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!

Vegan Lentil and Quinoa Stuffed Acorn Squash on baking sheet

Easy Stuffed Acorn Squash for a stress-free holiday side or main

Roasted acorn squash is one of my favorite late fall and winter veggies. It’s definitely less dense than sweet potato, but still has that wonder cozy and hearty taste of fall.

This vegan lentil and quinoa stuffed acorn squash recipe has lately been on repeat in my home, as they’re so easy to prepare and a crowd-pleaser for all.

vegetarian stuffed acorn squash on baking sheet

Filled with a lentil and quinoa herbed salad that’s then baked in the acorn squash and topped with fresh herbs and pomegranate seeds, these stuffed acorn squashes are not only a great recipe for a fall meal prep dinner, but also for celebrating the holidays!

Make these roasted squash boats for a vegan Thanksgiving side dish option or even as a part of the main meal at Christmas Eve or Day dinner, and they’ll be sure to please all eaters, vegan, vegetarian, and more!

Vegan & Vegetarian Stuffed Acorn Squash Ingredients

One of my favorite parts about this quinoa stuffed acorn squash is that you don’t need any super expensive or fancy ingredients, making it a great appetizer or side dish for a holiday get together.

For these stuffed squashes, you’ll need:

  • Acorn squash
  • Lentils
  • Quinoa
  • Olive oil
  • Sea salt
  • Thyme
  • Rosemary
  • Pomegranate seeds

If you’d like, you can switch up the herbs or use whatever you have on hand. These squash boats are pretty customizable- you can add in nuts or seeds if you’d like as well!

roasted acorn squash

I wanted to keep the base recipe entirely nut-free though, so that they’re completely free of the Top 8 Allergens.

How to slice and bake acorn squash

Don’t let baking the acorn squashes intimidate you! It’s actually quite easy.

I prefer to slice my acorn squash in half after it’s been partially baked, as the seeds are much easier to remove, but you can slice it before you begin the baking process!

Simply wash 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.

roasted acorn squash halves

Then remove the seeds from the acorn squash using a fork. You can save them to be rinsed off and baked later on for a snack!

Next, brush the insides of the acorn squash with 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.

Then we’ll prepare the lentil and quinoa salad to be baked in the squash!

How to make vegan Lentil and Quinoa Stuffed Acorn Squash

After you’ve baked the acorn squash halves, then you can prepare to fill the halves with the lentil and quinoa salad to make the stuffed acorn squash.

The full measurements and directions are listed in the recipe card below. However, here are the basics:

  • You can prepare the lentils and quinoa however you prefer. I like to make them together in an Instant Pot. I have a whole guide on how to make super fluffy quinoa in the Instant Pot, which I highly recommend checking out! It’s something I do every week for my meal prep, and it’s not only a time saver, but the absolute best way I’ve found to make fluffy quinoa (and lentils! I just add the lentils right in with the quinoa).
  • Use fresh herbs instead of dried. It will be a much better flavor overall.
  • Drizzle with finishing olive oil when serving. I recommend using a finishing olive oil when serving the squash. A high-quality olive oil will yield the best flavor and make the quinoa stuffed acorn squash taste as if it’s come from a restaurant!
quinoa lentil acorn squash with hummus

What to serve with stuffed acorn squash

Whether you’re making this for your vegan Thanksgiving or holiday celebration, or just an easy healthy weeknight meal, here are a few of my favorite ways to serve these quinoa stuffed acorn squash boats!

  • Paired with roasted potatoes and Brussels sprouts. One of my favorite Thanksgiving side dishes, the Brussels sprouts get nice and crispy, much like restaurant-style!
  • With a fresh winter salad. I would use pine nuts (if not allergic to nuts), vegan parm, sliced citrus (like orange or grapefruit), and an apple cider vinaigrette over arugula.
  • As a side dish. While vegan lentil loaf is fantastic, let’s be honest: I really love Thanksgiving for the side dishes! Be sure to check out this vegan sweet potato casserole and these Whole30 mashed potatoes– truly my favorites!
  • With a winter slaw. My boyfriend’s mom makes this amazing vegan red cabbage slaw that tastes just out of this world. It’s a combination of shredded cabbage, slice carrots, celery, apple cider, olive oil, parsley, dill, and sea salt. Truly irresistible!
fork eating quinoa stuffed acorn squash with pomegranate seeds

I hope you love this vegan lentil and quinoa stuffed acorn squash recipe as much as I do! If you make it, be sure to comment down below how it went, along with giving it a rating so that others can find it!

As always, I absolutely love to see your beautiful creations on Instagram and Pinterest, so be sure to tag me there!

Happy stuffed acorn squash baking!

Want to save this recipe for later? Add it to your favorite recipe board on Pinterest!

Vegan Lentil and Quinoa Stuffed Acorn Squash Recipe Pinterest

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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

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