Vegan Stuffed Squash is the perfect dish for Thanksgiving dinner. It makes for a great presentation on the table, and everyone will love having their own roasted acorn squash half. It's terrific for Sunday dinner and Christmas, too. This easy recipe is vegan with a gluten-free option.
Vegan Stuffed Squash
I get asked what vegans eat for Thanksgiving all the time. I guess I can see why people are confused – it is a holiday that's very unvegan in nature. But it started as a holiday to celebrate the autumn harvest, and one food that is abundant at this time of year is squash.
I originally created this stuffed squash recipe years ago for The Virtual Vegan Potluck. It was a fun event that took place in the blogosphere once a year, where bloggers created and shared a new recipe. We then linked up to each other's posts, so the our readers could jump from one recipe to the next.
Since that "potluck," I've made this recipe many times, for holidays and potlucks, using different types of squash. And sometime I even play with different fillings. I used this recipe as a springboard to create a quinoa stuffed squash for a cooking class a few years ago.
What You Need
See the recipe card for exact amounts.
- Acorn squash
- Olive oil
- Sea salt
- Black pepper
- Vegan sausage
- Leek
- Garlic
- Kale
- Vegetable stock
- Nutritional yeast
- Breadcrumbs
Cutting Squash
Cutting squash can be tricky, but it can be done!
- If your squash is a little tough and difficult to cut through, you can place it in your preheated over for about 10 minutes to soften it a little. You can also microwave it for two or three minutes.
- Cut your squash in half. You can either cut it through the stem vertically or through it's center horizontally, depending on how you want it to look.
- Then scoop out the seeds and stringy bits in inside. I have a grapefruit spoon that I use to make it easy, but you can use any spoon to get it out.
Cleaning Leeks
Leeks are part of the onion family, but they have a milder flavor. They can be found year-round, but they’re really a spring vegetable. They’re usually in season from late winter to early spring. I like to use them instead of onions in spring dishes. Leeks tend to be really dirty, so make sure you wash them well.
When slicing your leeks, you want the white and light green parts. I clean them by placing the slices in a bowl of cold water for a few minutes. The slices are then scooped up, placed in a colander and rinsed.
Vegan Sausage
Whenever I post a recipe that uses vegan means and cheeses, it's inevitable that I receive negative comments about it. I don’t eat vegan meats and non-dairy cheeses very often, but I don’t totally eschew them. They’re convenient and most of them are quite tasty. I’ve been veg long enough to remember the early days of “meatless meats,” when the only brand of veggie burger that was available at the grocery store tasted about as good as the cardboard box it came in. The only non-dairy cheese that was available when I went vegan bore a strong resemblance to a large, waxy crayon. So I really appreciate how far meat-free foods have come over the years.
There are several brands of vegan sausages available, including Tofurky and Field Roast. If you follow a gluten-free diet, Beyond Sausage is made with pea protein and is free of both soy and wheat. I like to use Field Roast's Smoked Apple Sage Sausages in this recipe, because it has a nice fall flavor.
How to make Vegan Stuffed Squash
- First you preheat your oven to 375° F.
- Then you mix together 2 teaspoons olive oil, ¼ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon black pepper. Brush onto the inside of the squash.
- Next you line a baking sheet with parchment paper and place the squash on it, flesh-side down. Bake your squash for 30 minutes, until golden and tender.
- While the squash is baking you heat a large skillet over medium high heat, and you cook the sausages and leeks in 1 teaspoon of the olive oil for about 7 to 10 minutes. You want the leeks and sausages to start to brown
- Next you add the garlic, kale, and vegetable stock to the pan and continue to cook until the kale wilts, about 3 or 4 more minutes.
- In a large bowl, you mix together the sausage and vegetable mixture, breadcrumbs, nutritional yeast and the remaining sea salt and pepper.
- Finally, you stuff the squash with the mixture. Sprinkle a little more breadcrumbs and nutritional yeast on the top, if you like. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, until heated throughout.
How to Customize your Stuffed Squash
This recipe is very versatile!
- Don't like kale? Use spinach instead! Just about any leafy green will work.
- Trying to stay away from processed foods? Mushrooms or chickpeas would work well in place of sausage.
- If you're on a gluten-free diet, use gluten-free breadcrumbs and sausage.
- Instead of acorn squash, you can a similarly shaped squash, such as carnival or buttercup.
How to Serve Your Vegan Stuffed Squash
Serve your stuffed squash as the centerpiece to your holiday meal. (Or even weekend dinner.) I like to serve mine with Green Bean Casserole, cranberry sauce, and a salad.
Stuffed Squash
Ingredients
- 2 medium acorn squash halved down the middle and seeds removed
- 3 teaspoons olive oil divided
- ½ teaspoon sea salt divided
- ½ teaspoon black pepper divided
- 7 ounces vegan sausage such as Field Roast or Tofurky (2 large links), sliced or crumbled
- 1 large leek white and light green parts only, sliced (about 2 cups)
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 bunch kale stems removed, chopped (about 6 cups)
- ⅓ cup vegetable stock
- 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast plus more for garnish, if desired
- 2 tablespoons breadcrumbs plus more for garnish, if desired
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°.
- Mix together 2 teaspoons olive oil, ¼ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon black pepper. Brush onto the inside of the squash.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and place the squash on it, flesh-side down. Bake for 30 minutes, until golden and tender.
- In a large skillet over medium high heat, cook the sausages and the leeks in 1 teaspoon of olive oil, until the sausages are browned and slightly crisp and the leeks begin to caramelize, between 7 and 10 minutes.
- Add the garlic, kale, and stock. Cook for another 3 to 4 minutes, until the kale begins to wilt. Remove from heat.
- In a large bowl, mix together the sausage, leek and kale mixture, breadcrumbs, nutritional yeast, and the remaining sea salt and pepper.
- Stuff the squash with the mixture. Sprinkle a little more breadcrumbs and nutritional yeast on the top, if you like. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, until heated throughout.
- Serve hot.
Serve your Stuffed Squash with
- Super Easy Cranberry Sauce
- Roasted Brussels Sprouts
- Green Bean Casserole
- Creamed Kale
- Shaved Brussels Sprout Salad
Other Squash recipes You might Enjoy Include
- Maple Miso Glazed Squash
- Butternut Squash Steaks
- Mashed Butternut Squash
- Butternut Squash Casserole
- Quinoa Stuffed Squash
Vegan Gypsy
These look amazing! Since I'm not hosting Thanksgiving this year, I just sent a link to my daughter and begged her to include them in the menu. 😉 Yum!
Dianne
Thanks! If she makes it, I hope you enjoy it!
Barb@ThatWasVegan?
Acorn is one of my very favorite squashes, especially when it's stuffed. Great dish!!
Dianne
Thanks, Barb!
Poppy
Looks wonderful!
Dianne
Thank you, Poppy!
Rebecca Jane
Wow! gots to get me some acorn squash- this looks incredible xx
Dianne
Thanks, Rebecca!
Jen
Wow, love this, can't wait to try it!
Dianne
I hope you enjoy it!
Diana @ VeggieNextDoor
What a beautiful dish! It's like all of Thanksgiving in one dish!
Dianne
Thanks, Diana!
Annie
Eating with my eyes right now 🙂 - beautiful recipe, Dianne! Thank you so much for being a part of the Potluck!
Dianne
Thanks, Annie! And thanks for hosting!
Allison (Spontaneous Tomato)
Yum, I love acorn squash! As a kid, I used to really enjoy it just baked with brown sugar and butter, but now my fiancée doesn't like squash dishes that are too sweet (especially when the squash itself is already kind of sweet, like with acorn or delicata squash), so stuffing it with lots of savory goodness like you've done might be the perfect solution for us! It looks delicious. 🙂
Dianne
Thank you, Allison! I hope you enjoy it if you make it!
Susmitha - Veganosaurus
This looks so delicious!!! We don't get acorn squash here so I've never tried it before, but the next time I travel to a place where they have it, I'm totally making some of this! Mmmm.
Dianne
Thanks! I think you might need to plan a foodie vacation!
gigiveganville
Wow I think that stuffing would be perfect inside almost any vegetable, or even stand alone. Some of my favorite ingredients make up that lovely stuffing.
Dianne
Thanks, Gigi! Yes - I think the stuffing would work on it's own too.
Liezl
This looks so good. I have yet to find acorn squash in South Africa. Next time I go to the US on holiday, I will make it my mission to find some and try it...
I will have to try this with butternuts or gems, I am sure it will still be good.
Thanks for the recipe.
Dianne
Thanks! I'm sure this would work with just about any kind of squash.
Maggie Muggins
These would be great to serve during the holidays, tasty AND great presentation!
Dianne
Thanks, Maggie!
Laura
Looks and sounds delicious! Great photos and perfect for fall! Thank you for sharing!
Dianne
Thank you, Laura!
Elyse @ Lizzie Fit
I love stuffed squash! I once tried butternut stuffed with a quinoa mixture and it was glorious. I will definitely have to try this version!
Heather
I made this for dinner tonight, and it was SO good 🙂 I could eat the stuffing by itself all day long! I used baby spinach instead of kale and added diced bell peppers as well. Delicious!
Dianne
Glad you liked it, Heather!
Teresa
Yum! This filling looks great. It's very different from the grain fillings I usually use. Thank you!
Dianne
Thank you, Teresa!
Monique
Would this be okay if I put it in a pumpkin instead of squash?
Anna {Herbivore Triathlete}
What a lovely holiday dish. Happy VVP!
Keely @ Gormandize
These look really satisfying! I would love one of those right now, thanks for bringing it to the potluck 🙂
Susmitha - Veganosaurus
I fell in love with your stuffed squash dish the moment I laid eyes on the pic, Diane. I voted for them in the main dish section of VVP. 🙂
Dianne
Thank you so much!
Angela
Congratulations on winning Best Main Dish at this VVP!!
Dianne
Thank you, Angela!
marianna
finally got around to making this tonight. wow! absolutely wonderful and easy. instead of breadcrumbs i used jollof rice. and i omitted the oil no problem. thank you so much for the recipe. you never disappoint.
Dianne
I'm so glad you liked it!