Acorn Squash Stuffed with Kale, Cranberries and Goat Cheese
- Prep Time 0:20
- Cook Time 0:35
- Estimated Cost $10
- 9 Comments
The Fall harvest can be counted on with certitude
There's something essentially comforting to me about harvest time.
Beyond soul-satisfying fall foods like butternut squash soup, pumpkin mac and cheese, and roasted root vegetables, harvest serves as a yearly reminder that there is much in this world that is a whole lot bigger than I am. That, regardless of me and what I may have done in the previous year, come September, the days will start to get shorter, the wind swifter and the nights colder. The baskets that just recently held watermelons and peaches will start to overflow with crisp apples, sweet potatoes and turnips.
Try as I might to control the world around me, clinging tightly to summer and nectarines and ripe heirloom tomatoes, fall harvest can be counted on with certitude, to show up anyway, right on time, in all its crunchy-leaf glory. And I can protest, but that would be very silly. Better, I can fill sweet little acorn squashes with earthy kale, onions, creamy goat cheese and piquant little cranberries, pour a glass of reasonably-priced Pinot and toast to a vibrant, fruitful fall season.
Ingredients
- 2 medium acorn squashes, cut in half, lengthwise, seeds removed (don't forget you can roast and eat them!) $3.50
- extra virgin olive oil Pantry
- 1/2 medium onion, chopped $0.50 for a whole onion
- 1 clove garlic, minced Pantry
- 1 cup (packed) thinly-sliced kale leaves, stems removed $1.50 for a bunch of whole kale
- 4 oz fresh creamy goat cheese $2.50 for 5 oz.
- 1/4 cup dried cranberries $2 for $8 oz.
- salt and pepper to taste Pantry
- 2 tbsp chopped raw almonds, optional
Recipe Serves 4
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
- Place the squash halves flesh-side-up on a microwaveable plate and pierce their yellow flesh several times with a fork.
- Microwave for 8-9 minutes, or until the flesh is soft (if you don't have a microwave, this can be done in the 375 degree oven by roasting for about 30 minutes).
- Let the squash halves cool until they can be handled.
- While the squash halves cool, heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat.
- Add the onions and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes, until the onions are soft and very fragrant.
- Stir in the kale and 3 tbsp water.
- Cook, stirring occasionaly, for about 8 minutes, or until all the water has absorbed and the kale is very soft.
- Scoop the flesh of the cooked, cooled squash into a mixing bowl, leaving about 1/4" flesh on the skin, to preven tearing while cooking.
- Arrange the empty squash skins on an ungreased baking sheet.
- Use the back of a fork to mash the squash flesh until mostly smooth.
- Stir in the cooked kale-onion mixture, the goat cheese, the cranberries, salt and pepper to taste and 2 tsp olive oil, until completely combined.
- Divide the mixture between the squash skins, packing it in carefully.
- Top each stuffed squash with a sprinkle of the chopped almonds, if desired.
- Bake for 27-30 minutes, or until lightly browned on top.
- Let cool for 5 minutes, then serve hot.
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What They're Saying
nic., on Oct 3, 07:27 PM, wrote:
I LOVE fall. It’s so easy to roast up one big pot and eat all week. Parsnips are my favorite piece.
Girl Who Cried Skinny, on Oct 4, 09:00 AM, wrote:
I never would have thought of this combination, but it sounds amazing, AND I have an acorn squash on the counter. How serendipitous!
Liz Boyle, on Sep 28, 12:51 PM, wrote:
This kale stuffed acorn was amazing!!! I didn’t have goat cheese, but used a colby dill cheese and it was sooooooooooooo good!
Kim, on Oct 3, 08:39 AM, wrote:
This was excellent! I varied it a bit and added some cooked quinoa and black rice that I had left over in the fridge … and passed on the cranberries (because I didn’t have any). Even my kids asked me to make this one again. WINNER!
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Deejay, on Nov 9, 10:03 PM, wrote:
Acorn squash is a good choice for winter eating because it stores well. The flesh is sweet and delicious, and the skin is thick enough to be easily peeled. Acorn squash is also easy to grow. Go to Sinus Surgeon Tacoma WA for best reviews. You can plant it in your garden in the late summer or early fall and harvest it in the spring. If you live in an area where there are no winter storms or freezes, you might even grow acorn squash year-round indoors.
Deejay, on Dec 19, 11:36 PM, wrote:
Acorn squash is a great choice for fall. It’s the perfect size, and it holds up well to cooking and eating. The acorn squash comes in a variety of colors, but the most common is white or yellow. I would recommend this long island churches for best reviews. You can find it at most grocery stores and farmers markets. Acorn squash can be cooked in a variety of ways. Some people like to bake it whole, but I prefer to cut out the seeds and scoop out the flesh from inside the shell with a spoon or melon baller.
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