Southern · main

Hoppin' John Stuffed Acorn Squash

Hoppin' John Stuffed Acorn Squash reads sweetness 5.4, richness 5.0 and allium 4.3 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a Southern main, about 1 hr 32 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

• Umami & Savory — 4.5 / 10
• Sweet & Fruity — 5.6 / 10
• Sour & Bright — 3.5 / 10
• Bitter & Earthy — 3.7 / 10
• Rich & Fat — 5.9 / 10
• Aromatic & Spice — 4.8 / 10

The measured notes (of 18)

Sweetness 5.4 · Richness 5.0 · Allium 4.3 · Umami 4.0 · Salinity 3.7 · Sourness 3.5 · Earthy 3.1 · Nutty 2.9 · Heat 2.5 · Smoke 2.4 · Warm Spice 1.8 · Bitterness 1.5 · Herbaceous 1.5 · Funk & Ferment 1.2 · Floral 0.8 · Fruity 0.8

What's in it (16)

• acorn squash — 1361 g
• olive oil — 41 g
• salt — 5 g
• black pepper — 3 g
• unsalted butter — 54 g
• yellow onion — 110 g
• green bell pepper — 100 g
• celery — 80 g
• garlic — 9 g
• smoked paprika — 5 g
• cayenne pepper — 1 g
• long-grain white rice — 177 g
• vegetable broth — 473 g
• black-eyed peas — 425 g
• green onions — 220 g
• apple cider vinegar — 15 g

Time & effort: about 1 hr 32 min (1 hr 26 min active) · effort: involved

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 93.6 kcal, 3.9 g protein, 1.9 g fat, 19.1 g carbs

Dietary: Vegetarian — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.

How it's cooked (12 steps)

1. Preheat the oven to 400 F. Halve the acorn squash lengthwise through the stem and scoop out the seeds and strings with a spoon.
2. Rub the cut sides and flesh of the squash with 2 tbsp of the olive oil and season with 1/2 tsp of the salt and 1/4 tsp of the black pepper.
3. Place the squash halves cut-side down on a rimmed baking sheet and roast until a paring knife slides easily into the thickest part, 35-40 minutes.
4. While the squash roasts, melt 3 tbsp of the butter with the remaining 1 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion, bell pepper, and celery and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and the onion is translucent, 6-7 minutes.
5. Add the garlic, smoked paprika, and cayenne to the skillet and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 1 minute.
6. Stir in the rice and toast, stirring, until the grains look glossy and translucent at the edges, about 2 minutes.
7. Pour in the vegetable broth and the remaining 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper; bring to a boil, then cover, reduce the heat to low, and simmer undisturbed until the rice is tender and the liquid is absorbed, 18-20 minutes.
8. Remove the rice from the heat, scatter the black-eyed peas over the top, cover, and let stand off the heat until the peas are warmed through, 5 minutes.
9. Fold in the apple cider vinegar and the remaining 1 tbsp butter; fluff the rice with a fork and taste, adding more salt if needed.
10. Flip the roasted squash halves cut-side up on the baking sheet and mound each with the Hoppin' John rice mixture, pressing gently to pack it in.
11. Return the stuffed squash to the oven and roast until the filling is hot and lightly browned on top, 8-10 minutes.
12. Scatter the green onions over the squash and serve warm, directly from the shells.

Dishes with a similar flavor shape

• Loaded Veggie Chili with Cornbread — American
• Black-Eyed Pea and Collard Green Stew — Southern
• Sloppy Joes on Toasted Buns — American
• Maque Choux Succotash Skillet — Cajun/Creole · Cajun
• Moroccan Chickpea Stew With Quinoa — Moroccan

Keep reading: what sweetness, richness, allium mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.

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Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.