Pinterest, so be sure to tag me there as well!

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Vegan Lentil and Quinoa Stuffed Acorn Squash on baking sheet

Vegan Lentil and Quinoa Stuffed Acorn Squash

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  • Author: thebananadiaries
  • Prep Time: 20
  • Cook Time: 60
  • Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
  • Yield: 4 1x
  • Category: Dinner
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: American
  • Diet: Vegan
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Description

This super easy vegan lentil and quinoa stuffed acorn squash recipe makes for the best healthy Thanksgiving side dish or main! Garnished with fresh pomegranate seeds, this gluten free and vegan side dish is the perfect recipe for all eaters!

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 large acorn squash
  • 2 cups cooked quinoa
  • 2 cups cooked lentils
  • 1 tbsp fresh rosemary
  • 1 tbsp fresh thyme
  • 2 tbsp olive oil, divided
  • Sea salt to taste
  • Pomegranate seeds, nuts, seeds to garnish

Equipment:

Instructions

  1. Prepare the acorn squash halves: ash the acorn squash and use a large kitchen knife to slice almost exactly in the middle. You’ll need to avoid the stem, as you won’t be able to slice through that.Then remove the seeds from the acorn squash using a fork. You can save them to be rinsed off and baked later on. Next, brush the insides of the acorn squash with 1 tbsp olive oil and sprinkle a little sea salt on top. If you’re slicing the acorn squash halfway through the baking process, you’ll do this part after you’ve sliced through them. Place the acorn squash halves onto a baking sheet and bake in the oven at 400F for 45 minutes. Keep the oven on.
  2. Prepare the lentil and quinoa salad. I recommend cooking the quinoa and lentils together in an Instant Pot. However, you can prepare them however you like best. Once the quinoa and lentils are cooked, add the two to a medium bowl and toss in the rosemary, thyme, olive oil, and sea salt to taste.
  3. Fill each acorn squash with about 1/2 cup of the quinoa lentil salad. They will be slightly overflowing, which is fine. 
  4. Place the acorn squash halves back onto the baking sheet and bake for 15-18 minutes, or until the rims of the acorn squash have begun to lightly brown. 
  5. Remove the acorn squash halves from the oven and carefully transfer them to a serving tray or plates. Garnish with pomegranate seeds, nuts, seeds, and more fresh herbs. Drizzle with finishing olive oil and serve!

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 stuffed acorn squash half
  • Calories: 317
  • Sugar: 2.6 g
  • Sodium: 11.1 mg
  • Fat: 9.4 g
  • Saturated Fat: 1.3 g
  • Carbohydrates: 47.6 g
  • Fiber: 11.9 g
  • Protein: 13.6 g
  • Cholesterol: 0 mg