Description
Delicious and hearty Stuffed Acorn Squash filled with a savory mixture of Italian sausage, sautéed vegetables, fresh herbs, apples, cranberries, and parmesan cheese. This comforting dish is perfect for a cozy family meal and combines sweet and savory flavors with a tender baked squash base.
Ingredients
Scale
Acorn Squash
- 3 acorn squash
- Olive oil, as needed for brushing
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Filling
- 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 and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Slice the top and bottom off each acorn squash, then slice each squash in half. Scoop out the seeds with a metal spoon and discard.
- Prepare Squash for Baking: Brush the inner flesh of each squash half with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place each squash half flesh side down on the prepared baking sheet and bake for 25 minutes, or until a fork can easily pierce the skin.
- Cool and Scoop Squash Flesh: Remove the baked squash from the oven and let cool until safe to handle. Scoop out a small amount of the flesh, chop it finely, and set aside on a plate for later use.
- Cook Sausage: In a large frying pan over medium-high heat, cook the Italian sausage with the casings removed. Break it apart as it cooks until browned and crumbly. Transfer the cooked sausage to a plate and set aside.
- Sauté Vegetables and Herbs: Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the same pan. Cook the diced onions until translucent, about 2 minutes. Then add mushrooms, diced apple, celery, minced garlic, sage, thyme, rosemary, salt, and black pepper. Cook for 3-4 minutes until the vegetables soften.
- Combine Filling Ingredients: Return the cooked sausage to the pan and add half of the parmesan cheese, dried cranberries, and the chopped baked squash. Stir everything together well and remove from heat.
- Stuff the Squash: Divide the filling mixture evenly among the acorn squash halves. Sprinkle the remaining parmesan cheese on top of each filled squash half.
- Final Bake: Return the stuffed squash halves to the oven and bake for an additional 2-5 minutes, or until the cheese has melted. Remove from the oven, let cool slightly, and serve immediately.
Notes
- You can substitute Italian sausage with a vegetarian sausage option for a vegetarian variation.
- Dried cranberries can be replaced with raisins or chopped dried apricots for different flavor notes.
- Chopping the scooped squash flesh finely helps it blend better with the stuffing filling.
- Be careful when handling hot squash after baking; let it cool slightly to avoid burns.
- Fresh herbs add the best flavor, but dried herbs are a good alternative if fresh are unavailable.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: acorn squash stuffed, Italian sausage stuffing, baked squash recipe, fall recipe, savory stuffed vegetables
