Stuffed Acorn Squash

Stuffed acorn squash with ground beef and parmesan is an all-in-one dinner. It’s a wonderful recipe to serve during the Fall and Winter months, and would be perfect at a Holiday meal.

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Prep Time: 15

Cook Time: 30

Total Time: 45

Servings: 6 servings

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 tablespoon fresh sage leaves minced - or 1 teaspoon dried sage
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary leaves minced - or 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves minced - or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon 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 tablespoon 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 tablespoon chopped fresh sage, 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme and 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary, 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon 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.

The nutritional information provided is an estimate and is per serving. There are 6 servings in this recipe.

Nutrition Info

The nutritional information provided is an estimate and is per serving.

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