Stuffed acorn squash is a cozy, warming winter meal that's packed with nutrients and perfect for a body recomposition or wellness goal.
Today's recipe is loaded with over 35 grams of protein per serving and 17 net carbs and absolutely packed with flavor.
All with just 5 main ingredients!
Try this recipe for dinner throughout the New Year Challenge for a simple, delicious and protein-packed meal.
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Key Ingredients:
Acorn Squash
Acorn squash is naturally rich in fiber with nearly 7 grams of fiber per 1/2 squash. Fiber helps to naturally make you feel full and satisfied by promoting the release of GLP-1 (a satiety hormone). Acorn squash is also rich in various B vitamins and certain minerals, like potassium and manganese.
Pesto
The real star of the show! I love using pesto in recipes to add a lot of flavor without a ton of ingredients, making it the perfect weeknight dinner pairing.
Ground Meat
This recipe (like most of our recipes) gives you the choice of which ground meat to use, based on your preferences. If you want the pesto flavor to pop a bit more, you might want to go for one of the lighter proteins like chicken or turkey.
However, ground beef and lamb are higher in important nutrients like iron, making those two the more nutrient dense choices.
If plant-based, you can swap in crumbled tempeh, which is a fermented soy product. Fermenting soy helps to breakdown harmful anti-nutrients in soy, making tempeh a safer and more protein-packed plant-based protein choice.
Scroll down for the recipe!
Pesto Stuffed Acorn Squash
Serves 4
Ingredients:
1 pound ground meat (beef, chicken, turkey, or tempeh)
2 acorn squash, halved and pulp removed
½ cup pesto
½ cup grated mozzarella cheese (or cashew cheese for a dairy free option)
1 tsp. olive oil
½ tsp. ground black pepper
Heavy pinch of salt
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Cut the acorn squash in half and remove the seeds and pulp. Add the squash to the baking sheet cut side down.
Roast the squash in the oven for 45 minutes, or until the flesh is fork tender.
While the squash is cooking, preheat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the olive oil and ground meat to the skillet. Season the meat with salt and pepper and brown until fully cooked.
Once the meat is cooked, turn off the heat and add the pesto. Stir to combine.
When the squash is finished baking, carefully remove it from the oven and flip the squash over, cut side facing up. Stuff each half with equal parts of the pesto and meat mixture.
Top the meat mixture with grated cheese and return the filled squash back into the oven under the broiler setting for an additional 2 minutes or until the cheese has melted and turned golden brown.
Remove from the oven and serve.
Note: This meal is great paired with a side of caesar salad or fresh arugula with a spritz of lemon juice, balsamic vinegar, parmesan cheese, and a drizzle of olive oil.
Grab Autumn's Protein Powder HERE and start whipping up delish, protein-packed meals!😋
❤️,
Autumn
Autumn Elle Nutrition
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