Rice and mushroom stuffed acorn squash can be served as a side for your Thanksgiving feast, or as a  hearty dinner all season long. The roasted acorn squash is stuffed with a flavorful rice mixture that includes mushrooms, cranberries, and pomegranate arils. A healthy and delicious crowd pleaser for both vegetarians and non-vegetarians! 

I have been pretty adventurous in the kitchen this fall. I’ve been creating a lot of new recipes with ingredients that I have never tried before. 

I see beautiful pictures of stuffed acorn squash on Pinterest and the covers of magazines every fall. And every fall, I say to myself, “I should try that.” Of course, it never happens. Well, not this year my friends! I actually bought acorn squash for the first time in my life and created what I call a “blog-worthy recipe”! 

The squash is roasted and then stuffed with a delicious mixture of rice, mushrooms, cranberries, pomegranate arils, toasted pecans, and fresh thyme. The cranberries and pomegranate arils add the perfect amount of sweetness to the savory flavors. 

Tammy’s Tips for Making Rice and Mushroom Stuffed Acorn Squash

I purchased the largest acorn squash I could find. If you are making this as a side dish, you can pick smaller sized squash.

To prepare the squash cut it in half length-wise using a sharp knife. Be careful because these suckers can be tricky to cut! Scoop out the seeds and all the stringy stuff. I used an ice cream scooper.

There are varying opinions on whether the squash should be brushed with olive oil before roasting and whether it should be cooked flesh side up or down. I chose to omit the olive oil. I sprinkled it with salt and pepper and roasted it flesh side down. 

The first time I made the rice I used Lundberg Sprouted Tri-Color Blend Rice. The second time I made it, I used Trader Joe’s Sprouted Organic California Rice. Both are a mix of organic sprouted brown, red, and black rice and both were delish.

You can use any whole grain rice, but I love the combination of brown, red, and black. When making this dish, follow the directions for cooking the rice on the package. I used the Lundberg Rice and substituted broth for the water.

When purchasing dried cranberries be sure to get unsweetened cranberries. Cranberries should be the only ingredient listed on the label.

There are a few steps to making this dish, but I promise they are all super simple and totally worth it!

 Whether served as a main or side dish, this rice and mushroom stuffed acorn squash is a unique and impressive addition for any gathering you may be hosting during this festive season!