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Stuffed Acorn Squash
5 from 18 votes

Stuffed Acorn Squash

Stuffed Acorn Squash features roasted acorn squash halves filled with a sautéed mixture of Italian sausage, kale, apple, aromatic herbs, nuts, and optionally feta cheese. The filling combines savory, sweet, and herbaceous flavors, providing a hearty and textured stuffing to complement the tender baked squash.

Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
35 mins
Total Time
55 mins
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 473 kcal
Course: Side Dish, Salad
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

  • 2 acorn squash
  • ½ pound Italian sausage See Notes, ground
  • 1 to 2 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 cup white onion finely diced (from about half of a large onion, diced, or yellow onion
  • 3 to 4 cloves garlic finely minced
  • 3 cups kale cleaned and chopped (Swiss chard or fresh spinach okay)
  • 2 celery finely diced, stalks
  • 1 apple peeled and diced (Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, Gala, Fuji, or other firm and crisp apple, medium
  • 2 sage finely chopped** (See Notes, fresh leaves
  • 1 teaspoon rosemary finely chopped, fresh
  • ½ teaspoon thyme finely chopped, fresh
  • 1 teaspoon salt or to taste
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper or to taste, freshly ground
  • 2 tablespoon nuts chopped pecans or walnuts; and/or use pumpkin or sunflower seeds instead
  • ½ cup feta cheese queso fresco or shredded Parmesan may be substituted, optional and as desired, crumbled

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Preheat the oven to 400F and check to make sure your top oven rack is placed high enough or remove it to accommodate the squash halves when it comes time to bake them; they'll bake on the center/middle rack.
  2. Line a sturdy baking sheet with foil or parchment if desired for easier cleanup and spray with cooking spray.
  3. Slice the squash in half vertically and scoop out the seeds. Repeat with second squash. See Notes*** for my Safety and How-To Tips for slicing squash.
  4. Place the 4 squash halves flat/cut side down on your prepared baking sheet (so the flesh is face down) and bake for about 20 minutes, or until fork-tender.
  5. While the squash bakes, to a large skillet, add the sausage and cook over medium-high heat to brown it, about 5 minutes; crumble it intermittently with a wooden spoon to ensure even cooking.
  6. After it has cooked through, remove it with a slotted spoon and set aside in a bowl; don't drain skillet.
  7. To the skillet add the olive oil, onion, and cook over medium-high heat until translucent, about 4 to 5 minutes; stir frequently.
  8. In the final minute of cooking, add the garlic, and cook for 1 minute, or until fragrant; stir constantly.
  9. Add the kale, celery, apples, sage, rosemary, thyme, salt, pepper, and cook for about 4 to 5 minutes, or until the kale wilts, and the apples and celery soften. It will look like a lot of kale as you add it, but it wilts down quickly. Stir frequently.
  10. Turn off the heat, add the sausage back into the skillet, and stir to combine; set aside.
  11. After 20 minutes of baking or when the acorn squash are fork-tender, scoop out a bit of the flesh from each of the 4 halves to make room for the filling. It's hard to say exactly how much to scoop out, you'll have to eyeball it based on the size of your squash, how hollow or full they are, etc. You can save this hollowed out portion of squash flesh for another use or just nibble on it.
  12. Place the 4 halves back on the baking sheet and evenly divide the filling mixture between the 4 halves.
  13. Return baking sheet to the oven and bake for 15 minutes.
  14. Remove from the oven and evenly sprinkle the chopped nuts and/or seeds, and optional cheese.
  15. Serve immediately. For any leftover, rather than trying to store whole or even partially cut into squash in your fridge since they are bulky, I scrape everything all together into a container and discard the skins. The extra portion will keep airtight for up to 5 days in the fridge or up to 3 months in the freezer.

Notes

  • Ground meats like beef, chicken, turkey, chorizo, or vegetarian substitutes can be swapped for Italian sausage.
  • Fresh herbs can be replaced with half the amount of dried herbs as per preference.
  • Use a large, sharp knife and a stable surface when slicing squash to avoid accidents; remove the stem first for a flat base.
  • Pair this dish with a simple side salad or grains to create a balanced meal.

Nutrition Information

Serving 1serving Calories 473kcal (24%) Carbohydrates 39g (13%) Protein 19g (38%) Fat 30g (46%) Saturated Fat 10g (50%) Polyunsaturated Fat 21g (124%) Cholesterol 49mg (16%) Sodium 1184mg (49%) Fiber 10g (40%) Sugar 11g (22%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 4 servings

Amount Per Serving

Calories 473

% Daily Value*

Serving 1serving
Calories 473kcal 24%
Carbohydrates 39g 13%
Protein 19g 38%
Fat 30g 46%
Saturated Fat 10g 50%
Polyunsaturated Fat 21g 124%
Cholesterol 49mg 16%
Sodium 1184mg 49%
Fiber 10g 40%
Sugar 11g 22%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.