This is one of our favorite dishes, and so we decided to make it vegan in order for all to be able to enjoy it at Thanksgiving.

The combination of vegan cornbread and mushrooms make for an excellent “stuffing” for this dish, and dried cranberries add a nice sweet note. We suggest you serve this with our Miracle Mushroom Gravy on the side.

Feel free to use acorn squash in the place of carnival squash for this dish. The scalloped edges of both varieties allow for a nice presentation.

Stuffed Carnival Squash

Ingredients

2 tablespoons vegan butter

8 ounces mushrooms, diced

2 medium ribs celery, diced

1 medium yellow onion, diced

1/2 teaspoon dried sage

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

1/4 cup dried cranberries, chopped

3/4 cup white wine

1 cup vegetable broth

3 medium acorn or carnival squash, cut into 3/4-inch rings and seeded

1 tablespoon olive oil 

Serves 2-4

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat, add the butter and then the mushrooms. Cool until very browned, about 5 minutes.
3. Add the celery and onion and cook another 10 minutes, stirring often, or until onion is translucent and starting to brown.
4. Add the sage, salt, pepper, and cranberries.
5. Deglaze pan with white wine and cook until the mixture appears dry.
6. Into a medium bowl, add the mushroom mixture, 1/3 of the cornbread, and the vegetable broth and mix well to create a slurry. Fold in the remaining 2/3 of the cornbread.
7. On a parchment-lined sheet tray, place the squash in a single layer and brush with olive oil.
8. Cook squash rings for 20 minutes.
9. Take the squash rings out of the oven. Using a spoon, stuff each ring with 1/2 cup of stuffing mixture, pressing it in.
10. Cool the stuffed squash for another 30 minutes. Serve the underside of the squash facing up for a neat presentation.