Beef & Veggie Stuffed Acorn Squash

dinner

Oct 11

Roasted acorn squash filled with seasoned grass-fed ground beef, zucchini and mushrooms. Make the stuffing ahead and freeze it, and on a busy night most of the work is already done. Serve it with a simple side salad.

Method adapted from The Kitchn’s stuffed roasted squash guide.

Serves: 4 (2 squash, 4 halves)
Oven: 375°F

Prep ahead: freezer-friendly stuffing for a quick dinner

Cook the stuffing as written below, then let it cool completely.
Divide it into portions (for example, 2 containers or bags of 2 servings each) and label them with the date.
Fridge: The Kitchn says the stuffing keeps up to 4 days in an airtight container.
Freezer: Freeze it in airtight containers or freezer bags. Thaw overnight in the fridge before using.
Make-ahead: Roast the squash, fill the halves with the thawed stuffing, and bake as in step 6 until hot and bubbly. Make sure the stuffing is steaming hot all the way through. The USDA recommends reheating leftovers to 165°F.

“Quick” here means little hands-on work. The oven time is the same, about 45 to 70 minutes with roasting and the final bake, but the cooking and chopping are already done. You can also roast the squash ahead and warm it before serving.

Ingredients

For the squash

2 medium acorn squash
Olive oil
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper

For the stuffing (about 4 to 6 cups total)

About ¾ lb (12 oz) 80/20 grass-fed ground beef (roughly 1½ to 2 cups cooked, my estimate)
2 cups zucchini, diced
2 cups mushrooms, chopped
2 to 3 tsp dried herbs or spices of your choice
Salt and pepper, to taste
Optional: ½ to 1 cup shredded cheese per squash, if you like. The source suggests it, but you didn’t mention it, so skip it if you didn’t use any.

Instructions

Heat the oven to 375°F with the rack in the lower-middle position.
Cut each squash in half from stem to base and scoop out the seeds. Place the halves cut-side down in a baking dish that holds all four. Add hot water to about ¼ inch deep and cover loosely with foil.
Roast for 30 to 50 minutes, until a fork slides in easily. Time varies with the size of the squash.
While the squash roasts, brown the ground beef in a large skillet over medium heat until crumbled. Add the mushrooms and zucchini and cook until softened and most of their liquid has cooked off. Season with the herbs, salt and pepper. (Cooking the liquid off helps keep the stuffing from getting watery. That’s a cooking tip, not from the source.)
Flip the roasted halves so they form bowls. Rub the insides with a little olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Spoon in the stuffing, packing the wells and mounding the rest on top.
Cover with foil and bake 15 to 20 minutes, until hot and bubbly. Serve right away with the side salad.

Side salad: lemon arugula salad with cucumber

My suggestion, not from the source and not tested.

Serves: 4

4 oz arugula (or mixed greens)
1 medium cucumber, sliced
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
2 tbsp pumpkin seeds

Dressing

2 tbsp olive oil
1½ tbsp fresh lemon juice
¾ tsp Dijon mustard
Salt and pepper, to taste

Whisk the dressing ingredients together. Toss the greens, cucumber and tomatoes with the dressing just before serving, and top with the pumpkin seeds.