Stuffed Acorn Squash With Ground Beef, Pears and Parmesan
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Stuffed acorn squash with ground beef, pears, and parmesan is an all-in-one dinner. Each squash is roasted then stuffed with a ground beef pear mixture that is prepared in a skillet. These are gluten-free and paleo if you don’t use the parmesan.
Stuffed Acorn Squash with Ground Beef, Pears and Parmesan
What a wonderful way to enjoy the Fall/Winter season! This stuffed squash recipe is full of flavor and very filling.
Acorn squash is roasted, then topped with a ground beef and pear mixture that’s prepared in a skillet. It’s scooped into the center of each squash and topped with grated parmesan cheese.
You can serve this for the holiday season on Thanksgiving or Christmas. Or just enjoy on a Sunday when you have a little more time to prepare food for your family.
These stuffed squash store nicely in the fridge as leftovers. We saved two for the following night – just reheat in the oven at 400°F for 15-20 minutes or until fully warmed through. These can also be microwaved to reheat.
Stuffed Acorn Squash Ingredients
This recipe uses beautiful Fall ingredients. Here’s what you’ll need:
- Acorn Squash – You’ll need two acorn squash. These will be sliced in half to create four servings.
- Ground Beef – Extra lean ground beef will work best for this recipe. You can also use ground turkey or ground chicken.
- Bosc Pears – You’ll need two bosc pears. This add the perfect Fall sweetness.
- Fresh Herbs – Fresh sage and thyme add flavor and fragrance to the recipe.
- Parmesan Cheese – These stuffed squash are topped with freshly grated parmesan cheese. You can also use mozzarella cheese or feta. If you prefer to not use dairy, these will still taste great without it.
How To Roast Acorn Squash
Roasting an acorn squash is super easy. Here’s how you do it:
- Use a sharp knife to slice the acorn squash in half. Scoop out the stringy bits and seeds with a metal spoon.
- Brush the inside flesh with cooking oil and season with salt and pepper.
- Lay each piece flesh-side down onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
- Use a fork to poke the green skin in multiple places. This will help to let steam release while it’s roasting.
- Bake at 400°F for 30 minutes. When the squash is cooked, it will be soft when poked with a fork.
- Let cool on the baking sheet for 5-10 minutes before using.
How To Make Stuffed Acorn Squash
This recipe is created in three main steps:
- Roast The Squash – Slice the acorn squash in half and scoop out the insides. Roast at 400°F for 30 minutes.
- Make The Stuffing – In a skillet, cook the onion and minced garlic for 1-2 minutes. Add in the ground beef and cook until no longer pink. Lastly, add the pear, sage and thyme. Season with salt and pepper.
- Assemble – Scoop the stuffing into each acorn squash. Sprinkle the tops with grated parmesan cheese. Bake for another 10 minutes then serve while still hot.
To see full instructions including the recipe card that you can print out, just scroll to the bottom of this post.
More Squash Recipes To Try
Squash is an easy and inexpensive vegetable to use in a variety of recipes. Here are a few favorites to try:
- Roasted Root Vegetables – This side dish is so simple to make and pairs beautifully with turkey, but you can also eat it with steak, chicken, and pork.
- Cinnamon Sweet Potato and Squash – Serve it for your holiday feast or just a regular weeknight meal. It’s simple and full of flavor.
- Fall Harvest Salad – Made with delicata squash, pomegranate and kale. It’s a beautiful feast for the eyes and topped with a homemade apple cider vinegar dressing.
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Stuffed Acorn Squash with Ground Beef, Pears and Parmesan
Ingredients
Acorn Squash:
- 2 acorn squash
- 2 Tbsp avocado oil - or other cooking oil
- salt and pepper - to taste
Stuffing:
- ½ onion - diced
- 3 garlic cloves - minced
- 1 lb extra lean ground beef
- 2 bosc pears - diced
- 1 Tbsp fresh sage - chopped
- 2 Tbsp fresh thyme
- salt and pepper - to taste
- 1 cup grated parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Using a sharp knife, slice each acorn squash in half.
- Use a metal spoon to scrape down the sides. Scoop out the stringy bits and seeds.
- Brush the flesh with cooking oil (I use avocado oil spray). Then season with salt and pepper.
- Place the squash face down on the baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Use a fork to poke the skin a few times. This will help to release the steam while roasting. Bake for 30 minutes.
- While the squash is roasting, prep the other ingredients. Dice the onion and pear. Chop the fresh sage and thyme. Mince the garlic.
- In a frying pan over medium-high heat, add a bit of cooking oil, diced yellow onion and garlic. Cook until onion turns translucent, about 1-2 minutes.
- Add in the ground beef and break up into small pieces with a wooden spoon. Cook until the ground beef is no longer pink. Drain any excess grease.
- Add the diced pear, sage, and thyme. Mix together and season with salt and pepper. Cook another 1-2 minutes them remove from heat.
- Once squash is cooked, remove from oven and let cool 10 minutes, then flip over so that flesh is facing up. Don't turn off the oven yet.
- Scoop the ground beef mixture into each acorn squash.
- Sprinkle grated parmeson on top of each one.
- Bake an additional 10 minutes. Remove from oven and serve while still warm. These can be eaten as-is with a fork and knife. Enjoy!
