Sausage Stuffed Acorn Squash
Roasted Acorn Squash stuffed with Italian sausage, rice, herbs, cranberries & vegetables!
Hello, friends!
Today I’m going to share a delicious and healthy recipe that is quick and easy to make and truly become one of our favorite go-to dinners!
The holidays are quickly approaching, and I will definitely have some yummy sweet treat recipes to share with you in the next few weeks. But I also plan to share a few healthy dishes too.
Because, friends, we all know, the holidays can be SUPER busy and yes, stressful too.
If you’re like me, that means sometimes you’re not always taking the time to cook up something good for you. In fact, sometimes you might get so busy that dinner consists of a bowl of cereal or a piece of cold toast! Am I right?
Well, I’m here to share a recipe that can fix that!
It’s easy to make. Doesn’t require any special ingredients. Can be made ahead of time. And drum roll please…it’s HEALTHY and oh so YUMMY too!
That’s right my friends! This Sausage Stuffed Acorn Squash is all those wonderful things and more! Even better? This dish is so versatile that I jokingly call it Kitchen Sink Squash! Because frankly, you can put everything but in the stuffing. You can also use any squash too. I’ve made this in my favorite squash-butternut and it adds just a slight bit of sweetness to the oh so savory stuffing!
What do you need to make sausage stuffed acorn squash?
- Acorn Squash (2)
- Italian Sausage (or whatever kind of sausage you have)
- Cooked Rice (You can use White, Jasmine, Long Grain, Wild, and even Quinoa)
- Cranberries
- Celery
- Onion
- Garlic
- Herbs (Dried are just fine)
- Walnuts (optional)
- Parmesan Cheese
This recipe makes enough stuffing to fill four (4) halves of acorn squash. Since it’s just Michael and I, I usually make the full stuffing recipe and freeze half of it for another meal.
how to make sausage-stuffed squash
- Roast the squash at 400 degrees for about 60 minutes
- Brown the sausage in a large skillet. Then remove to a paper towel-lined plate. Set aside.
- Saute celery and onion for 4-5 minutes. Add in garlic. Cook for 1 minute more. In a separate saute pan, add in fresh cranberries (chopped) and walnuts. Saute them for about 4 minutes.
- Add everything back into the large skillet, along with the rice, and herbs. Cook for 5 minutes. Allow to slightly cool. Pour into a large mixing bowl. Add cheese.
- Remove the squash from the oven when it is tender. Allow to cool slightly. Then carefully scrape out the squash-keeping the shell intact. Place the squash in with the stuffing and mix well.
- Scoop about 1 cup of the stuffing into the squash shell. Sprinkle with more cheese. Then put the stuffed squash back in a 400-degree oven for 15 minutes.
That’s it, my friends! A Healthy & Scrumptious Dinner is served! And what a dinner! To start you have that buttery acorn squash that’s been roasted to perfection. The wee bit of spiciness of the sausage, the earthiness of the herbs, the tartness of those cranberries, and the crunch of the nuts! It’s just an explosion of flavor in every bite!
Here is the full recipe!
Sausage Stuffed Acorn Squash
Roasted Acorn Squash stuffed with Italian sausage, rice, herbs, cranberries & vegetables!
Ingredients
- 2 medium acorn squash cut in half, seeds removed
- 1 cup cooked rice
- 1 lb Italian Sausage
- 1/2 cup onion diced
- 3 stalks celery diced
- 2 cloves garlic
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil (divided)
- 1 teaspoon dried sage
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon fresh rosemary chopped
- 1/2 cup walnuts chopped (optional)
- 1/2 cup fresh cranberries chopped
- 1/2 cup parmesan cheese grated **More for serving
- fresh parsley
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Instructions
-
Preheat oven to 400. Place squash halves on a large baking sheet. Drizzle with 1 Tablespoon olive oil. Bake in the oven for 1 hour or until tender. Remove from the oven and allow to cool to the touch. Meanwhile, place the sausage in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook until sausage is browned. Place on a paper-towel-lined plate to drain. Add 1 Tablespoon of olive oil to the skillet. Add in celery and onion. Saute for 4-5 minutes. Add in cranberries and walnuts. Cook for 2-3 minutes. Add in garlic. Cook for 1 minute more. Then add back in sausage along with the rice, sage, thyme, salt, pepper, and rosemary. Cook for 3-4 minutes until warmed through. Pour mixture into a large mixing bowl. Using a spoon, scrape out the squash, making sure to keep the shell intact. Add the squash to the stuffing mixture and stir well. Add in cheese. Scoop stuffing back into shells. (About 1 cup of stuffing should fill each half.) Sprinkle with more Parmesan cheese. Place stuffed squash back onto the baking sheet and bake in the oven for 15-minutes until warmed through and cheese has melted and browned. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with fresh parsley. Serve.
Recipe Notes
Nutritional information for the recipe is provided as a courtesy and is approximate only. We cannot guarantee the accuracy of the nutritional information given for any recipe on this site
As I mentioned, this stuffed squash can definitely be made a day or two in advance. So there are no excuses about not having any time! Just pop the squash in a 400-degree oven for about 20-30 minutes and they are ready to eat.
Serve the stuffed squash with a side salad and you’ve got a filling and SUPER healthy meal for lunch or dinner!
Which will give you plenty of energy for all the decorating, wrapping, shopping, and baking!
I hope you enjoyed today’s recipe for Sausage Stuffed Acorn Squash! We’d love it if you shared it with your friends!
Looking for more light and healthy lunch and dinner options? Check these out!
Thank you so much for stopping by!
What a great presentation. I don’t know if I like acorn squash, I never tried it but you sure make it look tasteful. I pinned so if I do get brave enough to try it I can make it.
Thank you, Terrie! Squash is one of my favorite veggies! I even eat it plain but this stuffed is so yummy too!
This looks delicious! And a bonus that it’s healthy, too. And your photos are beautiful!!
Aw, thank you so much, my friend! This makes my day!
This might sound super weird but I’ve NEVER had acorn squash before, Christine, so I’m beyond excited to see how easy this recipe is. I’m great at baking but a horrible cook. Following your easy recipes and simple step by steps has helped to give me confidence in the kitchen though. Acorn squash has been on my bucket list I’m super excited to try these! Thank you for the recipe. Hugs, CoCo
Not weird at all, CoCo! I think it all depends on where you live. Acorn squash is pretty popular here in the Midwest, but I’ve learned not so much in the South. Thank you so much for your kind words. I do so hope you enjoy the recipe! P.S. I don’t believe for a minute you’re horrible cook! 🙂