Stuffed acorn squash with ground beef and parmesan is an all-in-one dinner. Each squash is roasted then stuffed with a ground beef mixture that is prepared in a frying pan. It's a wonderful recipe to serve during the Fall and Winter months, and would be perfect at a Holiday dinner.
Be sure to try my taco stuffed spaghetti squash recipe next!
Stuffed Acorn Squash Recipe
What a wonderful way to enjoy the Fall and Winter season! This stuffed acorn squash recipe is full of flavor and very filling.
Acorn squash is roasted in the oven, then topped with a ground beef mixture that’s prepared in a frying pan. It’s scooped into the center of each squash, topped with grated parmesan cheese, and popped back in the oven for just a few more minutes.
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.
Recipe Ingredients
For Squash:
- 3 acorn squash
- olive oil
- salt and pepper
Stuffing:
- 1 lb Italian sausage - casings removed
- 2 cups chopped mushrooms
- 1 cup diced yellow onion
- 1 cup diced apple - about 1 small apple
- 1 cup chopped celery - about 2 celery stalks
- 2 garlic cloves - minced
- 1 Tbsp fresh sage leaves minced - or 1 tsp dried sage
- 1 Tbsp fresh rosemary leaves minced - or 1 tsp dried rosemary
- 1 Tbsp fresh thyme leaves minced - or 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp ground black pepper
- ¾ cup shredded parmesan cheese - divided
- ⅓ cup dried cranberries - or raisins
How To Make Stuffed Acorn Squash
Follow the steps below or see the full ingredients and instructions in the recipe card at the bottom of this blog post.
STEP ONE: Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
STEP TWO: Slice a piece of the bottom and top off from the three acorn squash. Then slice each one in half. This will allow it to sit on the baking sheet. Scoop out the seeds using a metal spoon and discard.
STEP THREE: Brush the inner flesh with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Place each squash flesh side down on the baking sheet. Bake for 25 minutes or until you can poke the skin with the fork.
STEP FOUR: Once squash is baked, remove from oven and let cool enough to handle. Scoop a small amount of the inside flesh out. Chop the squash pieces small and add it to a plate.
STEP FIVE: Remove the casings from 1 lb of sausage and add it to a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Cook the ground sausage until browned. Break apart as it cooks until it's crumbly. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
STEP SIX: Add 1 Tbsp olive oil to the frying pan and cook onions until translucent, about 2 minutes.
STEP SEVEN: Add the 2 cups chopped mushrooms, 1 cup diced apple, 1 cup chopped celery, 2 minced garlic cloves, 1 Tbsp chopped fresh sage, 1 Tbsp chopped fresh thyme and 1 Tbsp chopped fresh rosemary, 1 tsp salt and ½ tsp black pepper. Cook for 3-4 minutes, until vegetables soften.
STEP EIGHT: Add back in the cooked sausage, half of the parmesan cheese and ⅓ cup of cranberries, and 1 cup of chopped acorn squash that was scooped out after baking. Mix everything together. Remove from heat.
STEP NINE: Divide the filling into the acorn squash pieces. Sprinkle the last half of the parmesan cheese on top of each.
STEP TEN: Place in the oven and bake another 2-5 minutes, until the cheese has melted. Remove and let cool for a few minutes then serve immediately.
Recipe Tips
- This squash can be sliced in half vertically or horizontally depending on what shape you prefer.
- Sometimes the squash will sit on an angle which can be frustrating. To help it sit flat, slice a little piece off the bottom to help it sit better.
- Use a metal spoon to scrape out the inside seeds and stringy bits. I find this works best for scraping along the sides.
- After roasting the squash, let it cool for 10-15 minutes before flipping and handling. It will be really hot straight out of the oven!
- Spaghetti squash tastes best when cooked al dente, just like pasta, a firm yet soft texture is ideal.
How To Store Leftovers
- Refrigerate - These stuffed squash are great leftovers! Make sure to store in an air-tight container or wrapped in plastic wrap and eat within 4 days.
- To Freeze - You can also freeze these for future meals. I recommend wrapping them in foil and then placing them in a large freezer bag.
- To Reheat - Let the frozen squash thaw overnight in the fridge. You can reheat them in the microwave for 3-5 minutes. Or preheat oven to 350°F then bake for 15-20 minutes until heated through.
Tools For This Recipe
(Amazon affiliate links) - Check out all of my kitchen essentials here.
- Extra large Baking Sheet - An extra large baking sheet makes it easy to bake more of these acorn squash slices at a time. It's also warp-resistant.
- Parchment Paper - These are pre-cut sheets that can be added straight to the baking sheet.
- NeverDull Premium Knife Set - I love this set as it comes with a foolproof sharpening system built right in. Great for getting those thin strips of beef for this recipe!
- 10″ Professional Nonstick Fry Pan – One of the top bestselling frying pans on Amazon.
- Silicone Spatula - Gentle enough to scrape along the bottom of the pan without scratching it. This is a sauce-making must-have!
- Magnetic Measuring Spoons - I love these magnetic ones which stay nice and organized together when storing them.
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Stuffed Acorn Squash
Ingredients
For Squash:
- 3 acorn squash
- olive oil
- salt and pepper
Stuffing:
- 1 lb Italian sausage - casings removed
- 2 cups chopped mushrooms
- 1 cup diced yellow onion
- 1 cup diced apple - about 1 small apple
- 1 cup chopped celery - about 2 celery stalks
- 2 garlic cloves - minced
- 1 Tbsp fresh sage leaves minced - or 1 tsp dried sage
- 1 Tbsp fresh rosemary leaves minced - or 1 tsp dried rosemary
- 1 Tbsp fresh thyme leaves minced - or 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp ground black pepper
- ¾ cup shredded parmesan cheese - divided
- ⅓ cup dried cranberries - or raisins
Instructions
Bake The Squash:
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Slice a piece of the bottom and top off from the three acorn squash. Then slice each one in half. This will allow it to sit on the baking sheet. Scoop out the seeds using a metal spoon and discard.
- Brush the inner flesh with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Place each squash flesh side down on the baking sheet. Bake for 25 minutes or until you can poke the skin with the fork.
- Once squash is baked, remove from oven and let cool enough to handle. Scoop a small amount of the inside flesh out. Chop the squash pieces small and add it to a plate.
- Remove the casings from 1 lb of sausage and add it to a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Cook the ground sausage until browned. Break apart as it cooks until it’s crumbly. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
Make The Stuffing:
- Add 1 Tbsp olive oil to the frying pan and cook onions until translucent, about 2 minutes.
- Add the 2 cups chopped mushrooms, 1 cup diced apple, 1 cup chopped celery, 2 minced garlic cloves, 1 Tbsp chopped fresh sage, 1 Tbsp chopped fresh thyme and 1 Tbsp chopped fresh rosemary, 1 tsp salt and ½ tsp black pepper. Cook for 3-4 minutes, until vegetables soften.
- Add back in the cooked sausage, half of the parmesan cheese and ⅓ cup of cranberries, and 1 cup of chopped acorn squash that was scooped out after baking. Mix everything together. Remove from heat.
Assemble Stuffed Squash:
- Divide the filling into the acorn squash pieces. Sprinkle the last half of the parmesan cheese on top of each.
- Place in the oven and bake another 2-5 minutes, until the cheese has melted. Remove and let cool for a few minutes then serve immediately.
Recipe Notes:
- This squash can be sliced in half vertically or horizontally depending on what shape you prefer.
- Sometimes the squash will sit on an angle which can be frustrating. To help it sit flat, slice a little piece off the bottom to help it sit better.
- After roasting the squash, let it cool for 10-15 minutes before flipping and handling. It will be really hot straight out of the oven!
- Refrigerate – These stuffed squash are great leftovers! Make sure to store in an air-tight container or wrapped in plastic wrap and eat within 4 days.
- To Freeze – You can also freeze these for future meals. I recommend wrapping them in foil and then placing them in a large freezer bag.
- To Reheat – Let the frozen squash thaw overnight in the fridge. You can reheat them in the microwave for 3-5 minutes. Or preheat oven to 350°F then bake for 15-20 minutes until heated through.
Nutrition Info
The nutritional information provided is an estimate and is per serving.
