Reasons You’ll Love Roasted Acorn Squash Stuffed with Basil Fried Rice and Garlic Tahini Sauce

• • The easiest, prettiest recipe you’ll make all holiday season! This recipe is a surefire winner any time of year, but the pomegranates really make it festive. However, it’s a great recipe for any time of year.
  • Inexpensive household ingredients are the main attraction! These days groceries (esp. produce) are expensive. This stuffed acorn squash recipe costs about $1.50 per serving. Wow!
  • Super low maintenance when it comes to the actual cooking. There are no complicated steps. Every step is very straightforward.
  • It gets rid of those pesky acorn squash you don’t know what to do with. And this feels great! No more wasted produce!

Roasted Acorn Squash Stuffed with Basil Fried Rice and Lemon Garlic Tahini Ingredients 

To make our Roasted Acorn Squash recipe, check out our Basil Fried Rice and Lemon Garlic Tahini recipe, and be sure to watch our video titled “How to Roast an Acorn Squash.”

• Acorn Squash – Of course! A ripe Acorn Squash will feel heavy for its size and has smooth, dull skin without any soft spots. A good mix between green and orange coloring is desired. Avoid an Acorn Squash with shiny skin that indicates it was picked before full maturity unless the producer has applied wax.
• Basil Fried Rice – We use Riann’s recipe for basil fried rice. You can use endless varieties of fried rice to stuff your acorn squash. You can also use quinoa, couscous, beans, or a simple veggie mixture. Whatever you use, be sure to stuff your acorn squash all the way! 
• Garlic Lemon Tahini Dressing – We use our own recipe. But, if you’re in a pinch, you can buy the dressing from the grocery store. But it’s so easy to make your own, so why not give it a try? 

How To Make Roasted Acorn Squash Stuffed with Basil Fried Rice and Lemon Garlic Tahini

Roast those acorn squash! For a detailed tutorial and instructions on roasting acorn squash properly, please look at our how-to! But, to simplify: Start by pre-heating your oven to 350 degrees F. Then, halve your acorn squash either horizontally or vertically and remove the seeds and other guts. Rub olive oil, salt, and pepper into each squash half, ensuring they are all entirely coated. Place them face down on a sheet-lined pan, and then, using a fork, poke a few holes in the back of each for steam to release. Bake for 35-40 minutes, and voila!

Tahini preparation time – Unless you already have some in the fridge! Again, for a more detailed how-to prepare our favorite garlic tahini dressing, please visit the linked page! In short: Place tahini, crushed garlic cloves, and lemon juice in a food processor or blender. As you pulse the ingredients together, add a little bit of water at a time until you reach your desired consistency. I like to add salt at the end so I can have some idea of what it tasted like without it, but feel free to add it in with the water.

The best part… the Basil Fried Rice! To start, you’ll need rice! Whether it’s pre-cooked or you’d like to use our instructional on how to make the perfect jasmine rice, make sure you have a few cups on hand! Leftovers work great, too. We also have an in-depth recipe walk-through on basil fried rice that goes into specifics, but to condense that: Prep your veggies, including your aromatics, in the size you prefer. I usually mince the aromatics and dice the rest, but it’s up to you! Add some olive oil to a large skillet over low-medium heat and once the oil is glistening, add your aromatics. Cook those alone until they soften and are fragrant, then add the rest of your veggies. Stir occasionally until they are thoroughly cooked, then push them to the outer sides of the pan. Add the rice directly to the newly-cleared center of the pan, swish on your liquid aminos/tamari, and mix it all together! Allow to crisp a bit on the bottom, top with some fresh basil, and you’re ready for the next step!

Finally, some assembly is required! Now that you’ve compiled all the components, we can put them together! After releasing the steam from your acorn squash, stuff them until they overflow with your basil-fried rice. Then, drizzle (or pour, LOL) your garlic tahini dressing over the entire stuffed squash. You’re now ready to eat, my friend!

WATCH ME MAKE THIS RECIPE

Stuffed Acorn Squash Tips & Tricks

These little tips and tricks will make this simple dish even easier.

• • Prepare the tahini dressing ahead of time and use it on almost anything! We always have this tahini recipe on hand because you can use it on SO many things! 
  • Any grain-based filling works; we just love this particular fried rice recipe! Make your fried rice with whatever you have on hand. Any nuts or veggies will do the trick!
  • Replicate this with any other squash that’s roastable, and we’re sure you’ll get a delicious variation. Spaghetti squash is a great replacement, but any other squash will work too!
  • Serve them in bowls; it’ll make your life a lot easier. We advocate for making things easier!

Simple Roasted Acorn Squash Stuffed with Basil Fried Rice and Garlic Tahini Sauce Frequently Asked Questions

• • I don’t have acorn squash – can I use butternut squash? You sure can! This particular recipe should work with just about any squash or gourd you’ll find at the supermarket. All have a similar buttery, neutral flavor, so they all will still complement the filling and tahini.
  • I don’t feel like making fried rice. Is there any equivalent? Although I recommend trying this recipe out at least once, you can fill the squash with whatever you think you’d enjoy! Leftover stuffing, quinoa, couscous, or even plain mixed veggies would hit the spot!
  • Can I freeze them? Indeed, I recommend freezing all of the separate components separately for the best results! Just set your oven to 350 degrees and use a sheet pan to reheat the squash! For the rice, throw some olive oil in a pan and toss it around. Sometimes the second cook turns out better, LOL.
  • How long will these store in the fridge? I’d say they comfortably store up to two days in the refrigerator, although you could get away with three, it just wouldn’t be as fresh!

Roasted Acorn Squash Stuffed with Basil Fried Rice and Garlic Tahini Sauce Serving Suggestions

• • The perfect addition to any Thanksgiving or Christmas Dinner plate!
  • Our five-ingredient bread with a slather of butter!
  • A steaming cup of hot cider!
  • On top of our pear and arugula salad!

This Roasted Acorn Squash stuffed with basil-fried rice and drizzled with garlic tahini dressing might just be my favorite recipe this holiday season. It’s delicious comfort food that makes sure you eat all of your vegetables without the sacrifice of still being hungry afterward. Serving this at any fall or winter get-together will be sure to be a crowd favorite, and portion sizing is easy… everyone gets a half!