French Onion Soup Orzo in an Acorn Squash
What, you've never thought of serving soup in an acorn squash before? It's both bowl and heart-shaped! The warm, rich flavors of French Onion Soup are perfect for fall and pair perfectly with an acorn squash. The only problem is that soup is just...sloshy. I've been French Onion Soup-ing all of the things forever, but I am so glad this has become a new trend. Introduce some orzo to your soup and it will make a complete meal; a perfect vegetarian main for the holidays.
I really wanted to impress my in-laws for my first time hosting Thanksgiving. Yes, of course I can keep the house spotless, polish the light switches with a toothbrush, have seasonal yet subtle decor, and serve a five course meal all while keeping my makeup tasteful yet holiday-themed. Now to today when we get takeout on paper plates…anyway
I served French onion soup in a roasted half of an acorn squash. It was beautiful. My mother in law said “I can always expect something beautiful and surprising when Leah cooks.” I beamed. But the eating of it became all sloshy. It can be hard to eat out of an asymmetrical ridged bowl. The cheesy bits don’t quite brown on the skin of a squash the way they do a ceramic dish. Since then, I’ve added orzo or pastina to make this a whole meal, fully decadent, and not nearly as sloshy. It’s also a gorgeous main vegetarian dish.
French Onion Soup Orzo in Acorn Squash
Ingredients
- 2 acorn squashes
- 1 cup dry orzo
- 4 cups of French onion soup
- 2 cups spinach
- 2 sausage links preferably mild italian or apple sage
- 1 cup grated Gruyère or swiss cheese
- 1/2 cup Parmesan divided
- Drizzleable amount of olive oil
- 1 tbsp fresh rosemary
- Salt pepper, and fresh parsley to taste
Instructions
- Oven temperature: 375
- Slice the acorn squash in half by sticking your knife into one of the grooves and pressing firmly through. The squash should naturally want to split. Scrape out the guts with a spoon. Season the inside with salt and pepper and massage with a drizzle of olive oil. Bake the squash cut side down for 30 to 40 minutes
- Chop your sausage so it is about the size of the orzo. Heat your saucepan on medium and drizzle in some olive oil. Once the oil is loose, add in your sausage to brown. Throw a handful of your dry orzo in so it gets nice and toasty. Stir your goods for 3 - 5 minutes and remove from the pan.
- For the french onion soup, I had some frozen but you can always buy a can of it or if your grocery store has a hot soup bar, grab it there. French onion soup is very forgiving.
- Add a few spoonfuls of the soup to the pan to deglaze, then scrape up the browned bits. Add the rest of your soup and raise your temperature to high. Once the soup is boiling, add your orzo and the sausage toasted orzo mix. Stir so they don’t initially stick together, then cook for five minutes. You want to make sure the soup is fully absorbed by the orzo so it is better to add less than you think and add in ladles as the orzo soaks it in. Once the orzo is done, stir in your chopped rosemary and spinach and let it get all wilty.
- Take the squash out of the oven and turn them face up. Let them cool for at least 10 minutes. Once cool, add your orzo into the cavity and give it a slightly rounded dome.
- Drape your cheese over the top of your squash and orzo generously. Finish with a tablespoon of parmesan and throw it all back in the oven for another 5 minutes so the cheese gets all melty. Top with fresh parsley and enjoy.
