This Wild Rice Stuffed Squash is a hearty, healthy, and delicious complete meal. Each tender roasted squash half is stuffed with a seasonal wild rice mixture of sausage, toasted pecans, dried cranberries, onions, and celery.
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Wild Rice Stuffed Squash
This Wild Rice Stuffed Squash combines protein, veggies, and healthy wild rice into one delicious recipe. Each portion of roasted squash is absolutely filled to the brim with a hearty mixture of earthy wild rice, toasted pecans, savory sausage, and caramelized onions. The stuffing with wild rice is seasoned lightly and cooked with dried cranberries, a touch of brown sugar, and fresh citrus. Talk about delicious!
To make this meal vegetarian, simply remove the sausage and replace the chicken broth with veggie broth. You can also feel free to add or swap out various veggies such as spinach, mushrooms, or bell peppers. It’s a beautiful, delicious, and healthy meal to serve for winter holidays, dinner parties, or cozy nights in.
Ingredients in Wild Rice Stuffed Squash
- Squash - either butternut squash or acorn squash work best for this recipe. They hold up well in the oven once they are baked and are a perfect size for stuffing with the rice mixture. Each squash should be cut in half lengthwise with the seeds scooped out before roasting.
- Olive Oil - you’ll need this to brush over the squash before roasting. You could also use avocado oil if you prefer.
- Wild Rice - any wild rice mix will work well. You could also make this recipe using brown rice - be sure and follow the package directions for cooking.
- Chicken Broth - using broth instead of water gives your rice so much more flavor. If you want to make this recipe vegetarian, substitute vegetable stock instead.
- Pecans - you can buy pecans already chopped or chop them yourself. For even more flavor, make sure to toast them.
- Sausage - you can use any kind of ground sausage or ground beef that you’d like. Even ground turkey or ground chicken would taste great.
- Butter - this is for cooking the onions and celery. While I find that the buttery flavor is perfect for this dish, you could substitute olive oil if you prefer.
- Brown Sugar - a little bit of light or dark brown sugar really balances the flavors.
- Onions - either white or yellow onions work great.
- Celery - I like to cut the celery into a small dice.
- Dried Cranberries - these add flavor as well as texture. You could also use raisins or dried cherries.
- Orange Juice and Zest - fresh orange juice tastes best. Make sure and zest your oranges before squeezing the juice out.
- Salt and Pepper
- Parsley - fresh parsley as a garnish adds a nice pop of color and fresh flavor.
How to Make Acorn Squash Stuffed With Wild Rice
- Cook the wild rice. In a saucepan over medium high heat, add the wild rice and chicken broth. Bring to a boil, then cover and turn down heat to a low simmer. Let the rice cook for about 45 minutes, or until the liquid has absorbed and the rice is tender.
- Roast the squash. Cut the squash in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds. Drizzle with a little olive oil and rub all around the cut side of the squash. Season with salt and pepper, then place the squash cut-side down on a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake the acorn squash in the preheated 400 degree oven for 30 minutes, or until the squash is softened slightly but still not quite fork tender. Remove squash from the oven and set aside.
- Toast the pecans. While the rice and the squash are cooking, heat a separate large skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped pecans and cook while stirring occasionally until the nuts are golden and very aromatic. Remove the nuts from the pan and set aside. Wipe the pan clean.
- Cook the sausage. Return the saucepan to medium heat and add the sausage. Cook over medium heat while stirring until the sausage is no longer pink. Transfer cooked sausage to a paper towel lined plate to drain.
- Cook the onion mixture. Return the same pan to medium heat and add the butter, brown sugar, and chopped onions. Cook for about 10 minutes, or until the onions are lightly caramelized. Add the celery and dried cranberries to the onions, cooking and stirring until the celery is translucent and tender. Finally, add the orange zest, orange juice, salt, and pepper and cook until the entire mixture is warm and well-combined. Add the cooked wild rice to the onion mixture along with the cooked sausage and toasted pecans.
- Stuff and roast the squash. Flip the cooked squash so that they are now cut side up. Fill each squash with the wild rice mixture and return to the oven to bake the wild rice stuffed acorn squash for another 10-15 minutes, or until the squash is fork tender.
- Serve. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly, then garnish with parsley and serve warm. Enjoy!
Frequently Asked Questions
You can make the rice mixture up to a day in advance, then store it in the fridge overnight. The next day, roast your squash as directed, remove from the oven, fill with the prepared rice mixture, and finish baking.
You can reheat leftovers either in the microwave or in a preheated 350 degree oven for about 15 minutes, or until warmed through.
The way I like to eat Stuffed Squash is to dig into both the rice mixture and cooked squash halves, scooping out the flesh with a spoon or fork. I don’t eat the skin, however it’s perfectly edible if you don’t want to waste it!
There’s no need to peel the squash first. In fact, the skin helps hold the squash together and acts almost like a bowl to the entire dish once it’s served.
Storing and Reheating
- Refrigerator: store leftovers in an airtight container, or wrapped well with aluminum foil, in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- To reheat: leftovers can be reheated in the microwave or a 350 degree oven for about 15 minutes, or until warmed through.
Wild Rice Stuffed Squash Recipe
Ingredients
Wild Rice
- 1 cup Wild Rice Mix
- 2½ cups Chicken Broth can substitute vegetable broth
- ½ cup Pecans chopped
- 1 pound Ground Sausage regular or maple flavored
- 3 Tablespoons Butter
- 1 Tablespoon Brown Sugar
- 3 cups Onion white or yellow, diced
- ½ cup Celery diced
- ½ cup Dried Cranberries
- ½ teaspoon Orange Zest
- 2 Tablespoons Orange Juice
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- ¼ teaspoon Pepper
Squash
- 3 medium Squash acorn squash or butternut squash
- 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- ¼ teaspoon Pepper
- 2 Tablespoons Parsley fresh, chopped for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
- In a saucepan over medium high heat, add the wild rice and chicken broth. Bring to a boil, then cover and turn down heat to a low simmer. Let the rice cook for about 45 minutes, or until the liquid has absorbed and the rice is tender.
- Cut the squash in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds. Drizzle with a little olive oil and rub all around the cut side of the squash. Season with salt and pepper, then place the squash cut-side down on a parchment lined baking sheet.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes, or until the squash is softened slightly but still not quite fork tender. Remove squash from the oven and set aside.
- While the rice and the squash are cooking, heat a separate saucepan over medium heat. Add the chopped pecans and cook while stirring occasionally until the nuts are golden and very aromatic. Remove the nuts from the pan and set aside. Wipe the pan clean.
- Return the saucepan to medium heat and add the sausage. Cook over medium heat while stirring until the sausage is no longer pink. Transfer cooked sausage to a paper towel lined plate to drain.
- Return the same pan to medium heat and add the butter, brown sugar, and chopped onions. Cook for about 10 minutes, or until the onions are lightly caramelized.
- Add the celery and dried cranberries to the onions, cooking and stirring until the celery is translucent and tender. Finally, add the orange zest, orange juice, salt, and pepper and cook until the entire mixture is warm and well-combined.
- Once the rice has finished cooking, add it to the onion mixture along with the cooked sausage and toasted pecans.
- Flip the cooked squash so that they are now cut side up. Fill each squash with the wild rice mixture and return to the oven to bake for another 10-15 minutes, or until the squash is fork tender.
- Remove from the oven and let cool slightly, then garnish with parsley and serve warm. Enjoy!
Nutrition
More Of Our Favorite Fall Dinner Ideas
- Cheese Stuffed Pasta Shells
- Herb-Crusted Top Round Roast
- Slow Cooker Chicken Noodle Soup
- Southwest Black Bean Soup
- Oven-Roasted Chicken and Potatoes
- White Chicken Chili
- Air Fryer Squash Recipe
- Cornbread Stuffing
- Baked Mac and Cheese
- Thanksgiving Wild Rice
- More Holiday Recipes
- More Rice Recipes
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This Wild Rice Stuffed Squash recipe has it all - tender roasted squash, nutty wild rice, sauteed veggies, toasted pecans, and savory sausage. It's a delicious meal that's easy to make, super impressive, and perfect for all types of winter get togethers.
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