This time of year, everything becomes about squash. Personally, this makes me happy because I enjoy most squash varieties and eating seasonally. However, butternut and pumpkin get most of the attention and on top of that, most of the fall squash related recipes trending out there are all very American cuisine based. If you’re looking for a fall recipe that’s healthy, filling, and a departure from the traditional American fall recipes, try this Mexican Inspired Stuffed Acorn Squash.
The first time I tried an acorn squash I was about 10 years old and my mother have made a recipe somewhat similar to this one from a vegetarian magazine. My mother rarely cooked, so I was perplexed by this choice of meal. We were not a squash family. The only squash in out diets was zucchini from beef stroganoff and pumpkin pie. I had never even noticed acorn squash at the store until that fateful night.
Unlike butternut and pumpkin, acorn squash doesn’t taste like all that much. It carries a sort of soft, buttery taste that is perfect for presenting with stronger ingredients. This recipe works well because the squash is plain enough to pair well with the crunchy poblanos, salty cotija, spicy cayenne, and bright lime juice. It also looks impressive but it a perfect recipe for beginners in the kitchen and can be ready in just over an hour.
Tell me below in the comments, have you ever had acorn squash?
Ingredients
- Acorn squash
- Mexican style Rice A Roni
- Yellow corn
- Black beans
- Diced tomatoes
- Poblano peppers
- Sour cream
- Onion powder
- Garlic powder
- Cayenne pepper
- Salt
- Paprika
- Chili Powder
- Cumin
- Chili lime seasoning
- Cotija cheese
- Cilantro
- Lime juice
. I’ve chosen to use Rice A Roni in this recipe because it’s fast to cook and it comes pre-seasoned. I find that cutting little corners like using boxed rice instead of making my own Mexican style rice encourages me to cook more often because I don’t have to make everything from scratch. However, if you prefer to make your own rice for this dish then by all means, go ahead! Just keep in mind that the seasonings will need to be adjusted from this recipe.
. The canned produce items can be switched out for other variations depending on your preference. Yellow corn is sweeter than white corn, but you can always use white instead, or a different kind of bean, or even seasoned diced tomatoes. Work with what you’ve got!
. Poblanos are very similar in flavor and texture to green bell peppers, only they’ve got a small added spicy kick. On the scale of spicy peppers, these are still pretty mild, but if spicy isn’t your thing, sub the poblanos with green bell peppers instead.
. If you don’t live near a Trader Joes, you likely won’t have access to a chili lime seasoning. As a substitute, use an extra 1/4ish tsp of chili powder, the zest of a fresh lime, and the juice from half that lime. It isn’t the exact same, but both variations are tasty.
How to Make this Squash
To make this dish, start by preheating the oven to 400°. While the oven heats to the correct temperature, take each squash and carefully cut them in half width-wise (hamburger style). If you mess up and cut them length-wise, don’t fret. You can still continue with the recipe. Once the squashes are cut in halves, take a spoon and scoop out the soft fibrous tissue from the center with all the seeds in it. Good on you if you save the seeds to plant them later, but either way scoop out all the soft flesh plus a little extra of the hard squash from the center, just to give yourself some extra room to fill later.
Next, cut off the tip of the squash halves so they can sit stable and even on the baking sheet of plate. Place them on a lined baking sheet and drizzle on a dash of oil (I recommend olive but any oil will do). Rub the oil into all the exposed squash flesh, then sprinkle with salt and pepper and bake about 35-40 minutes until soft and tender. Test your squash with a fork and if it’s not soft enough to pierce yet then pop it back in the continue cooking. Hot tip: try to pick squashes all roughly the same size so they’ll bake within the same amount of time.
While the squash bakes make your filling. Start off by reading the Rice A Roni directions. Follow the instructions, but make it with 1/4 cup less water than stated on the box. When the rice is done, stir in the drained corn, beans, and tomato. Chop up the poblanos and add them too, as well as the sour cream and spices. Mix it all up and once the squash is out of the oven, spoon the rice filling into each center hole. It’s ok to overfill these a bit.
What to Pair this With
These are pretty robust on their own, but personally I like to add chopped fresh cilantro, cotija cheese, chili powder, and lime juice on top. This would pair well with a salad of dark leafy greens topped by perhaps a chipotle pepper or avocado based dressing.
Vegetarian Mexican Inspired Stuffed Acorn Squash
Ingredients
- 3 acorn squashes, all roughly the same size
- 1 box Rice A Roni, Mexican style
- 1 15oz can yellow corn kernels
- 1 15oz can black beans
- 1 15oz can diced tomatoes
- 2 poblano peppers, chopped
- 1/3 cup lite sour cream
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp paprika
- 1/2 tsp chili powder
- 1/2 tsp cumin
- 1/2 tsp Trader Joes Chili Lime Seasoning, or sub an extra dash chili powder, the zest of a lime, and juice from half that lime
Optional Toppings
- cotija cheese
- chili powder
- fresh cilantro leaves
- lime juice
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°.
- While the oven preheats, cut the squash in half hamburger style, then scoop out the seeds. You may want to do a little extra scooping to make extra room for the filling.
- Once the inside is scooped out, cut the ends off each side so they stand upright, then rub the flesh on the inside with a little olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- Bake for 35-40 minutes or until tender with a fork. Bake time depends on the squash size.
- While the squash bakes, prepare the filling. Start by making your boxed rice. Follow the instructions but leave out 1/4 cup water.
- Once it's cooked, add the canned ingredients, peppers, sour cream, and spices. Mix and taste, then adjust as needed.
- Bring the rice filling to fully heated, then stuff into the baked squash halves. Top with cilantro, cotija cheese, and chili powder.
1 thought on “Mexican Inspired Stuffed Acorn Squash”
I think I’ve had acorn squash but I’ve never cooked with it. I look forward to making this! Not even sure why I bought TJ’s chili-lime seasoning, but now I have a reason to use it. XXXXOOOO