Roasted acorn squash stuffed with pancetta, mushrooms and chickpeas in an Italian seasoned sauce with fresh basil and parmesan cheese.
Back in my heavy duty weight loss days (more than 20 years ago, can you believe it?) one of my go-to meals was acorn squash stuffed with bits of salty ham and onion.
Acorn is still one of my favorite winter squashes. I love its mild flavor and find that folks who like butternut squash will eat acorn squash too.
Roasting acorn squash comes with a challenge though. It’s tough to cut in half without chopping off a few fingers in the process. I discovered a trick awhile ago that works for me, and as far as I’m concerned is much safer. I poke the squash with a fork and nuke it in the microwave for a few minutes. When it starts to soften, it’s much easier to cut in half.
Roasting all kinds of vegetables is a fantastic way to eat them. If you haven’t tried it, 100 Days of Real Food has a primer for you.
Anyway, back to my squash.
Since Mr. Mike and I have put on a few not fun pounds these past months, we decided to slenderize our meals and get back on track before all the holiday fun begins, and we’re starting with – you guessed it – stuffed acorn squash.
After sautéing onions and mushrooms in a pan with bits of pancetta, I tossed in chickpeas for added protein power (not to mention my weight loss buddy – lots of fiber), then a cup of Marinara sauce for a flavor boost.
You can see why I’m a fan of stuffed acorn squashes. They make a colorful and appealing dish for weight watchers and non-weight watchers alike.
Eating like this, Mr. Mike and I will be back to a healthier weight in no time flat!
~Kristi
Yields 4
Italian Acorn Squash Stuffed with Mushrooms and Chickpeas
15 minPrep Time
30 minCook Time
45 minTotal Time
Save RecipeIngredients
- 2 medium acorn squash, poked with a fork in two places
- 4 ounces pancetta, chopped into small pieces
- 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
- 28 ounces mushrooms, sliced
- 2 cloves garlic, large and minced
- 15 ounces chickpeas, canned, rinsed and drained
- 1 cup marinara sauce
- 8 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, shredded
- 8 tablespoons basil, slivered
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with foil.
- Puncture acorn squash with a fork in a few places, then place on a platter in the microwave and microwave for 10 minutes on high. Allow to cool for 5 minutes to touch.
- Cut the ends off of the squash, then cut the squash in half. Scoop out the seeds and place on the cookie sheet and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast in the oven for 20 minutes until squash is tender.
- While the squash is cooking, place a large non-stick pan over medium heat and add pancetta. Cook for 3 - 4 minutes stirring often.
- Add onion to the pancetta and cook for another 5 minutes stirring often.
- Add mushrooms and garlic and cook another 8 - 10 minutes stirring often until vegetables are tender.
- Add chickpeas and marinara sauce and heat through.
- Remove squash from the oven and top each half with 1/4 of the pancetta mixture, then top with 2 tablespoons of Parmesan cheese and 2 tablespoons of basil.
Notes
Food energy: 444kcal
Weight Watchers PointsPlus 11
Saturated fatty acids: 3.07g
Monounsaturated fatty acids: 2.78g
Polyunsaturated fatty acids: 2.24g
Total fat: 8.09g
Calories from fat: 72
Cholesterol: 23mg
Carbohydrate, by difference: 68.17g
Total dietary fiber: 14.09g
Protein: 29.32g
Total lipid (fat): 9.37g
Water: 548.07g
Ash: 7.90g
Total sugars: 13.55g
Calcium: 288mg
Iron: 6.69mg
Magnesium: 163mg
Phosphorus: 614mg
Potassium: 2055mg
Sodium: 971mg
PS – Acorn squash can be stored for a month or two if stored in a cool place, so buy extra for the Thanksgiving holiday. It’s perfect stuffed with leftover turkey and tart cranberries.
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