Recipe for Stuffed Acorn Squash with Sausage and Apples
This apple sausage stuffed acorn squash tastes like fall in every bite! An all-in-one meal that's easy enough for a weeknight buy fancy enough for guests.
Servings: 6 Servings
Calories: 562kcal
Ingredients
For the Roasted Squash
- 3 acorn squash, halved and seeds removed*
- olive oil (if you don't want to eyeball it, start with about ¼ Cup, adding more if needed)
- salt (if you don't want to eyeball it, start with ½ teaspoon)
- pepper (if you don't want to eyeball it, start with ¼ teaspoon)
For the Filling
- 1 pound ground pork sausage
- 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced (or 2 small onions)
- 2 medium apples, core removed and chopped into bite-sized pieces
- ½ teaspoon dried sage
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- 1 Cup panko bread crumbs (we like to use whole wheat panko)
- 1 + ¼ Cup grated parmesan cheese, divided
Instructions
- Prep. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- Prepare the squash. Using a sharp serrated knife, cut off each end of the acorn squash (the stem, and the nub) removing as little as possible. Then cut the squash in half horizontally. Use a spoon to remove the seeds.
- Drizzle the cut side with a little olive oil and use your fingers or a pastry brush to rub it all over the cut surface and inside of the squash "bowl". Then sprinkle each half with salt and pepper.
- Bake. Flip the squash pieces face-down on the prepared baking sheet and bake for 35-40 minutes (up to 1 hour if you have really large squash) until the interior is tender when pierced with a fork, but it's still holding it's shape.
- Prepare the filling. While the squash is baking, cook the sausage over medium heat, breaking the meat into crumbles. Cook until heated through and browned (about 5-7 minutes). Drain and pat the cooked meat dry with a paper towel to remove as much grease as possible. Place in a bowl and set aside.
- Place the chopped onion into the same skillet you just used (no need to wipe it out, we're using the grease that's still on the pan) and sauté until it starts to brown (about 2-3 minutes). If the onion is sticking, add a little olive oil.
- Add apple pieces to the skillet and sauté for another 2 minutes until the apples are softened.
- Add the sausage back to the skillet, and stir in sage, panko bread crumbs, and ¾ Cup of the parmesan cheese to the skillet and stir until the cheese begins to melt. Set aside until the squash is ready.
- Stuff the squash. Once the squash has finished cooking, flip all halves over to be "bowl" side up on the baking sheet. Spoon the filling mixture into the "bowls" of the squash, packing it in gently.
- Sprinkle the remaining parmesan cheese over the filling / top of the squash.
- Bake again. Return to the oven and bake for an additional 10-15 minutes, until the cheese is melted.
- Enjoy!
Video
Notes
*Got smaller-sized squash? Grab 4 (for 8 halves) just in case! Simply prep and roast them like the rest of the squash as noted in the recipe card.
Storage: Store fully cooled stuffed squash halves in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Reheating: You can reheat leftovers in the microwave, oven, or air fryer.
- Microwave: Cut individual portions (1 stuffed half) into 3-4 pieces and heat on a microwave-safe plate for 1-2 minutes. Check the temperature, rotating the pieces and heating an additional 1-2 minutes as needed.
- Oven: Reheat at 350°F for 15-20 minutes until heated through.
- Air fryer: Reheat at 350°F for 8-10 minutes.
- Use fresh sage. Dried sage is more potent than fresh, so you'll need to use about 3x as much chopped fresh sage (so about 3 teaspoons for a single batch).
- Add celery. Finely dice 2 medium stalks and sauté it along with the onion.
- Try a different protein. Try turkey sausage, chicken sausage, or even plant-based sausage.
- Add grains. If desired, add some cooked wild rice, quinoa, or farro for extra heartiness and texture variation. Taste and add additional seasonings if desired.
- Different cheese. If desired, try using sharp cheddar, gruyere, or goat cheese instead of the parmesan.
- Different herbs. Try fresh thyme, finely chopped fresh rosemary, or a blend of Italian herbs instead of the ground sage.
Nutrition
Calories: 562kcal | Carbohydrates: 42g | Protein: 21g | Fat: 36g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 17g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 73mg | Sodium: 1217mg | Potassium: 1087mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 1062IU | Vitamin C: 28mg | Calcium: 289mg | Iron: 3mg
