The best vegetarian stuffed acorn squash? It’s roasted until tender and draped in a fall-scented stuffing of rice, pecans, and herbs.

Ready for the best stuffed acorn squash recipe? Alex and I have made many acorn squash recipes in our day. And this one is our absolute favorite. The creamy squash is roasted until tender, then it’s draped in a toasted pecan rice stuffing that makes your kitchen smell like a fall paradise! You know that scent of onions and celery cooking in butter? Well, this recipe delivers it in spades. It’s vegetarian, easily made vegan, and naturally gluten-free, so it works for all sorts of eaters. Even better: it’s seriously crowd pleasing. Everyone we’ve served it to becomes a believer…and then immediately asks for the recipe.

Got an Instant Pot? Try our Instant Pot Acorn Squash.

Tips on how to cut acorn squash

The hardest part about stuffed acorn squash? Cutting it! Acorn squash are infamously tough and can be difficult to cut open. To avoid fear of this small and mighty squash, here’s a little crash course on how to cut it:

Microwave it first (optional, but effective). If you’d like, you can microwave your acorn squash for about 3 minutes prior to cutting it. This softens the skin and flesh so that it’s easier to pierce. It’s not required, but it’s helpful, especially if you’re nervous about your knife skills.
Use a large chef’s knife. It’s time for the big guns! Pull out your largest, sharpest knife for the job.
Find a groove and cut half first. Don’t try to cut through the stem! Find a groove on one side of the squash, then put your knife into that and cut about halfway around the squash. Curl back your fingers and keep them out of the way.
Cut the other side, then pop it apart. Cut around the tip of the squash and then the squash around to cut up the other side in the same way. Then pull it apart with your hands! Voila.

At this point, you can leave the squash as a half, or cut it into wedges, then scoop out the seeds. We like to serve our acorn squash cut into wedges because it makes it easier to eat.

How to roast acorn squash

Once you’ve mastered how to cut the acorn squash, roasting it is a breeze! The method is the same whether you choose to leave it in halves, or cut it into wedges as we’ve shown here.

Preheat to 450 degrees. A hot oven makes for the best roasting: it leaves the squash tender and almost caramelized.
Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with kosher salt. This is all you need for great seasoning. Place the squash cut side down on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
Roast until tender, about 35 to 40 minutes. The exact timing depends on the squash, so make sure to check with a fork to see when it is tender.

Did you know you can eat the skin too? After roasting, the skin becomes more tender and is easier to eat. You can use these instructions anytime you want to make roasted acorn squash. But if you want stuffed acorn squash…well, keep reading!

How to make stuffed acorn squash

After cutting and roasting the squash (above), what’s left but the stuffing? As we noted above, if you’d like a more traditional “stuffed” look, you can leave the acorn squash in halves. However, we like to cut it into wedges as shown above. It’s easier to eat — and serve too. Sometimes a half of a squash can really overwhelm a plate, so wedges make portioning easier.

Now: this rice and pecan stuffing truly makes your kitchen smell like fall paradise! The onion, celery, garlic, and herbs combine into something heavenly. Add to that the crunch and rich flavor of buttery pecans, and you’ll find yourself sneaking bites of the stuffing alone. This recipe is perfect for a cozy fall dinner, or even a vegetarian Thanksgiving main dish.

Here are the basic steps for how to make stuffed acorn squash (see the full recipe below):

Roast the squash (see above).
Make the rice: Add the rice to a pot and simmer for about 15 to 20 minutes until tender. Then stir in dried sage and salt.
Prepare the stuffing: Make the stuffing while you wait for the rice to cook: saute onion, celery, and garlic, add thyme and oregano. When the rice is done, stir it in along with the toasted pecans and butter (or olive oil for vegan).
Serve: When the squash is done, spoon the stuffing over the squash edges and serve.

More vegan & vegetarian acorn squash recipes

And that’s it! We hope you enjoy this stuffed acorn squash as much as our family does. And if you’re looking for more fall inspiration, here are a few more vegetarian and vegan acorn squash recipes:

Want to try delicata squash? Start with this Chipotle Black Bean Stuffed Delicata Squash.

This recipe is…

Vegetarian, vegan, plant based, and refined sugar free.