Cozy dishes are something we look forward to every year. Stuffed squash is always on the list – usually in the form of cheesy and creamy. This year we decided to change it up and do something a bit lighter!
This recipe packs a bunch of fall flavors into one dish – earthy carrots, onions, wild rice and kale, cozy roasted chestnuts, balanced by sweetness of dried fruit and a touch of decadence with bits of bacon. The best part is that you can make the filling and squash ahead of time, and bake them together as you’re ready.
I made them here for two, but you could of course cut up a few more squash for a larger quantity (the recipe makes extra filling!).
Enjoy!
Ingredients
4 cups cooked wild rice
4-5 carrots, diced
1 onion, diced
1 teaspoon each dried rosemary, sage, or herbes de provence
1 cup roasted chestnuts, diced
1/2 cup dried cranberries
2-3 pieces bacon, diced (optional)
1/2 cup chicken broth
Few handfuls of kale, chopped
salt and pepper, to taste
1 acorn squash
Directions
1. Cut acorn squash in half and remove seeds. Brush with a little olive oil, then place cut side down on a baking sheet and roast for 15-20 minutes or until just soft. Remove and set aside once cool.
2. Meanwhile, cook the bacon in a pan large pot or deep pan. Once cooked, remove and set aside on a paper towel lined plate to let cool.
3. In the same pan, sautee onion with herbs and a bit of salt and pepper (if not using bacon, use a little olive oil). When onions are soft, add in the diced carrots and cook until carrots are just softened. Add in the cooked wild rice, chestnuts, cranberries, cooked bacon (if using).
4. Add in the broth and kale and continue to stir until kale is wilted. If the mixture is dry, add a little more broth (you want a little bit of sauce but not too liquid-y).
5. Stuff the partially cooked squash with the wild rice filling. You’ll have quite a bit extra, but you can serve it with the squash, or use in other dishes (it’s great on salads). Bake for 10-15 more minutes, or until squash is at desired softness.
over the dish to help the steaming process.
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in Chile, but you can find some other types as well like 
from Terrsaoul. The powdered kind is super versatile because you can mix it in anything (oats, smoothie, yogurt, pancakes, waffles!). I can’t wait to try the fresh kind some time though!
(also spelled merquen), a red chili pepper that is often smoked after drying. If you don’t have this, smoked paprika would be a nice substitute. Either way, delicious!
, which added a really nice depth of flavor. I’ve had it for a while and had been meaning to use it up but didn’t know how. Granola is so flexible that I figured it would be a good test case and I was right!! So much flavor. I think coconut oil and/or canola oil would great as well, it will just have less of a walnut flavor.
I use (shown below!) already has a good bit of sodium, so I used that in place of salt. After it was all mixed in, I threw in some leftover rice and sauteed greens I had on hand. I told you, pantry clean out! Empty out the tupperware! You can skip this and just do veggies, or have fresh rice on the side, too.
, added some olive oil, diced onions and peppers and cooked util soft. I threw in the roasted potatoes and biltong at the end, then last minute added in the KALE!! Can’t skimp on the greens. This was not in Biltong Bar’s dish but I thought it was a good addition :). I meant to cook the eggs first in the cast iron but forgot (ugh), so I made them in our non-stick pan on the side. Then scooped them on top!
