Tender roasted acorn squash is filled with a spiced Lebanese-inspired rice mixture called hashweh, made with ground beef, warm spices, basmati rice, sweet dried cranberries, and toasted pine nuts. Every bite is a blend of savory, sweet, and nutty flavors that’s comforting, aromatic, and perfect for fall!
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About This Recipe
This stuffed acorn squash is filled with a fragrant Lebanese-inspired spiced rice mixture called hashweh, made with ground beef, warm cinnamon and allspice, buttery toasted pine nuts, and a handful of tart dried cranberries. It’s hearty, aromatic, and full of textures with the perfect balance of both warm fall flavors and Middle Eastern inspiration.
As you eat the stuffed squash, scoop a spoonful of the roasted squash with the savory meat and rice mixture. You’ll get savory, sweet and warm spiced flavors in every bite and the toasted pine nuts bring a delicious crunch that ties everything together.
If you love this flavor combination, try my Roasted Kabocha Squash with Tahini and Pomegranate for another fall favorite, or see my traditional Hashweh rice recipe that inspired this dish.
📋 Ingredients
- Acorn squash: Choose ones that feel heavy for their size and have a firm, matte skin. If you prefer, kabocha or delicata squash also work well.
- Basmati rice: I love India Gate basmati rice for its long, light grains. Rinse the rice a few times before cooking, so it removes extra starch for a more delicate bite.
- Ground beef: Use good-quality 80/20 beef for a tender, flavorful filling. You can also substitute with ground lamb or a mix of both.
- Warm spices: A blend of cinnamon, allspice, cumin and nutmeg gives the dish that signature Lebanese depth and warmth that complements the natural sweetness of the squash.
- Pine nuts: Toasted in a bit of ghee or clarified butter until golden and nutty. I like to store pine nuts in the freezer since they’re high in oils and can go rancid over time.
- Dried cranberries: Add a subtle sweetness that balances the savory meat. You can also use barberries or currants for a more traditional twist.
See recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
🍋 Substitutions and Variations
- Squash options: Use the same meat and rice stuffing with kabocha squash or delicata squash for a similar sweet flavor and creamy texture.
- Nuts: Swap pine nuts for toasted slivered almonds or chopped walnuts.
- Protein: Substitute ground beef with lamb, veal, or a mix.
- Vegetarian version: Skip the meat and bulk up the filling with chopped mushrooms and sautéed spinach or lentils.
- Dried Fruit: Use dried currants, barberries, or golden raisins instead of cranberries.
⏲️ Instructions
Roast the Squash: Brush the acorn squash with olive oil, season with allspice and salt, and roast until halfway cooked so it holds its shape for stuffing.
Cook the Beef and Rice: Sauté the ground beef and onions until browned, then add garlic and warm spices. Stir in basmati rice and chicken stock, cover, and cook until the rice is fluffy and fragrant.
Toast the Pine Nuts: Toast the pine nuts in a little ghee until golden, then remove and set aside.
Stuff and Bake: Combine the rice mixture with toasted pine nuts, dried cranberries, and parsley. Spoon into each squash half, bake until tender, and garnish with more pine nuts and herbs.
📍 Recipe Tips
- Prep the squash: Before slicing in half, trim a small piece off the bottom so the halves sit flat while baking.
- Toasting pine nuts: Keep an eye on the pine nuts when toasting and remove them from heat as soon as they turn golden, so they don’t burn.
- Make-ahead tip: The meat and rice filling can be made up to 2 days ahead and refrigerated until ready to stuff.
- Extra filling: Depending how large the squash cavity is, you may have a little leftover hashweh mixture, which is delicious on its own or spooned over greens or roasted veggies.
- Check for doneness: To make sure the squash is fully cooked, insert the tip of a paring knife into the thickest part of the flesh and if it slides in easily, it’s ready.
Serving Suggestions
Serve stuffed acorn squash as a gluten-free main course for a weeknight dinner or even as a beautiful side for a fall gathering or Thanksgiving table. It pairs wonderfully with:
- Shredded Brussels Sprouts Salad with Pecorino
- Chopped Kale Salad with Creamy Tahini Dressing
- Roasted Carrots and Pears with Pomegranate
More Squash Recipes to Try
Love this recipe? Please leave a 5-star 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟rating in the recipe card below & a review in the comments section further down the page.
Stuffed Acorn Squash with Ground Beef and Spiced Rice (Hashweh)
LittleFerraroKitchen.com
Ingredients
For the Acorn Squash
- 2 acorn squash
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ teaspoon allspice
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
For the Spiced Rice Filling
- 2 tablespoons ghee divided
- ½ pound ground beef or ground lamb
- ½ medium yellow onion finely diced
- 2 garlic cloves finely chopped
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- ¼ teaspoon allspice
- Pinch of nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper to taste
- ½ cup uncooked basmati rice rinsed several times
- 1 cup low-sodium chicken stock
- ¼ cup pine nuts
- ¼ cup dried cranberries or barberries/currants
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley plus more for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven: Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment or foil.
- Prepare the squash: Wash and dry the acorn squash. Slice each one in half horizontally and scoop out the seeds. Trim a small piece off the bottom of each half so it sits flat on the baking sheet.
- Roast the squash: Brush the cut sides with olive oil and season with allspice and salt. Place cut side down on the baking sheet and roast for 25–30 minutes, until just tender but not too soft. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly.
- Make the filling: While the squash roasts, heat 1 tablespoon of ghee in a medium pot over medium heat. Add the ground beef and onion and cook until the beef is browned and the onion has softened, about 5–7 minutes.
- Add garlic and spices: Stir in the garlic, cinnamon, cumin, allspice, nutmeg, salt, and black pepper. Cook another minute until fragrant.
- Add rice and stock: Stir in the rinsed basmati rice and chicken stock. Add the remaining tablespoon of ghee. Bring to a boil, then reduce to low, cover, and cook until the rice is tender, about 15 minutes.
- Toast the pine nuts: While the rice cooks, melt a little ghee in a small skillet over medium heat. Add pine nuts and toast, stirring often, until golden and fragrant. Remove from heat immediately so they don’t burn — they’ll continue to darken slightly as they cool.
- Finish the filling: Fluff the cooked rice with a fork, then stir in the toasted pine nuts (reserve a few for garnish), dried cranberries, and chopped parsley.
- Stuff and bake: Spoon a generous amount of the rice mixture into each roasted squash half, drizzle lightly with olive oil, and return to the oven. Bake for another 20 minutes, until the squash is fully tender and the tops are lightly golden. Cover loosely with foil if they brown too quickly.
- Serve: Let cool slightly, then garnish with reserved pine nuts and extra parsley. Serve warm.
Notes
- Prep the squash: Before slicing in half, trim a small piece off the bottom so the halves sit flat while baking.
- Toasting pine nuts: Keep an eye on the pine nuts when toasting and remove them from heat as soon as they turn golden, so they don’t burn.
- Make-ahead tip: The meat and rice filling can be made up to 2 days ahead and refrigerated until ready to stuff.
- Extra filling: Depending how large the squash cavity is, you may have a little leftover hashweh mixture which is delicious on its own or spooned over greens or roasted veggies.
- Check for doneness: To make sure the squash is fully cooked, insert the tip of a paring knife into the thickest part of the flesh and if it slides in easily, it’s ready.
BDM says
'hollowed out' (not 'hallowed out')
Samantha Ferraro says
Halloween Not Halloween! Have a fantastic Weakland. Samantha.