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Hearty Sausage and Apple Stuffed Acorn Squash

A close-up of a roasted acorn squash half filled with a savory stuffing featuring quinoa, diced apples, and kale, making a perfect stuffed acorn squash.
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Make this comforting Sausage and Apple Stuffed Acorn Squash for a flavorful fall dinner. This recipe is simple to follow and creates a satisfying main course perfect for family meals or holiday tables.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 medium acorn squash
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 pound bulk pork sausage
  • 1 small onion, chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 cup cooked quinoa
  • 1 large apple, peeled, cored, and diced
  • 1/2 cup dried cranberries
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried sage
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/8 teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Lightly grease a baking sheet.
  2. Cut each acorn squash in half lengthwise. Scoop out the seeds and stringy parts.
  3. Place the squash halves cut-side up on the prepared baking sheet. Brush the cut surfaces lightly with olive oil and sprinkle with a pinch of salt and pepper.
  4. Roast the squash for 30 to 40 minutes, or until the flesh is tender when pierced with a fork. Remove from the oven and set aside, keeping the oven on.
  5. While the squash roasts, prepare the filling. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the sausage and cook, breaking it up with a spoon, until browned. Drain off any excess grease.
  6. Add the chopped onion to the skillet with the sausage and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute more until fragrant.
  7. Remove the skillet from the heat. Stir in the cooked quinoa, diced apple, dried cranberries, sage, salt, and pepper until everything is combined well.
  8. Spoon the sausage and apple mixture evenly into the hollows of the roasted acorn squash halves. Gently press the filling down.
  9. Return the stuffed squash halves to the oven and bake for an additional 10 to 15 minutes, until the filling is heated through.
  10. Serve the stuffed acorn squash immediately as a hearty autumn squash recipe.

Notes

  • For a vegetarian option, substitute the sausage with 1 pound of cooked lentils or a plant-based ground substitute.
  • If you do not have cooked quinoa, you can substitute it with cooked rice or breadcrumbs for texture.
  • To make this a quicker weeknight dinner, you can microwave the squash halves until tender before stuffing and baking briefly.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://cookingbycarla.com/stuffed-acorn-squash-sausage-apple-quinoa/