Lentil, Wild Rice and Cranberry Stuffed Squash
on Nov 06, 2017, Updated Jul 09, 2024
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These Lentil, Wild Rice and Cranberry Stuffed Squash will not only be a beautiful and flavorful side dish for your Thanksgiving table, but they’re hearty enough to be a main dish for your vegetarian or vegan guests.
Thanksgiving is only a few weeks away and since it’s my favorite holiday I wanted to make sure you have plenty of choices when it comes to what you’ll be serving. Not only are these Lentil, Wild Rice and Cranberry Stuffed Squash a beautiful looking side dish to add to your menu, but one that is also great if you’re having any gluten-free, vegetarian or vegan guests.
Before we dive into the amazingness of the loaded squash, did you guys remember to set your clocks an hour later yesterday? Going off of daylight savings is always a little easier since we get that extra hour of sleep in the morning. I was loving that I only had to do half of my morning run in the dark instead of the whole thing.
There’s pros and cons to running in the dark. Pros are that I get to see all the stars and the moon, watch the sunrise and I’m much more likely to see wildlife in the early hours. As you may already know spotting a deer, running by a coyote or seeing an owl fly overhead pretty much make my run. It could be an absolute crappy run and seeing wildlife makes me forget all about it.
The cons of running in the dark are I can’t run on my favorite trails because I can’t see (I still don’t have a headlamp), it’s cold and it just feels more lonely out there in the dark. Aside from running my body also doesn’t understand for a few days why it has to wait an extra hour to eat…my cats don’t understand this either. What are your pros and cons list about coming off of daylight savings?
Speaking of pros, that’s all there is in these Lentil, Wild Rice and Cranberry Stuffed Squash. Seriously, I can’t think of one con. They can be made ahead of time, they’re full of wholesome and healthy ingredients, the flavor screams fall although I could eat them year-round and unlike most Thanksgiving side dishes they aren’t all carbs. Don’t get me wrong they’re carb heavy, but at least you’re getting protein with the lentils added in.
Lentil, Wild Rice and Cranberry Stuffed Squash
Ingredients
Squash
- 2 acorn squash, halved lengthwise, seeds removed
- Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
Filling
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1/3 cup minced shallots
- 1 clove grated garlic
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh sage
- 2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh rosemary
- 1/2 cup uncooked wild rice blend
- 1/2 cup dry French lentils
- Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
- 4 cups water
- 1/3 cup dried cranberries
- 2 tablespoons chopped toasted pecans
- 2 tablespoons roasted salted pepitas
Dressing
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 2 teaspoons dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon maple syrup
- Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375° F. and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or foil.
- Spray or brush the cut side of the squash halves with oil and season with salt and pepper. Place the squash on the baking sheet cut-side up and roast for 40-60 minutes depending on the size of your squash. You should be able to poke a fork or knife through the flesh easily when they are done.
- While the squash roasts heat the teaspoon of olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. When hot, add in the shallot and sauté 2 minutes.
- Add in the garlic, sage and rosemary and sauté another minute.
- Add in the wild rice, lentils and water. Season with salt and pepper, stir, turn the heat up to high and bring the mixture to a boil. Once boiling, cover with a lid and reduce the heat to low. Cook until the rice and lentils are tender, approximately 35-45 minutes. (see note)
- Remove the rice and lentils from the heat and fluff with a fork. Add the dressing ingredients to the saucepan and stir together until combined. Taste for seasoning. Cover with the lid to keep the filling warm until the squash is ready.
- Remove the squash from the oven and let it rest for about 5 minutes before filling.
- Stir the toasted pecans and pepitas into the rice/lentil mixture just before serving to keep them from getting soft. Divide the filling into the 4 squash halves. Place them on a serving dish and garnish with more dried cranberries, pepitas and pecans if desired.
Notes
- After the rice and lentils have cooked if there is any liquid remaining strain it out, but make sure you don't lose the herbs, shallots, etc.
- The squash halves will serve 4 as a main dish or 8 as a side dish.
- The filling can be made ahead of time, but leave out the dressing, dried cranberries, pecans and pepitas until just before serving. Reheat the filling in the microwave until warm then stir everything in until combined.
- The squash can also be roasted 1-2 days ahead of time. Store them cut-side up in the refrigerator in an air-tight container or in a dish covered with plastic wrap. Reheat in the microwave or oven until warm then add in the filling.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
More Vegetarian and Vegan Side Dishes
Butternut Squash Farro Salad with Arugula and Cranberries
Cinnamon Maple Squash Casserole
Harvest Quinoa Salad
