Wild Rice Stuffed Squash Recipe

Terri Edwards
6 days ago
2 min read

packed with plant compounds that protect the body

Easy, healthy, and nutritious!

This Wild Rice Stuffed Squash recipe is simple to prepare and makes a tasty side dish to the dinner meal, or have it for lunch on a cold, winter day.

Health benefits of this dish

Acorn squash is a winter gourd with sweet, orange flesh that is nutrient-dense, providing carbohydrates for energy, and many essential micronutrients that we need daily, as well as fiber (1).

As a good source of B vitamins like folate (B9), B6, and B1, consuming acorn squash can support cell growth, brain function, and energy metabolism, and the vitamin C that acorn squash provides helps strengthen blood vessels and bones (2) (3) (4) (5).

Packed with plant compounds like carotenoids, consuming acorn squash can help protect our cells from damage and reduce our risk for conditions like cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, fatty liver disease, and neurological disorders (6).

Here’s another recipe with acorn squash: Sweet & Nutty Quinoa Stuffed Acorn Squash

Wild rice is a type of grass that produces edible seeds with a chewy outer layer and soft inner layer after cooking (7).

Higher in many nutrients than white rice, wild rice provides complete protein, fiber, and essential vitamins like vitamins B1, B2, and E, as well as minerals like manganese, magnesium, phosphorus, and zinc (7) (8).

Wild rice consumption is associated with a reduced risk of metabolic diseases when it is consumed in place of other starchy carbohydrates, such as white rice and processed wheat starch (9).

Wild Rice Stuffed Squash Recipe

Ingredients:

2-4 acorn squash

½ onion, diced

2 garlic cloves, minced

½ cup celery, chopped

½ cup carrots, shredded

4 mushrooms, diced

4 ounces spinach/baby kale, chopped

¾ tsp. each: thyme, sage, rosemary

½ tsp. sea salt

¼ tsp. black pepper

1 cup cooked wild rice

1 tbsp. butter

¼ cup fresh cranberries

½ cup pecans, chopped (optional)

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Cut the tops off of the acorn squash (save the tops), scoop out the seeds, but leave the flesh. Set aside.

Put the butter into a large pan over medium heat and cook the onion until translucent. Add the garlic, celery, carrots, mushrooms, spinach/baby kale, cranberries, and cook for 5-10 minutes.