Hot Honey Chili Mac Stuffed Squash (Printer View)

Creamy chili mac with hot honey tucked inside roasted acorn squash for a cozy, sweet-spicy vegetarian meal.

# Components:

→ Roasted Squash

01 - 2 medium acorn squash, halved and seeds removed
02 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
03 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
04 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

→ Chili Mac

05 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
06 - 1 small yellow onion, diced
07 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
08 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
09 - 1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and minced
10 - 1 15-ounce can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
11 - 1 15-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
12 - 1 14-ounce can diced tomatoes
13 - 1 cup vegetable broth
14 - 1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
15 - 1 teaspoon ground cumin
16 - 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
17 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
18 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
19 - 1 tablespoon hot honey or regular honey mixed with 1/2 teaspoon hot sauce
20 - 1 cup dry elbow macaroni
21 - 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

→ Garnish

22 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
23 - Extra hot honey for drizzling

# Method steps:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Brush the cut sides of acorn squash halves with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place cut-side down on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Roast for 35 to 40 minutes until tender when pierced with a fork.
02 - While squash roasts, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add diced onion and cook for 3 minutes until softened. Stir in minced garlic, diced red bell pepper, and minced jalapeño; cook for 4 to 5 minutes until softened.
03 - Add kidney beans, black beans, diced tomatoes, vegetable broth, chili powder, ground cumin, smoked paprika, salt, black pepper, and hot honey to the skillet. Stir to combine and bring to a gentle simmer.
04 - Stir in dry elbow macaroni. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, for 8 to 10 minutes until pasta reaches al dente texture. If the mixture becomes too thick, add additional broth or water as needed.
05 - Remove skillet from heat. Stir in shredded cheddar cheese until fully melted and the mixture achieves a creamy consistency.
06 - Once squash halves are roasted and cool enough to handle, flip them cut-side up. Spoon generous portions of chili mac into each squash half.
07 - Drizzle additional hot honey over each filled squash half and sprinkle with fresh chopped cilantro before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It's a complete meal in one beautiful, edible bowl that makes you feel like you put in way more effort than you actually did.
  • The hot honey creates this addictive sweet-savory-spicy trifecta that keeps you reaching for another forkful.
  • Roasted squash halves are naturally forgiving and look absolutely stunning on the plate, making weeknight dinners feel restaurant-worthy.
02 -
  • Don't skip rinsing your canned beans—it removes excess sodium and starch, making the chili mac taste fresher and less gummy.
  • The hot honey gets stirred in during cooking, not just drizzled at the end, so it melts into the sauce and flavors every bite.
  • If your squash isn't tender at the 35-minute mark, give it another 5 minutes rather than serving it undercooked—nobody wants to gnaw through their dinner bowl.
03 -
  • Roast your squash halves cut-side down first so they get a head start on cooking and caramelizing before you flip them to fill them.
  • Make the chili mac while the squash roasts so everything finishes at roughly the same time—timing is everything with this dish.
  • If you're cooking for guests, you can roast the squash ahead and store it covered, then reheat gently while you make the chili mac fresh.
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