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Hearty Sausage and Apple Stuffed Acorn Squash

A close-up of a savory stuffed acorn squash half filled with rice, ground meat, and topped with pecans.
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You will make this comforting, savory stuffed acorn squash recipe for cozy fall dinners or as a simple main course for your holiday table. This dish combines sweet roasted squash with a flavorful sausage and apple filling.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 medium acorn squash
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 pound bulk pork sausage
  • 1 small yellow onion, chopped
  • 1 large apple, peeled, cored, and diced
  • 1/2 cup cooked wild rice or brown rice
  • 1/4 cup dried cranberries
  • 1/4 cup chopped pecans
  • 1 teaspoon dried sage
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. Cut each acorn squash in half lengthwise. Scoop out the seeds and stringy pulp.
  3. Brush the cut sides of the squash with olive oil and sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper. Place the squash cut-side down on the prepared baking sheet.
  4. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the squash flesh is tender when pierced with a fork. Remove from the oven and carefully flip the halves so they are cut-side up.
  5. While the squash bakes, prepare the filling. In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the sausage, breaking it up with a spoon, until browned. Drain off any excess grease.
  6. Add the chopped onion and diced apple to the skillet with the sausage. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes, until the onion softens and the apple begins to soften.
  7. Remove the skillet from the heat. Stir in the cooked rice, dried cranberries, pecans, and sage. Mix well to combine all the filling ingredients.
  8. Spoon the sausage and apple mixture evenly into the hollowed centers of the roasted acorn squash halves.
  9. Return the stuffed squash to the oven and bake for an additional 10 to 15 minutes, until the filling is heated through.
  10. Serve this easy acorn squash dinner warm.

Notes

  • For a sweeter flavor, you can drizzle a small amount of maple syrup over the filling before the final baking step.
  • If you prefer ground beef stuffed acorn squash, substitute the sausage with 1 pound of browned ground beef, adjusting seasonings as needed.
  • To make this a hearty vegetarian squash option, replace the sausage with 1 cup of cooked lentils and increase the rice amount to 1 cup.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://hearthbite.com/stuffed-acorn-squash-sausage-apple-recipe/