Acorn Squash Stuffed with Wild Rice, Spinach and Feta with Sage Butter

Name: Acorn Squash Stuffed with Wild Rice, Spinach and Feta with Sage Butter
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 65 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Fusión contemporánea
Ingredients: 2.6 lb acorn squash; 2 cups cooked wild rice; 4 oz fresh spinach; 3.5 oz feta cheese; 1 cup yellow onion; 1/2 cup walnuts; 3 tbsp unsalted butter; 2 tbsp olive oil; 2 tbsp fresh sage leaves; 2 cloves garlic; 2 tsp lemon zest; 1 tbsp lemon juice; 1 tsp salt; 1/2 tsp black pepper; 1/2 tsp sweet paprika

Roasted acorn squash halves baked until tender, filled with an aromatic mixture of wild rice, sautéed spinach, onion, walnuts and feta, then finished with sage-lemon butter. An original, comforting, naturally gluten-free recipe.

20 minPrep

45 minCook

65 minTotal

4Servings

VegetarianGluten-Free

Ingredients

Adjust servings

2 medianas (aprox. 1200 g en total) 1200 g acorn squash (cut por the mitad and without semillas)
300 g cooked wild rice (cocido and suelto)
120 g fresh spinach (chopped gruesa)
100 g feta cheese (desmenuzado)
120 g yellow onion (chopped diced small)
60 g walnuts (chopped and lightly tostadas)
45 g unsalted butter (divided)
30 ml olive oil (divided)
6 g fresh sage leaves (chopped finely)
2 cloves garlic (chopped)
4 g lemon zest (finely grated)
15 ml lemon juice (freshly squeezed)
6 g salt (or to taste)
2 g black pepper (freshly ground)
2 g sweet paprika (for the calabaza)

Nutrition facts

per serving

386 kcal

Calories

10.2 g

Protein

33.8 g

Carbs

25.1 g

Fat

5.9 g

Fiber

27.9 g

Net carbs

Approximate nutritional information. Estimated from the recipe’s ingredients and amounts, using standard reference nutrition values. It may vary with brands, sizes and cooking method. For guidance only; not a substitute for medical or dietary advice.

Allergens

DairyTree Nuts

Instructions

1
Preheat the oven to 200 °C / 400 °F. Place the acorn squash halves on a baking tray, cut side up.
2
Brush the squash with 1 tablespoon olive oil, then season with 1/2 teaspoon salt, black pepper, and sweet paprika. Roast for 30 to 35 minutes at 200 °C / 400 °F, until tender when pierced with a knife.
3
While the squash roasts, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 4 to 5 minutes until translucent.
4
Add the garlic and chopped sage to the skillet and cook for 30 seconds, stirring so the garlic perfumes the fat without burning.
5
Add the fresh spinach and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until wilted. Stir in the cooked wild rice, toasted walnuts, lemon zest, lemon juice, and the remaining salt. Mix well and cook 2 minutes more.
6
Remove the skillet from the heat and add the crumbled feta cheese. Fold gently so some of the cheese keeps its texture.
7
Remove the squash from the oven. Using a spoon, press the center of each half lightly to create more room without breaking the shell. Fill each half with the rice, spinach, walnut, and feta mixture.
8
Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons butter and spoon it over the filled halves. Return to the oven for 10 minutes at 190 °C / 375 °F to heat the filling through and lightly brown the top.
9
Let rest for 5 minutes before serving. Serve hot, making sure to spoon some of the sage butter from the tray over each portion.

Chef tips

For deeper flavor, toast the walnuts in a dry skillet for 3 minutes before chopping. If the squash sits unevenly on the tray, shave a very thin slice off the bottom so it stands more steadily without piercing it.

Substitutions

You can replace the walnuts with pumpkin seeds if you want to avoid tree nuts, and swap feta for crumbled goat cheese for a creamier filling. The butter can be replaced with more olive oil for a different finish, though it will lose the buttery glaze.

What I used to make it

Generic kitchen tools that work for this recipe. You don’t need to buy anything to make it.

Illustrative image
Cosori Pro LE 5 Qt Air Fryer
Browning and baking with little oil
- Browns food with very little oil
- Handy for vegetables, chicken and reheating
- Check the basket capacity
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Illustrative image
T-fal Ultimate Hard Anodized 12" Non-Stick Pan
Eggs, omelets and stir-fries
- Eggs and omelets that don’t stick
- Comfortable, sturdy handle
- Use wooden or silicone utensils
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Illustrative image
Victorinox Fibrox Pro 8" Chef’s Knife
Chopping, slicing and cutting strips
- The knife I use most when cooking
- Chops, slices and cuts into strips
- Keep it sharp and hand-dry it
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