Stuffed acorn squash with bulgur pilaf

Stuffed acorn squash with bulgur pilaf – hearty, creamy, sweet and savory – this dish tastes like fall, and it looks the part. Serve it as a festive side on Thanksgiving, or a main vegan/vegetarian meal.

As October draws to a close, we are quickly approaching a pumpkin crescendo here in our house, and true to form, I’ve already had my belly stuffed with all sorts of pumpkins and squashes, in various preparations. This one though…oh, I can sing a song about it!  It’s the quintessential fall dish – sweet and savory, creamy and nutty, with a warm dusting of cinnamon – all the fall flavors in one comforting, totally satisfying pumpkin bowl.  It’s a joy for the eyes, and a balm for the soul.

See? I’m getting poetic here…(sort of).

So what goes in these cute acorn squash bowls?  Well, for starters, lots of caramelized onions, carrots, warm spices, bulgur wheat, raisins for a little bit of sweetness, and coconut milk for creaminess.   All that goodness is then loaded in the rich, almost fudge-like, sweet flesh of the roasted pumpkin, and topped with toasted almonds, coconut cream, and chopped scallions.  The overall flavor is simply a delightful mixture of sweet and savory, creamy and crunchy, cinnamon-y, and nutty.  If that doesn’t get your taste buds to sing, I don’t know what does.

Isn’t it also the perfect side to serve on your Thanksgiving table, looking all dressed up and fancy?!  It can be a great vegetarian/vegan main dish too, due to its hearty nature.

I love the creamy, nutty texture of bulgur in this dish, and I love its short cooking time.  Bulgur is an ancient whole wheat grain that’s been parboiled, then cracked, and thus requires almost no cooking.  You can simply soak it in hot liquid to re-hydrate.   It’s a staple in the Middle Eastern cuisines, most famously used in the preparation of tabbouleh, but also in various pilafs instead of rice.  For a gluten-free version, you can use quinoa instead.

So, my fellow pumpkin lovers, I’ll leave you with this thought, and I hope you’ll be singing an ode to the pumpkin, after making this stuffed acorn squash with bulgur pilaf!

If you need more pumpkin inspiration, check out my other recipe for stuffed pumpkin with bacon, leeks and scallops (Mmm…!)

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Stuffed acorn squash with bulgur pilaf

Prep Time

20 mins

Cook Time

40 mins

Total Time

1 hr

 

Stuffed acorn squash with bulgur pilaf - hearty, creamy, sweet and savory - this dish tastes like fall, and it looks the part. Serve it as a festive side on Thanksgiving, or a main vegan/vegetarian meal.

Course: Main Dish, Side dish / Vegetarian

Servings: 4

Calories: 469 kcal

Author: Viktoria

Ingredients

• 2 acorn squashes
• 2 onions, chopped
• 3 medium carrots, grated
• 1/2 cup bulgur wheat
• 5-6 Tbs raisins
• 1 cup hot vegetable broth or water
• 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp cloves
• 1/2 tsp turmeric
• 1 tsp salt
• 4 Tbs coconut (olive) oil, divided
• 1/2 cup chopped almonds
• 2/3 cup coconut milk
• chopped fresh chives to garnish

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400 °F.

2. Cut the acorn squash in half, brush with coconut oil, and sprinkle with some brown sugar. Place on a baking tray, cut side down, and roast for 30 min, or until soft.

3. Meanwhile, heat 3 Tbs coconut or olive oil, and add the chopped onions. Cook for 15 minutes until they caramelize. Add 2 cups grated carrots (2-3 carrots), the spices, 4 tbs water and cook until carrots have softened. Add the bulgur wheat, the raisins, and 1 cup hot broth or water. Cover and let the bulgur absorb the liquid (15 min). 

4. Add the coconut milk to the bulgur mixture, stir well until incorporated, and divide evenly among the roasted acorn squash halves. Put back in the oven, and bake for another 10 minutes.

5. Melt the remaining 1 Tbs of coconut oil, or butter, and toast the chopped almonds, add a dash of cinnamon, a pinch of brown sugar and salt.   Sprinkle the crunchy topping over the squash halves, and serve with fresh chopped chives.