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:
- Baking sheet
- Instant Pot (for quinoa + lentils)
Instructions
- 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.
- 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.
- Fill each acorn squash with about 1/2 cup of the quinoa lentil salad. They will be slightly overflowing, which is fine.
- 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.
- 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