Wholesome and hearty stuffed acorn squash is an all-in-one meal that’s bursting with savory flavor. It even comes with an edible bowl!
Acorn squash always makes me think of my grandmother. The dark green vegetable, with its signature splotch of orange, was not something we ate at home. My grandmother, however, cooked with it often.
Her go-to preparation was simple: roast the cut halves with butter and a sprinkle of brown sugar and salt.
I loved how the acorn squash served as its own bowl. And I liked how the lightly crisp skin balanced the creamy flesh.
My grandmother was the one who told me that the skin was actually edible. To her, it was not only tasty but good for us. It was roughage! (Which, she would inevitably go on to say, would make you regular!)
Somehow, in the decades since, the word roughage has been traded for fiber. But I’m sure many people have similar memories. As funny as I thought that recommendation was at the time, recent science has agreed with the grandmothers of yore; fiber is, in fact, good for us for many reasons!
Though I still enjoy my grandmother’s simple preparation, in recent years I’ve opted more frequently for a savory filling that creates an all-in-one meal.
In the recipe below, the squash halves are baked while sausage, onions, mushrooms, and a smattering of herbs are sautéed. Some of the cooked squash is then added to the sausage mixture, which enhances the flavor and also acts as a binder.
The mixture is then stuffed into the squash halves, sprinkled with cheese, and returned to the oven until the stuffed acorn squash is hot throughout and the cheese is melted.
Though certain members of my family claim to dislike squash and mushrooms, they happily devour this meal when served. It’s worth noting that, when finely chopped and cooked until golden, the mushrooms are barely detectable; they ultimately taste more meaty than mushroomy. That is to say, even those who are ho-hum about mushrooms may wish to try instead of omitting them.
For true squash holdouts, you could serve the filling in a bell pepper or simply unstuffed, with a side of rice. Alternatively, you could utilize the sausage mixture as a meaty sauce for buttered noodles or pasta that has been lightly tossed with a favorite marinara or pesto.
Helpful tips and details:
- Having trouble cutting the squash? A sharp chef’s knife is helpful, but if it’s still too hard to wrestle, pierce it once or twice to let steam escape, and then microwave for 2-3 minutes or until you can more easily cut it. In this case, you’ll want to reduce the baking time by 10-15 minutes, depending on how long it was in the microwave.
- Any sausage will work – turkey, chicken, or pork – as long as it’s uncooked, either in casings (which you will remove) or bulk. You could use ground beef or turkey, although the flavor would be different. I like to use this recipe for homemade sausage, which is great, by the way, for use as patties as well as bulk sausage. For most flavor and moisture, I use ground turkey thigh in this recipe most often.
- I lean towards Gruyère cheese for this recipe. It’s nutty, a little salty, and it melts well. That said, you can use what you have on hand or enjoy, from provolone or cheddar to Gouda or Fontina. I mention several other alternatives in the recipe below. I didn’t include Parmesan in my list, as I was going for a good melting cheese, but a sprinkle of Parm, lack of melting aside, tastes great too.
- As mentioned above, the skin is edible and provides nice textural balance to the creamy flesh.
- Any leftover stuffed acorn squash may be stored, covered or in an airtight container, in the refrigerator for 4-5 days.
Start by cooking the squash:
This step may be done in advance, by the way. Once roasted, the acorn squash can sit at room temperature for up to two hours. Or cool, cover, and refrigerate it until ready to use, up to three days.
Sautéing the vegetables and sausage:
Prep ahead tip: This step may also be completed in advance, with the same storage instructions mentioned directly above for the acorn squash.
Assembling the stuffed acorn squash:
I’d love to know if you try this recipe! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo @fountainavenuekitchen on Instagram and Facebook. Your feedback is always appreciated. 💛
Stuffed Acorn Squash
Ingredients
For the squash:
- 2 acorn squash,* cut in half from stem to base and seeds removed
- 4 teaspoons olive oil (may use spray instead)
- kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the filling:
- ½ teaspoon each ground sage, dried thyme, garlic powder, and kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ½ tablespoon olive oil
- 8 ounces baby bella (cremini) or button mushrooms, finely chopped
- 1 small yellow onion, diced (about 1 cup)
- 1 pound uncooked Italian turkey, chicken, or pork sausage, casings removed, spicy or sweet or spicy**
- ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley***
- 2 ounces (~½ cup) freshly shredded Gruyère cheese (could substitute Swiss, cheddar, provolone, mozzarella, or cheddar)
Instructions
- Bake the squash: Preheat the oven to 400°F. With a sharp chef’s knife, carefully cut the squash in half from stem to base. Scrape out and discard the seeds and stringy pulp. (Or you can dry the seeds and toast them with a little olive oil and salt for a tasty snack.) Brush or spray the flesh side with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Arrange the halves, cut sides down, on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake for 30–40 minutes, give or take a few depending on oven, or until the edges begin to wrinkle and the flesh is tender. Set aside, and lower the oven temperature to 375°F.
- While the squash is baking, prepare the filling: For added ease later, combine the spices (ground sage, dried thyme, garlic powder, salt, and pepper). Set aside. Heat the oil in a large (12-inch works well) skillet over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and onion, and sauté for 6-7 minutes or until the mushrooms have released their liquid and both are beginning to turn golden. Add the sausage and spices and continue to cook, breaking up the meat as you go, until browned, about 5-6 minutes more.
- When the squash is cool enough to handle, scrape an even layer of flesh from all the halves; aim for about 1 cup total. Add the scooped squash to the sausage mixture along with the parsley. Stir to combine. Taste and adjust salt and pepper, as desired.
- Fill the squash and bake: Mound the filling inside the squash halves, and then sprinkle evenly with the cheese. Place the squash back in the oven and bake until the cheese is melted and the filling is hot, about 10-15 minutes. Sprinkle with additional fresh herbs, if desired, and enjoy.
- Storage: Any leftover stuffed acorn squash can be stored, covered or in an airtight container, in the refrigerator for 4-5 days. The squash can also be frozen. In this case, place in the fridge until cold, and then transfer to the freezer for up to 3 months.
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