This stuffed acorn squash is the coziest fall dinner, roasted until caramelized and piled with a pecan-rice stuffing! It’s naturally gluten-free, vegetarian, and easy to make vegan.
I’ve made many acorn squash recipes in my day, but this one is my 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 sautéing on the stove? Well, this recipe delivers just that aroma! 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 I’ve served it to immediately asks for the recipe.
5 Star Reader Review
“Wow! This recipe delivered. The scent of celery and onion sizzling together makes for some kind of magic. The way that the squash steamed with every flavorful forkful was so satisfying. My wife said that this was the best acorn squash recipe that she’d ever tried. She admitted that she hadn’t even been a fan of acorn squash, but this recipe made a believer out of her!” -Michael
How To Cut Acorn Squash
The hardest part about stuffed acorn squash is 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.
How to Roast Acorn Squash for Stuffing
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!
Making the Pecan Rice Stuffing
If you’d like a more traditional “stuffed” look, you can leave the acorn squash in halves. But I like to cut it into wedges so it’s easier to eat and serve. Sometimes a half of a squash can really overwhelm a plate, so wedges make portioning easier.
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 making the stuffing for acorn squash (see the full recipe below):
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.
The roasted acorn squash and stuffing store in the fridge for up to 4 days. You can store them together or separately and it should work either way.
To make ahead, roast the squash and prepare the stuffing up to 2 days in advance, then reheat both at 350°F for 15 to 20 minutes and assemble before serving. For leftovers, you can place them on a baking sheet, cover loosely with foil, and warm at 350°F for about 15 minutes.
Dietary Notes
This stuffed acorn squash recipe is vegetarian, vegan, plant based, and refined sugar free.
Frequently Asked Questions
What can I stuff acorn squash with?
Almost anything with structure and seasoning. Whole grains like rice, quinoa, farro, and wild rice are best, and they go well with nuts, dried fruit, mushrooms, or greens. For other ideas, try my quinoa stuffed acorn squash or acorn squash with wild rice stuffing.
Do you eat the skin of acorn squash?
Yes. Acorn squash skin is thin and becomes tender once roasted, so there’s no need to peel it.
What herbs and seasonings go best with acorn squash?
Sage, thyme, oregano, and rosemary are the classics. Cinnamon, nutmeg, and smoked paprika also go well with the squash’s sweetness.
Can you make stuffed acorn squash ahead of time?
Yes, roast the squash and make the stuffing up to 2 days ahead, store separately, then reheat and assemble before serving.
This stuffed acorn squash is the coziest fall dinner, roasted until caramelized and piled with a pecan-rice stuffing! It’s naturally gluten-free and vegetarian, and easy to make vegan.
½ teaspoonkosher salt, divided, plus more for sprinkling
2 small acorn squash*
1 small yellow onion
2 cloves garlic
2 stalks celery
1 tablespoon olive oil, plus more for drizzling
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried oregano
Fresh ground black pepper
3 tablespoons unsalted butter (or substitute olive oil or coconut oil for vegan)
¾ cup raw pecan pieces
Feta or goat cheese crumbles, optional
Instructions
Pre-heat oven to 450°F.
Cook the rice: Add rice and 2 cups water to a saucepan and bring to a boil. Once boiling, cover and reduce to a simmer. Simmer until tender and all the liquid is absorbed, about 15 to 20 minutes. Remove the heat and allow to steam with the cover on for 5 minutes. Stir in the dried sage and ¼ teaspoon kosher salt.
Roast the squash: Meanwhile, chop each of the acorn squash in half and then into quarters. (You can also leave it in halves if you prefer that look.) Using a spoon, scrape out the seeds. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, place the squash on the sheet and drizzle with olive oil on the cut sides, then sprinkle with kosher salt and pepper. Turn cut side down on the sheet and roast until tender, about 40 minutes.
Toast the pecans: In a dry skillet over low heat, toast the pecans for about 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until fragrant.
Make the stuffing: Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Saute the onion and celery 5 to 7 minutes until tender and translucent. Add the garlic, thyme, and oregano, and saute for an additional 2 minutes until fragrant. When the rice is cooked, stir it into the skillet. Stir in ¼ teaspoon kosher salt, the fresh ground black pepper, butter, and pecans.
Serve: Spoon the stuffing over the squash quarters and serve immediately.
This easy vegetarian ramen recipe makes a bowl of deep, slurpable umami in 35 minutes, with a savory broth, shiitakes, and a jammy soft-boiled egg.
It takes a little more time for food trends to filter their way over to the Midwest, but you can finally actually get great ramen here in Indianapolis: fresh noodles with complex savory broth and loads of delicious toppings.
This easy vegetarian ramen recipe is inspired by Alex and my trip to eat ramen at a local restaurant: and man is it good! It can be difficult to harness savory meaty flavors in a meatless ramen broth, but this vegetarian ramen delivers.
Why You’ll Love This Vegetarian Ramen
It’s a weeknight recipe. Traditional ramen broth simmers for hours, but this one has some shortcuts and is done in 35 minutes.
The flavor is layeredand delicious. Sesame oil, garlic, ginger, soy sauce, and mirin combine with shiitake mushrooms to create incredible flavor.
It’s customizable. Swap the vegetables with the seasons: it’s a great base recipe that works with whatever you have on hand.
5 Star Reader Review
“I made this last night – my first time making homemade ramen and this was FABULOUS. I’ve been a vegetarian for years but my husband is a carnivore. He could not stop raving about how much he loved this dish. It’s going to be a staple in our house from now on!” -Rachel
Key Ingredients For Umami Without Meat
The big challenge making a vegetarian ramen is that ramen broth is intensely savory, loaded with umami (that fifth savory flavor). When I went to recreate my favorite restaurant ramen in my kitchen, I couldn’t quite create the savory broth flavor I was looking for. I soon landed on a variation: instead of dark, meaty and savory, let’s got for light and fresh vegetarian ramen!
Here’s what you’ll need for this vegetarian ramen so it has plenty of savory notes:
Shiitake mushrooms. The biggest umami contributor by far — rich in glutamates, and they season the broth as they simmer. Try my method for sautéed shiitake mushrooms as a side.
Soy sauce. Salt plus fermented depth. I use reduced sodium so I control the seasoning at the end.
Mirin. A single tablespoon of this sweet rice wine rounds off the sharp edges. No bottle on hand? Here’s my go-to mirin substitute.
Toasted sesame oil. Nutty and aromatic. Don’t skip it.
How To Make Vegetarian Ramen
This vegetarian ramen is quick and heavy on the vegetables: greens, shiitake mushrooms, peppers, green onion, radishes. To top it off, I was able to find fresh ramen noodles from our local Asian grocery. Here are the basic steps for how to make vegetarian ramen (or scroll down for the full recipe):
Find fresh ramen noodles: not the 50 cent pack kind! Many grocery stores now have fresh ramen noodles; you can also check at Asian or international groceries.
Soft boil the eggs. See the instructions below.
Make the broth. Saute minced garlic and ginger, then add veggie broth, soy sauce and mirin. Then add the mushrooms, greens, peppers, and green onions to cook in the broth.
Cook the noodles. Cook the ramen noodles in a separate pot by boiling them for 2 to 3 minutes.
Garnish and serve. Add the noodles, veggies and broth to a bowl. Top with soft boiled egg, sliced radishes, and chili sauce.
Which Ramen Noodles To Buy
The noodles in a 50-cent instant packet aren’t what you’re going for here. Here are three good options:
Fresh or frozen ramen noodles. The best texture by far: springy and chewy. I usually find mine in the freezer section of my local Asian grocery, but you can also sometimes find them in mainstream grocery stores.
Dried noodle bricks, packet discarded. This works as a workaround if need be!
Rice noodles or soba. A gluten-free-friendly option, though the texture differs. Also try my soba noodle bowl.
How To Make It Vegan Ramen
If you’re looking for a vegan ramen recipe, I’d recommend my tofu ramen recipe, full of savory veggies and protein packed tofu. Adding tofu is essential for a vegan ramen to make it filling enough. You can also modify this recipe by doing the following:
Omit the soft-boiled egg.
Add cubed tofu in the last 5 minutes of the simmer time. You’ll likely need more seasoning for the tofu, so season with salt until the flavor pops or add a splash of soy sauce.
Some ramen noodles also contain eggs, so check the ingredients in your noodles to ensure they are vegan or replace with rice noodles.
Storage And Make Ahead
Ramen is best assembled fresh, but you can refrigerate the broth and vegetables in an airtight container for up to 4 days and reheat gently on the stovetop. Store cooked noodles separately: sitting in broth overnight makes them absorb all the liquid. Peeled soft-boiled eggs keep for up to 3 days.
Dietary Notes
This vegetarian ramen recipe is vegetarian, dairy-free, and vegan-adaptable.
4 cups young baby greens (we used a mix of young Asian greens and tatsoi)
3 sweet peppers (optional)
3 green onions
16 ounces ramen noodles (fresh if possible)*
4 radishes, for garnish
Purchased garlic chili sauce, for garnish
Instructions
Soft boil the eggs: Fill a medium pot of water and bring it to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Gently lower the eggs into the water with a spoon and simmer for 7 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare a bowl of ice water. When the eggs are done, place them in the ice bath and let them cool completely, then gently peel.
In another large pot or Dutch oven, heat the sesame oil and olive oil over medium high heat. Add the garlic and ginger and saute for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add the vegetable broth and bring to a simmer. Add the soy sauce and mirin.
Remove the stems from the shiitake mushrooms and thinly slice them. If necessary, wash the greens. Thinly slice the peppers and slice the green onions (cut the green onions on the bias). Thinly slice the radishes for a garnish, and set aside. Place the mushrooms in the broth and cook 5 minutes. Add peppers, green onion and greens and cook for 1 minute. Taste the broth and season with salt until the flavor pops, adding a splash of soy sauce if needed.
In the pot used for the eggs, bring fresh water to a boil and boil the ramen noodles until just tender, around 2 to 3 minutes, then drain.
To serve, place noodles in a bowl and top with broth, vegetables, and soft-boiled eggs. Garnish with radishes and garlic chili sauce.
Notes
*I find my fresh ramen in the frozen section in my local Asian grocery. If you can’t find fresh ramen, you can use packaged ramen without the flavor packet. For a vegan ramen, omit egg and ensure pasta does not contain egg.
Here’s how to make a whiskey sour with egg white! The frothy foam topping is the cherry on top of this classic cocktail recipe.
When it comes to classic cocktails, there’s nothing quite like the whiskey sour. It’s sweet tart, with just enough pucker from the lemon balanced with simple syrup and a spicy bourbon finish.
In my opinion, the best way to drink a whiskey sour is with an egg white foam topping. This classic way to top drinks is perfectly safe and has been a tradition for hundreds of years! Here’s how to make my favorite whiskey sour with egg white foam topping.
5 Star Reader Review
“Absolutely delightful and SO good! Certain drinks you see the presentation and think it’ll be hard to make, and the egg foam always made me assume this. This easily took 4 min., and was worth every second. Thank you!” -BAW
Why Egg White Belongs In A Whiskey Sour
Egg whites in cocktails is an age old cocktail tradition. Bartenders have been adding egg whites to cocktails since the 1860’s. There are many classic egg white cocktails, from the Gin Fizz to the Pisco Sour. Adding egg white does two things:
It builds foam. Proteins in the egg white unfold and trap air, making a delicious frothy texture to the top of the drink.
It makes a creamy, rich flavor that’s rounder. The egg white helps to tone down the sharp citrus without adding sweetness.
Ingredients You’ll Need
The whiskey sour is an iconic drink with a long history: earliest mention of the drink was in the 1870’s. It’s on the list of International Bartender Association’s IBA official cocktails, meaning it has an official definition. While the IBA definition of a whiskey sour doesn’t include an egg white, but it’s a well known addition to sour cocktails.
When a whiskey sour recipe uses egg white, it’s also called a Boston Sour. Here’s what you need:
Whiskey: I like using bourbon, but any type of whiskey works; see below.
Lemon juice: Use fresh squeezed lemon juice for the best flavor: always. Bottled lemon juice tastes flat and dulls the foam.
Simple syrup: You can use either simple syrup (which is easy to make at home) or I sometimes use maple syrup for a rounder flavor.
Egg white: You’ll need an egg white or you can also substitute aquafaba for a vegan variation (see below).
Garnish: An orange peel and a cocktail cherry. A few drops of bitters on the foam are optional but classic.
Best Whiskey To Use
What type of whiskey to use for a whiskey sour? You can use any type. Here’s a little breakdown on what we like best:
Bourbon: My top pick: the vanilla and oak notes in bourbon whiskey are ideal. I like Bulleit Bourbon and Elijah Craig Small Batch.
Jameson Irish whiskey:Jameson is very mild and makes for an even more balanced drink (try the Jameson whiskey sour)
Rye whiskey: Rye whiskey has a spicy burn on the finish
Is It Safe To Use Raw Egg White?
If you’re worried about the safety of raw egg whites in cocktails, don’t worry! Raw egg in a cocktail is a long-standing bar practice and the risk from a fresh, refrigerated egg is low. However, the risk is not the same for everyone.
Turns out, melons, salad, and peanuts have more of a threat for salmonella than eggs! However, make sure to safely store and use eggs to minimize risk (via Food & Wine). You can also use aquafaba instead (see below).
How To Dry Shake For The Best Foam
How does an egg white turn into foam? It’s a technique called a dry shake. Here’s what to know:
Use the Dry Shake technique. Most cocktails are shaken with ice in a cocktail shaker. But in a whiskey sour with egg white, you’ll do what’s called a Dry Shake. That means you’ll shake the ingredients first without ice. Then you’ll add the ice and shake again. This results in a lovely white layer of foam on top.
There’s also a Reverse Dry Shake. Another technique gets even more foam: it’s called the Reverse Dry Shake. You shake the ingredients with ice first, then strain out the ice and shake again. This method gets it even more foamy. But we like the texture of the foam in a dry shake, and it’s most common for classic cocktails.
Egg-Free Swap: Using Aquafaba
Is there a vegan egg white substitute in cocktails? Aquafaba is the liquid that’s inside a can of chickpeas. Because it’s so starchy, it works as a binder similar to an egg.
Two tablespoons of aquafaba are equal to 1 egg white, so use that in this recipe as an egg white substitute. It makes for the same type of foam!
¾ ounce (1 ½ tablespoons) pure maple syrup (or simple syrup)
1 egg white*
Garnish: Orange peel and a cocktail cherry
Ice, for serving (optional)
Instructions
Add the whiskey, lemon juice, syrup, and egg white to a cocktail shaker without ice. Shake for 15 seconds.
Add ice to the cocktail shaker. Shake again for 30 seconds.
Strain the drink into a glass; the foam will collect at the top. Serve over ice (optional), an orange peel and a cocktail cherry.
Notes
*Substitute 2 tablespoons aquafaba (liquid from a can of chickpeas) for a vegan variation.
More Egg White Cocktails
So many other sour cocktails use the technique of an egg white foam topping! If you’re a sour fan like we are, here are a few more egg white cocktails to try:
This snickerdoodle zucchini bread combines two cozy baked goods into the perfect blend of sweet and spice! It has a warm, cinnamon-sugar twist so it tastes a bit like your favorite cookie.
If you love snickerdoodles and zucchini bread: why not enjoy both at once? Welcome to the magic of snickerdoodle zucchini bread, which became an instant favorite in our house! This loaf is moist and sweet, swirled with cinnamon and topped with crunchy cinnamon sugar so it tastes like that cozy cookie.
I originally created this recipe to use up a bunch zucchini our neighbor gave us from her garden. Since I already have recipes for zucchini bread, lemon zucchini bread, and chocolate zucchini bread, I was looking for something a little different. This sweetly spiced spin won me over completely!
5 Star Reader Reviews
“This is a delicious zucchini bread and lends itself quite nicely to the snickerdoodle flavor profile! And it’s even better on day 2 .” -Valerie
“The Snickerdoodle Zucchini bread came together so easily, and it was perfectly moist! My whole family (including two picky little kids) loved it! I will definitely be making it on repeat.” -Britney
Ingredient Notes For Snickerdoodle Zucchini Bread
Snickerdoodle zucchini bread is a simple spin on the classic zucchini bread recipe. It’s a quick bread, meaning it’s baked without yeast (like pumpkin bread, banana bread, apple bread, and others). If you love to make baked goods, it’s a fun thing to bake that feels fancier than it is! Here’s what you’ll need:
Butter and neutral oil: The combination of the two makes an ultra-moist bread. Use organic grapeseed or vegetable oil. If desired, you can substitute olive oil, though it may add a slightly bitter undertone.
Zucchini: Use a large grater to grate the zucchini. Do not squeeze out the water: you’ll need all the moisture for the bread.
Eggs, milk, flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, and baking soda: These are all the classic baking ingredients that you might already have on hand. Milk can be any type.
Cinnamon: The cinnamon here is used both in the bread and a cinnamon sugar swirl. It makes a lovely ribbon through the bread!
Cream of tartar: This is optional, but cream of tartar is classically used in snickerdoodles. If you have it on hand, it’s fun to add here: but the difference it adds is minor.
How To Make a Cinnamon Swirl
This snickerdoodle zucchini bread is special because it has a cinnamon swirl through the middle. You’ll add half the batter to the pan, top with cinnamon sugar, then add the other half of batter and more cinnamon sugar. Here’s how to make the swirl:
Insert a butter knife in the top corner of the pan so it just touches the bottom.
Draw a large S shapes across the entire pan.
Tips For Baking Snickerdoodle Zucchini Bread
Here are a few more tips for making sure this bread comes out perfectly moist:
This recipe works in a 9 x 5 inch or 8 x 4 inch loaf pan. If baking in an 8 x 4 inch pan, you may need to increase the baking time slightly.
Avoid draining or squeezing out the zucchini. This recipe is optimized to use all the liquid content in the zucchini.
Brushing with butter after baking and adding more cinnamon sugar seals the deal. This makes for the most cinnamon sugary flavor and crunchy topping.
Storing Leftovers
This snickerdoodle zucchini bread stores well. Keep it up to 3 days at room temperature wrapped in aluminum foil, 1 week refrigerated, or up to 3 months frozen.
This snickerdoodle zucchini bread combines two cozy baked goods into the perfect blend of sweet and spice! The moist zucchini bread gets a warm, cinnamon-sugar twist so it tastes a bit like your favorite cookie—but better.
2 cups shredded zucchini, packed (about 3/4 pound or 2 medium zucchini), grated with large grater
For the cinnamon sugar and topping
½ cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon butter
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter or oil a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan.
Melt the butter, then whisk in the oil, granulated sugar, eggs, milk, vanilla, baking powder, baking soda, cream of tartar, cinnamon, and salt.
Use a spatula to mix in the flour and zucchini until just combined, mixing just until there are no longer streaks of dry ingredients.
In a small bowl, mix the 1 tsp cinnamon and ½ cup sugar for the cinnamon sugar (reserve the butter for after baking). Pour half the batter into the prepared loaf pan, then sprinkle ⅓ of the sugar mixture evenly on top. Add the other half of the batter, smoothing it with a spatula. Top with another ⅓ of the mixture. Insert a butter knife into the batter in the top corner of the pan and draw an S shapes through the pan to swirl. Reserve the remaining cinnamon sugar.
Bake 55 to 65 minutes until golden brown and the top springs back when touched (insert a toothpick into the center of the loaf: if it comes out with a few clinging crumbs, it’s done!). While the bread is still warm, melt the 1 tablespoon butter and brush it into the top of the loaf, then sprinkle on the remaining ⅓ cinnamon sugar.
Cool in the pan for 1 hour. Then run a knife around the edge and invert the loaf onto a cooling rack. Serve warm or at room temperature. The bread keeps up to 3 days at room temperature wrapped in aluminum foil, 1 week refrigerated, or up to 3 months frozen.
Notes
Use all the moisture from the zucchini in this recipe, since its liquid quantity is required for the bread (do not drain).
Pin Recipe
.” -Valerie
