The perfect Fall dish that works both as a Side Dish or Main Course. This Sausage & Apple Stuffed Acorn Squash Recipe is super easy to make. Serve it as a weeknight main course or a special side dish on Thanksgiving Day.
How to Stuff an Acorn Squash
Making this Stuffed Acorn Squash Recipe is actually quite simple. The first thing you want to do is cut your Acorn Squash in half. To do this you need to make sure you have a large, heavy duty SHARP knife. Acorn Squash can be pretty tough but once your knife makes it into the hollow cavity you should be able to slice straight through pretty easily.
Once you have your Acorn Squash halved use a spoon to scoop out the seeds and pulp from the hollow cavity. You can view this video for help here.
Coat the insides with oil, season with salt and pepper then place cavity side down on a lined baking sheet and bake in your preheated oven for 45 minutes.
While the Squash is roasting, prepare your stuffing.
Once the Acorn Squash is ready remove it from the oven, carefully turn them over so the cavity side is facing up then fill each with your stuffing. Finally, return them to the oven and bake for another 10 minutes.
What’s in the Sausage &
Apple Stuffing
This Acorn Squash Stuffing has a little bit of everything. The great thing about it is you can alter it quite easily to fit your taste.
If you want to keep it as a Vegetarian Stuffing just omit the sausage. Or you can also just sub in a different type of ground meat if you’re not into sausage.
Here’s the list of ingredients that I added to my stuffing:
- Hot Italian Sausage
- Apple
- Dried Cranberries
- Pecans
- Red Quinoa
- Onion
- Celery
- Sage
- Thyme
- Salt & Pepper
- Parmesan Cheese
Try More of our Favorite Squash Recipes
- Autumn Harvest Butternut Squash Noodle Recipe
- Skillet Butternut Squash Casserole with Apples
- Roasted Spaghetti Squash with Pancetta, Apples & Goat Cheese
Stuffed Acorn Squash with Sausage & Apples
Equipment
- Large Roasting pan or rimmed large Cookie sheet
- Large Sharp Knife
- Spoon
- Large Skillet
- Medium sauce pan
Ingredients
- 3 Acorn Squash ,cut in half and seeds and guts scooped from the cavity
- 1 Pound Ground Hot Italian Sausage ,Optional
- 1 Cup Red Quinoa ,Cooked according to package directions
- 2 Apples peeled, cored and diced
- 1 Cup Onion ,diced
- 1/2 Cup Celery ,diced
- 1 Cup Pecans ,chopped
- 1/4 teaspoon Ground Sage
- 1/4 teaspoon Dried Thyme
- Salt & Pepper ,to taste
- 3 Tablespoons Olive Oil ,for sauteeing and coating squash
- 1/4 Cup Parmesan Cheese ,shredded
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 Degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with aluminum foil.Set aside.
- Cut 3 acorn squash in half and scoop out seeds and pulp with a spoon.
- Coat the cavity of each squash with olive oil then season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Place cavity side down on baking sheet and place in preheated oven on the middle rack. Bake for 45 minutes.
- While squash is baking prepare stuffing.
- Heat a tablespoon of oil in a large skillet over medium high heat.
- Add chopped onions and celery and sautee for 3-5 minutes.
- Add sausage. Cook and mix together with a wooden spoon, breaking up the sausage as it cooks. Cook for about 5-7 minutes.
- Add apples, craisins, pecans, thyme and sage. Toss to combine with the sausage and cook for 2-3 more minutes.
- Add cooked quinoa and toss to combine.
- Remove skillet from heat and set aside until squash are finished cooking.
- Once the squash is ready remove them from the oven. Carefully turn each over so that the cavity side is facing up. Fill each cavity with apple, sausage stuffing then top with shredded parmesan cheese.
- Place back in oven for 10 minutes.
- Remove from oven and serve.
Video
Notes
- Ground turkey or other ground meat
- Rice or any other of your favorite grains
- Diced pears
Nutrition
I’ve had other versions but this one exceeds them. Can’ wait to have it again!