Name: Mexican Stuffed Acorn Squash
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 1 h
Cuisine: Vegan
Ingredients: 3 small acorn squash; 1 cup uncooked red quinoa; 1 tub Better Bean Skillet Refried Red Beans (or sub 1 15 oz can kidney or black beans); 1 cup steamed corn; 2 tsp chili powder; 1 tsp cumin; 1/2 tsp Himalayan sea salt; 1/4 cup pomegranate seeds (optional); chili lime tahini* (optional)

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Mexican Stuffed Acorn Squash packed with quinoa, steamed corn, and red beans. Perfect for a plant-based dinner or holiday meal!

Who’s planning out their Thanksgiving menu?

Being plant-based, my family and friends like to give me a hard time about bringing a “Tofurkey” to dinner, or some other pesudo-meat creation.

No offense to you Tofurkey eaters out there, (I’ve actually never tried it!) but I usually take a pass on the “Frankenstein” food products, as I like to call them.

You know, the ones that try oh so hard to imitate dairy products but will never quite get there?

I prefer to throw to throw all of the seasonal harvest in a bowl and call it a holiday.

Bonus points if the bowl is edible, too.

How about we try this easy Mexican Stuffed Acorn Squash that’s packed with protein, spice, and earthy flavors!

How to Do Vegan Thanksgiving

I learned something this year.

If you Google the original Thanksgiving, you might be a bit surprised at what was and wasn’t on the menu.

Some sources say there wasn’t any pumpkin pie, or cranberry sauce (gasp), but guess what there was?

Beans!

Yes friends, legumes probably made an appearance at the first Thanksgiving feast, right next to the corn and winter squash.

Something about imagining our American ancestors gathered around the table enjoying a big plate of beans makes me smile.

Better Bean

Speaking of beans, I discovered Better Bean when I was visiting California over the summer!

I immediately fell in love with the amazing taste and simple ingredients in convenient ready-to-eat packaging.

Usually I eat canned or homemade beans, but while traveling I didn’t have the means to make or store leftovers, so Better Bean was the perfect solution.

Most of the meals I ate that week were a smattering of fruits, veggies and protein with a big dollop of Better Bean on top to tie it all together.

Sometimes I just eat a spoonful as a protein packed snack, too, like I do hummus or peanut butter.

I was ecstatic to return home and find it sold at my local Whole Foods, so whenever I see it, I stock up.

You’re going to love the easy way it brings this dish together with zero prep!

My first Thanksgiving being plant-based, I ordered a couple of stuffed squashes from Whole Foods to take to my parents.

I didn’t cook back then, and I wanted to make sure I had a hearty “entree” option on the table, so I showed up with my stuffed squashes in hand, feeling a bit silly about the whole thing.

While everyone enjoyed their turkey, I discovered the creamy velvety goodness that is acorn squash.

To my delight, my parents told me to take the leftover stuffed squash home, so I had my own version of Thanksgiving leftovers.

Stuffed squash for *days*.

Since then, stuffed squash has become a sort of personal Thanksgiving tradition.

One I wanted to share with you, friends!

How to Make Mexican Stuffed Acorn Squash

While I do love the traditional kale-cranberry-quinoa stuffed squash, I wanted to create something a little different, because, options.

The “stuffing” base is a simple blend of born and quinoa with a container of the Better Bean Skillet Refried Red Beans stirred in to make super creamy and protein packed filling.

For spices, I used an easy mixture of chili powder and cumin, but if you want to mix things up try adding in a bit of coriander for citrus or chipotle powder for more heat.

I served mine with a drizzle of chili-lime tahini, but some other serving ideas are hot sauce, avocado, salsa, cilantro, green onion, yogurt, etc.

Try adding in pomegranate seeds for sweetness and a beautiful pop of color.

Enjoy this Mexican Stuffed Acorn Squash as a creative cozy family meal that would be a beautiful addition to any holiday spread!

More Vegan Holiday Sides

I Want to Hear From You

If you make this Mexican Stuffed Acorn Squash recipe, let me know!

Be sure to leave me a comment, rating, and review so I can use your feedback to create more yums.

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XO Lauren