Vegan Stuffed Acorn Squash With Creamy Mushroom & Leek Quinoa

My December feed on my socials is filled with sweet desserts and pastries and rightfully so, this month is the biggest baking month of the year! But all those sweet treats made me crave something savory, and what do you know? I was drawn to this gorgeous acorn squash at the market. I’ve worked with almost every squash, but never with acorn, so I was excited to cook something up with her!

If You’re New Here, Welcome

In case you’re new here, welcome! I share a lot about food, but I should probably start by saying I’m still very new to the cooking and culinary world. Growing up here in America with my mom, while the rest of my family was back in Belarus, I didn’t experience much home cooking. My mom worked double shifts, so I was often on my own. That meant I had to cook for myself, which usually looked like oatmeal, pelmeni, cereal, Chef Boyardee (does that still exist?), or whatever else was lying around the house.

So where am I going with this? Even after attending culinary school, I was still intimidated by a lot of produce. Squash scared me. Yes, I said it, squash scared me! But I’m here to tell you that unfamiliar vegetables are only scary because you haven’t cooked with them yet. It’s kind of like high school: that popular girl seems intimidating at first, but once you actually talk to her, she’s not so scary after all.

How to Roast an Acorn Squash (Beginner-Friendly)

1. Prep the Squash: Use a sharp knife to cut the squash in half from top to bottom. Then trim the ends so each half can sit flat on the baking sheet.

2. Remove Seeds: Use a large spoon to scoop out the seeds and stringy bits inside.

3. Season: Place the squash halves cut side up on a parchment-lined baking pan. Drizzle olive oil over the cut sides and sprinkle with sea salt. Rub the oil and salt into the flesh then finish with a few cracks of fresh black pepper.

4. Roast: Flip the squash so the cut sides are against the pan. Bake in a preheated oven until the flesh is tender and easily pierced with a fork, about 30–45 minutes.

Creamy Mushroom & Leek Quinoa Filling

This filling is so simple and delicious, I could almost eat it on its own, but we need to get our vegetables intake, you ya know?

Filling Ingredients

1. 1 medium leek (white + light green parts only), thinly sliced and rinsed

2. 8 oz mushrooms (cremini + shiitake), chopped

3. 2 cloves garlic, minced

4. 1 tsp fresh thyme, chopped

5. 1–1¼ cups cooked quinoa

6. 1 can (15 oz) cannellini beans, with liquid

7. 3 tbsp olive oil

8. Tamari, to taste

9. Salt and freshly cracked black pepper

10. Chives, chopped (for garnish)

11. Pomegranate seeds (for garnish)

Filling Directions

1. Heat olive oil in a pan over medium heat.

2. Cook leeks with a pinch of salt 4–5 min until soft.

3. Add garlic 30 sec, then mushrooms until golden and moisture evaporates. Stir in thyme, season with pepper.

4. Blend cannellini beans with ¼ cup warm water for just a few seconds, leaving some beans whole, don’t blend everything until smooth.

5. Fold the bean mixture into the cooked leeks and mushrooms. Add tamari to taste and mix it all together.

6. Fold in the cooked quinoa at the end so the grains stay separate and the filling has a nice texture.

The tamari really brings all the flavors together and adds that savory depth that keeps the filling from tasting bland.

Stuff the Acorn Squash

After your filling is fully combined (mushrooms, leeks, partially blended beans, tamari, and quinoa), spoon it generously into the roasted acorn squash halves.

1. Bake the stuffed squash at 400°F for 10–15 minutes, until the filling is warmed through and lightly set.

2. Finish by drizzling a little olive oil over the top and sprinkling with chopped chives and pomegranates.

Serve warm and enjoy!

If you make our Vegan Stuffed Acorn Squash With Creamy Mushroom & Leek Quinoa, I’d love for you to leave a comment or share a rating! I always enjoy reading your thoughts. Don’t forget to share your creations on Instagram, TikTok, or Pinterest using #victoriasearthkitchen—I can’t get enough of seeing your beautiful dishes come to life. If you love this recipe, be sure to check out some of my other favorite vegetable-forward dishes on the blog for more inspiration.

Yield: 4

Author: Victoria Kaputskaya

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Vegan Stuffed Acorn Squash With Creamy Mushroom & Leek Quinoa

A cozy vegan stuffed acorn squash made with roasted squash filled with savory mushrooms, leeks, creamy cannellini beans, quinoa, fresh thyme, and tamari. Simple, comforting, and beginner-friendly perfect for an easy plant-based winter meal.

Prep time: 15 MinCook time: 45 MinTotal time: 1 Hour

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Ingredients

• 2 acorn squash, halved and seeded
• 1 medium leek (white + light green parts), thinly sliced and rinsed
• 8 oz mushrooms (cremini or a mix), chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp fresh thyme, chopped
• 1–1¼ cups cooked quinoa
• 1 can (15 oz) cannellini beans, with liquid
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• Tamari, to taste
• Salt and freshly cracked black pepper
• Chives, finely chopped (for garnish)
• Pomegranate seeds (for garnish)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Drizzle 2 tbsp olive oil on squash and season with salt and pepper, and place cut-side down on a baking sheet. Roast 30–35 minutes until tender.
2. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Cook leeks with a pinch of salt 4–5 minutes until soft. Add garlic 30 seconds, then mushrooms until golden. Stir in thyme and pepper.
3. Blend the cannellini beans with ¼ cup warm liquid for a few seconds, leaving some beans whole. Fold bean mixture into the leeks and mushrooms. Add tamari to taste.
4. Fold in cooked quinoa. Mix gently to combine, keeping some texture.
5. Spoon filling into roasted squash halves. Bake 10–15 minutes until warmed through.
6. Garnish with chives and pomegranate seeds. Serve warm.

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