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Stuffed Acorn Squash

This sausage stuffed acorn squash recipe with apple is beyond delicious! Packed with fall flavor, it's filling enough to be a main dish but also works beautifully as a Thanksgiving side.

Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
10 mins
Total Time
50 mins
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 522 kcal
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

For the Squash:
  • 2 small acorn squash
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • 4 teaspoons ground black pepper
For the Filling:
  • ½ pound ground Italian sausage (225g)
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • ½ medium onion chopped
  • 4 ounces baby bella mushrooms chopped (113g)
  • ½ medium honey crisp apple peeled and diced
  • 2 garlic cloves minced
  • 1 teaspoon fresh thyme chopped
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1 cup shredded cheese* plus more for sprinkling (113g)

Instructions

For the Squash:
    Cup of Yum
  1. Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil.
  2. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the olive oil, salt, and pepper.
  3. Using a large, sharp knife, carefully cut the squash in half through the stem end and scoop out the seeds and any stringy bits.
  4. Brush the squash with the olive oil mixture and place them cut-side down on the prepared baking sheet.
  5. Roast for 30 minutes or until the squash is tender and starting to brown on the bottom.
For the Filling:
  1. While the squash is roasting, heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the sausage and cook, stirring occasionally, until fully cooked and browned, about 5 to 7 minutes. Remove the sausage from the pan using a slotted spoon, leaving the drippings in the pan.
  2. Add the olive oil, onion, mushrooms, apple, garlic, thyme, salt, and pepper. Cook until the onion and apple are very tender and almost all of the moisture has evaporated, about 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from the heat. Stir the sausage mixture back into the skillet, then stir in the cheese.
For the Assembly:
  1. When the squash are tender, remove them from the oven and flip over on the baking sheet using tongs.
  2. Divide the filling evenly among each squash half, mounding it in the cavity. Sprinkle with additional cheese.
  3. Bake for 5 to 10 minutes or until the cheese is melted and beginning to brown. (Bake time will depend on the type of cheese). Let cool for a few minutes before serving.

Notes

  • No need to peel the squash. Because the skin on acorn squash is so thin and bakes up tender, you don’t need to peel them before roasting. In a pinch, you can substitute the acorn squash for spaghetti squash. The initial bake time may increase a bit until the squash is tender.
  • Scoop out all the stringy bits. No one likes stringy squash! Make sure you scoop out all the seeds and stringy bits from the center of the squash halves.
  • Get creative with the filling. If you want to up the ante on the fall flavor in this dish, add a handful of dried cranberries and chopped pecans to the filling. A little grated nutmeg and allspice also add a cozy, spiced flavor.
  • You can use your favorite cheese in this recipe! Parmesan cheese, gruyere, smoked gouda, cheddar, feta, and goat cheese are all delicious options. If you are using cheese that needs to be shredded, do so at home instead of buying the pre-shredded kind. Pre-shredded cheese has additives to prevent clumping, which stops it from being decadently melty when baked.
  • Vegetarian option. For vegetarian stuffed acorn squash, omit the sausage. To bulk up the filling, you can add more mushrooms (perhaps a heftier kind like Portobello), drained and rinsed canned chickpeas or white beans, or your favorite cooked grain. Wild rice, quinoa, and farro would work very well!

Nutrition Information

Calories 522kcal (26%) Carbohydrates 31g (10%) Protein 17g (34%) Fat 38g (58%) Saturated Fat 12g (60%) Polyunsaturated Fat 4g Monounsaturated Fat 20g Cholesterol 65mg (22%) Sodium 1181mg (49%) Potassium 1121mg (32%) Fiber 5g (20%) Sugar 4g (8%) Vitamin A 1028IU (21%) Vitamin C 28mg (31%) Calcium 247mg (25%) Iron 3mg (17%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 4servings

Amount Per Serving

Calories 522

% Daily Value*

Calories 522kcal 26%
Carbohydrates 31g 10%
Protein 17g 34%
Fat 38g 58%
Saturated Fat 12g 60%
Polyunsaturated Fat 4g 24%
Monounsaturated Fat 20g 100%
Cholesterol 65mg 22%
Sodium 1181mg 49%
Potassium 1121mg 24%
Fiber 5g 20%
Sugar 4g 8%
Vitamin A 1028IU 21%
Vitamin C 28mg 31%
Calcium 247mg 25%
Iron 3mg 17%

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