Ground beef 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!
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.
Related: Pesto Without Pine Nuts Recipe
Ground Beef
Ground beef is rich in iron, zinc and protein to help reduce hunger and support a fat loss goal. 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.
Ingredient Swaps
- Plant-based: You can swap in crumbled tempeh for the ground beef. Tempeh is a fermented soy product. Fermenting soy helps to breakdown harmful anti-nutrients, making tempeh a safer and more protein-packed plant-based protein choice than tofu or edamame. You can also sub out the cheese for a high quality cashew cheese.
Storing and Reheating
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. When reheating, place the acorn halves in a baking dish with a splash of water and cover with tin foil. Put into a preheated oven at 350 F for 15-20 minutes or until warmed through.
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Ground Beef Stuffed Acorn Squash with Pesto
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- 2 acorn squash halved and pulp scraped out
- 1/2 cup pesto
- 1/2 cup grated mozzarella cheese
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 heavy pinch salt
Instructions
- 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.
Notes
Equipment
Nutrition
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