Celebrate squash season with this healthy acorn squash recipe! Stuffed Acorn Squash is filled with sausage, apples, cranberries and fresh herbs! It’s the perfect easy baked dinner for Fall.
It’s the perfect time of year for enjoying everything in squash form! From stuffed squash to spaghetti squash to roasted squash seeds! I’ve always had a thing for acorn squash so here is my Stuffed Acorn Squash recipe for you all to enjoy! It’s the perfect fall comfort dish with sausage, apples, sage and cranberries.
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How to Make Stuffed Acorn Squash
Begin by cutting the squash and removing the seeds. Then roast in the oven until tender. While the squash roasts cook the “filling” ingredients. Once the squash have finished cooking take them out and fill the hollowed insides with the festive fall filling. Then pop them back into the oven for an additional 3-5 minutes before serving. It’s that simple!
What Can I use in Place of Italian Pork Sausage
Really any ground meat will do but I’d recommend a pre-seasoned sausage that doesn’t contain sugar. If you do use plain ground meat just be sure to season it while cooking up the meat with salt, pepper and herbs like sage, rosemary and thyme.
Healthy Kid Recipes
And pro Mom (or Dad) tip, I found that my little one loved the squash if I mashed it up (think mashed potatoes) with ghee and salt and then added the stuffing mixture on top of the mashed squash, it’s a texture thing! Feel free to do this with all of the squash prior to stuffing or just to your little one’s deconstructed plate at dinner time for squash success with your little one!
More Healthy Fall Recipes:
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PrintStuffed Acorn Squash
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Lunch & Dinner
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: American
Description
Celebrate squash season with this healthy acorn squash recipe! Stuffed Acorn Squash is filled with sausage, apples, cranberries and fresh herbs! It’s the perfect easy baked dinner for Fall.
Ingredients
- 2 medium acorn squash, cut in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds (see how to roast the seeds here)
- 1 pound ground italian pork sausage (sugar free for Whole30)
- 1 small yellow onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 small-medium apple, peeled and chopped (I used a honeycrisp apple)
- 1 Tablespoon avocado oil
- 1 Tablespoon fresh sage leaves, minced
- 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
- 1/3 cup dried cranberries (sweetened with apple juice for Whole30)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 425 degrees F.
- Line your baking sheet with parchment paper and brush the cut sides of your acorn squash with melted ghee then sprinkle with salt.
- Place the squash flesh (face) side down on the lined baking sheet and roast for 25-30 minutes or until the squash feels soft to the touch. (Roasting time will vary depending on the size of your squash – it’ll be done when it’s soft enough to eat.)
- While the squash bakes, begin to cook the filling. Heat a large skillet over medium heat, add a Tablespoon of ghee and cook through the ground sausage then transfer it to a plate while leaving the cooking fat in the skillet.
- Using that same skillet with remaining fat, add the onion and cook for about 5 minutes. Then add the garlic and stir for one minute before adding in the apples, herbs, salt and pepper. Stir to combine and cook for another 5 minutes until the apples have slightly softened.
- Next add in the cranberries and cooked sausage to the skillet. Stir to combine and turn off the heat.
- Once the squash are out of the oven, flip them skin side down and stuff with the filling. (You may have left over filling depending on the size of your squash.)
- Once filled, place the stuffed squash back into the oven and adjust oven to broil for 3-5 minutes. (I suggest keeping an eye on them as some broilers are faster than others!)
- Once the tops of the filling are golden brown remove the stuffed squash from the oven. Allow to cool for a few minutes and then serve! Enjoy!
Notes
*If you’re not doing a Whole30 and aren’t Paleo or dairy free you can sprinkle the squash with grated cheese (parmesan would be great), just before adding the squash bake to the oven to broil.
Keywords: stuffed acorn squash, stuffed squash, acorn squash sausage apples cranberries, whole30, paleo, healthy,
Lori says
Just spotted this recipe on your site. Will have to try this soon! I’ve grown to love squash after despising it as a child.
Thank you
★★★★★
Nicole says
I think this is the case for many!
heather says
I saw your post yesterday and made this last night! My pickiest eater loved it and said it was her third favourite meal ( after pizza and tacos, of course). I felt like I wasn’t on whole30 but sitting at Thanksgiving dinner. So good!!
★★★★★
Sheila says
I made this for company and it was a big hit! Not only was it delicious, it’s also impressive looking. Next time I’ll add toasted pine nuts to the stuffing.
Nicole says
Hi Sheila! So glad you enjoyed it! Thank you for taking the time to leave a comment!
★★★★★