Taco Stuffed Acorn Squash

My new favorite Stuffed Acorn Squash – this Taco Stuffed Acorn Squash – is the perfect, easy-to-prep, budget friendly and gluten-free Fall dinner or lunch. Make it even easier (and faster!) by using freezer taco meat and prepping your roasted acorn squash in advance! This post contains affiliate links for products I’m obsessed with. 

Guys. 

This Taco Stuffed Acorn Squash Recipe might be my new favorite Stuffed Squash recipe. 

And if you are sitting here wondering how Tacos and Acorn Squash go together, I want you to know I understand your skepticism. 

But, friend, it just freaking works.  Like really, really works. 

And this bowl of Fall deliciousness is also: 

• • stupid easy
  • budget friendly
  • family friendly 
  • and perfect for Meal Prep

How to make Roasted Acorn Squash

The first thing we are going to do is roast our acorn squash.  This is a great thing to do on meal prep day because it’s super hands off and doesn’t require any babysitting. 

First, cut your acorn squash in half from top to bottom or through the middle.  Either works, but top to bottom can be easier.  

Tip: cut a little bit off the bottom so your squash lays flat on your cutting board before cutting all the way through. 

After cutting your squash in half, scoop out the seeds from the center of the squash and discard or roast those babies. 

Next, brush your acorn squash with olive oil, and sprinkle with sea or Himalayan salt.  

To keep the mess at bay, line a baking sheet with parchment paper and place your prepped Acorn Squash on top. 

Finally, bake your squash on 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 40 minutes or until easily mashed with a fork.  Now you are ready for the filling!

Ingredients for Taco Stuffed Acorn Squash Filling

You only need a few simple ingredients to make the Taco Filling for your Roasted Acorn Squash. 

• Lean ground beef – I love Butcher Box Grass Fed Ground Beef, but you could sub ground chicken or ground turkey, too.  If you want to make a vegetarian or vegan version, sub quinoa or brown rice!
• Tomato Sauce – you want the canned sauce, not the jarred.  
• Salt free taco seasoning – this is another thing to prep a batch of on meal prep day and keep on hand for whenever you need it. 
• Sharp cheddar cheese – you can also swap dairy free cheese or leave off the cheese and this will still be delish!  If you aren’t a fan of cheddar, use whatever cheese you like here. 
•  Corn + Black beans (optional – omit for no yellow) – I had some on hand, so I added them to my Taco Meat, but you could definitely leave them out if you want a lower carb, or no-yellow meal. 

Meal Prep Tip #1:  Whenever you make Taco Meat, double or triple your batch and freeze it!  Taco meat is one of the best freezer items to have on hand for those busy weeks!

While your squash is roasting, brown your ground beef, then add in sauce and taco seasoning.  Cook until sauce has  thickened.  Stir in corn and black beans. 

After your filling is cooked, it’s time to Stuff the Acorn Squash.  Divide your Taco Meat into the 4 squash halves evenly.  If your squash is on the smaller size, you might have extra filling.  You could save it for tacos or more Acorn Squash!

Go ahead and top with some cheese and put your squash back in the oven. Get that cheese all warm and melty and then your squash is ready to go!

Meal Prep Tip #2:  If you are prepping this meal ahead of time, you can fill the squash and finish off the baking with the cheese, then cool and store in an airtight container.  Or, you can just fill the squash, but bake the cheese when you are ready to eat.  Of course you could also store the filling and the squash separate until you are ready to eat!

Can I freeze Roasted Acorn Squash?

Yes!  Cooked Acorn Squash freezes very well!  You can freeze it stuffed or freeze the taco filling separately.  This makes for a quick, single serve lunch or dinner. 

To reheat, thaw in the fridge overnight, then bake in the oven at 400 until warm.  Or, if you don’t have time to thaw, bake at 350 until hot, then top with cheese increase temp to 400 for the last ten minutes of cook time. 

More Stuffed Acorn Squash Recipes

Stuffed Acorn Squash with Sausage, Spinach, and Feta

Roasted Acorn Squash with Sweet Whipped Ricotta

Cranberry Pecan Quinoa Stuffed Acorn Squash | Ambitious Kitchen

Taco Stuffed Acorn Squash

★★★★★ 5 from 2 reviews

• Author: Nancylynn
• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 50 minutes
• Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
• Yield: 4 servings 1x
• Category: Dinner
• Method: Skillet | Oven
• Cuisine: American
• Diet: Gluten Free

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Description

My new favorite Stuffed Acorn Squash – this Taco Stuffed Acorn Squash – is the perfect, easy-to-prep, budget friendly Fall dinner or lunch. Make it even easier (and faster!) by using freezer taco meat and roasting your acorn squash in advance!

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• 2 large acorn squash
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 1 1/2 lbs lean ground beef – I love Butcher Box grass fed beef (can sub 99% turkey for WW)
• 1 cup of tomato sauce 
• 1–2 T of salt free taco seasoning
• ⅔ cup of sharp cheddar cheese 
• 1/2 cup of corn (optional – omit for no yellow)
• 1/2 cup of black beans (optional – omit for no yellow)
• ¼ tsp salt
• garnish – cilantro

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Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper (optional, but keeps the mess away).
2. Cut each acorn squash in half, top to bottom OR across the middle, and remove the seeds.  Brush each squash with olive oil, then sprinkle with salt. Place squash halves in oven for 40 minutes, or until fork tender, but still retaining their shape.
3. While the squash is roasting, brown ground beef in a ceramic non stick skillet until cooked through. Next, stir in tomato sauce, corn, black beans, and salt free taco seasoning and cook until taco mixture has thickened.  Add salt, taste and adjust seasoning as desired. 
4. Once squash is finished cooking, use a fork to gently mash the inside. Then divide taco mixture evenly among the squash halves. Top each with 2.5 T of cheddar cheese. Place squash back in the oven for a few minutes to melt and brown the cheese.
5. Garnish with cilantro if desired!

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Equipment

Parchment

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Sheet Pan

Buy Now →

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Notes

Makes 4 servings

21 Day Fix: 1 RED, 1 GREEN, 1/2 BLUE, 1/2 YELLOW (optional, omit beans and corn for no yellow) (per serving)

WW: Green – 7 points, Blue – 2 points; Purple – 2 points (per serving) – calculated using 99% ground turkey & reduced fat cheddar cheese  [If using 95% ground beef & reduced fat cheese:  Green – 10 points, Blue- 8 points, Purple- 8 points]

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Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 squash half

Keywords: Stuffed Acorn Squash, Taco Stuffed Acorn Squash, Acorn Squash Recipes, Roasted Acorn Squash, How to Roast Acorn Squash