Posted by Casey on Nov 30th 2025

Stuffed Acorn Squash with Wild Rice & Cranberries

A hearty fall dish featuring grass-fed beef and local seasonal ingredients

Serves: 4 | Prep Time: 20 minutes | Cook Time: 45 minutes

This recipe showcases TC Farm's grass-fed ground beef paired with seasonal acorn squash and wild rice for a wholesome, locally-sourced meal.

A wholesome fall favorite that brings together the best of Minnesota's harvest season. Roasted acorn squash halves are filled with a savory mixture of wild rice, grass-fed ground beef, dried cranberries, and aromatic herbs. Perfect for cozy autumn dinners, and easily adaptable for vegetarians by swapping mushrooms for the beef.

Ingredients

2/3 cup wild rice
5 cups salted water - for cooking wild rice
1/3 cup dried cranberries - chopped
2 tsp apple cider vinegar
2 acorn squash
1/2 large onion - diced
1 lb TC Farm ground beef
3-4 garlic cloves - minced
1 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp dried rosemary
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
2-3 tbsp butter - divided (for squash)

For a veggie version: substitute equal parts mushrooms for ground beef

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400°F
Cook wild rice in salted water - simmer 45 minutes
Cut acorn squash in half, place cut side down in a large glass pan with 1/2 inch water - bake for 40 minutes or until soft
Chop dried cranberries and soak in apple cider vinegar
Cook onions until soft and translucent, then add ground beef, garlic and seasonings - cook until ground beef is browned
Once wild rice is cooked, strain and add to the ground beef mixture along with the cranberries and the apple cider vinegar soak
When the squash is soft enough to easily pierce with a fork, remove from oven. Remove the squash from pan, drain water, and return squash to pan - cut side up. Wait until slightly cool, then add some butter to each half and fluff squash with a fork inside the cut half
Add the filling to the squash halves ontop of the fluffed squash
Broil for 1-2 minutes
Serve & enjoy!