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Stuffed Acorn Squash

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Stuffed Acorn Squash is a perfect Fall recipe, and it also makes a great holiday side dish. The acorn squash is stuffed with a creamy spinach mixture made with Parmesan and cream cheese. This vegetarian and gluten-free recipe will become your new favorite Autumn comfort food!

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 acorn squash (medium)
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • black pepper (freshly ground)
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 3 oz spinach (fresh)
  • 4 oz cream cheese
  • 1 cup Parmesan cheese (shredded)
  • 3 tablespoons fresh thyme

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 400 F.
  2. Prepare the acorn squash. Slice each one in half down the middle. Keep fingers away from the knife to avoid injury. Use a spoon to scoop out the seeds and fleshy strands tangled with the seeds.
  3. Place acorn squash cut sides up on a baking sheet. Drizzle the cut sides of acorn squashes with olive oil and rub the oil into the squash. Season generously with salt and pepper. Turn the squash over, and place it cut sides down on a baking sheet.
  4. Roast in the preheated oven at 400 F for 30 minutes.
  5. In a medium skillet, heat olive oil on medium heat and add fresh spinach. Cook for about 5 minutes until the spinach wilts. If there is any liquid in the pan, drain it.
  6. Add cream cheese to a microwave-safe large-sized bowl. Soften cream cheese briefly in the microwave oven. Make sure the cheese does not actually melt, just softens.
  7. Add shredded Parmesan and cooked spinach to the same bowl. Mix everything well.
  8. By this time, you have roasted the acorn squash for 30 minutes. Remove them from the oven and turn cooked squash halves cut sides up.
  9. Divide the spinach and cheese mixture among the 4 halves and stuff the squash until the mixture is leveled.
  10. Sprinkle the cheese mixture with half of the fresh thyme.
  11. Roast the stuffed acorn squash in the preheated oven at 400 F for 20 more minutes until the cheese mixture melts.
  12. Broil for 3 or 5 minutes to get golden crust over cheese. Watch closely and be very careful not to burn the squash and the cheese mixture.
  13. Top with freshly ground black pepper and fresh thyme.

Notes

Watch carefully during broiling to prevent burning. The squash can be roasted ahead of time and stuffed later. Leftovers reheat well in the microwave. For a richer flavor, try adding cooked bacon or sausage to the stuffing mixture.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://www.rapidrecipes.blog/stuffed-acorn-squash-creamed-spinach/