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Winter Squash Stuffed with Wild Rice, Toasted Pecans & Dried Cherries

Winter Squash Stuffed with Wild Rice, Toasted Pecans & Dried Cherries

I love finding a recipe that will be my new go-to recipe for entertaining. We served this as a main course using acorn squash, and the next evening as a side using pumpkins. The rice is amazing alone, but paired with the winter squash, it is remarkable, and it would be beautiful gracing any holiday table.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 55 minutes
Servings: 12
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Calories: 275
Ingredients Method Nutrition Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 6 acorn squashes or 20 mini-pumpkins
  • 2 tablespoons plus 1 tablespoon olive oil, divided
  • 2 medium onions
  • 3 stalks celery
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried sage
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 cups wild rice blend (I used Lundberg Wild Rice Blend)
  • 3 cups vegetable stock
  • 3/4 cup pecans
  • 1/2 cup dried cherries
  • 1 cup scallion greens
  • salt and pepper, to taste

Method
 

  1. Cover the rice with water and soak for several hours. Drain.
  2. Cut the acorn squash in half and scrape out the seeds and membranes. Or, cut the tops off of the pumpkins and scoop out the seeds and the membranes, reserving the tops.
  3. Brush the insides of the squash with 2 tablespoons olive oil.
  4. Cover a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Place the squash cut side down on the paper.
  5. Chop the celery and dice the onion.
  6. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).
  7. In an oven-proof pan, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium-high heat.
  8. Add the onion and celery and cook, stirring regularly, until the vegetables are translucent.
  9. Add the salt and the sage. Mix well.
  10. Stir in the rice and cook for two or three minutes to toast it.
  11. Add the vegetable stock. Stir and cover with lid.
  12. Place the squash and the rice in the preheated oven for 45 minutes or until the liquids have absorbed in the rice and the flesh of the squash is tender. Remove from oven. Let the rice sit for 10 minutes.
  13. While the rice is sitting, heat a small skillet over medium-high heat. Add the pecans and toast about two or three minutes, stirring constantly.
  14. Remove from heat and roughly chop the pecans. Chop the cherries. Slice the scallion greens.
  15. Add the pecans, cherries, and scallion greens to the rice. Mix well. Add salt and pepper to taste.
  16. Place the squash in the serving dish.
  17. Spoon the rice mixture into the squash.

Nutrition

Calories: 275kcalCarbohydrates: 50gProtein: 7gFat: 7gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gSodium: 351mgPotassium: 963mgFiber: 7gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 1232IUVitamin C: 27mgCalcium: 100mgIron: 2mg

Notes

Makes about 12 main dish servings or about 20 side dishes. Low in saturated fat, no cholesterol, low in sodium, low in sugar, and high in vitamin C.

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