This Stuffed Acorn Squash recipe is a quick and easy Fall dinner of roasted acorn squash stuffed with pork sausage, herbs, and stuffing mix.
If you are a fan of Stuffed Bell Peppers, youβll love this Thanksgiving-inspired twist using winter squash and a handful of store-bought ingredients. Makes a great Side Dish or light Dinner!
Table of Contents
- Sabrinaβs Stuffed Acorn Squash Recipe
- Ingredients
- Kitchen Tools & Equipment
- How to Make Stuffed Acorn Squash
- Recipe Card
- Chefβs Note: The Perfect Meal Base
- Can this be made ahead of time?
- Nutritional Facts
- Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Pairing & Serving Ideas
- How to Store
- Frequent Questions
- Variations
- Related Recipes
Sabrinaβs Stuffed Acorn Squash Recipe
Have you ever wondered what those cute green squash tucked in with the butternut squash and spaghetti squash are? They are the best little winter squash you need on your dinner table, and not just as a decoration. They are called acorn squash and they are about to be your new favorite fall veggie.
Acorn squash can be prepared in so many ways, but by far one of the best ways is to roast them and then stuff them with savory fillings. This is one of the easiest Stuffed Acorn Squash recipes youβll ever find. Besides everyday seasonings like salt and black pepper, there are only 5 ingredients plus the squash!
Ingredients
- 3 Acorn Squash: This beautiful winter squash not only looks good, but it tastes good, too! The edges are caramelized as it roasts and the inside stays tender and creamy. You can substitute a butternut squash, but it will need to be cooked a little less: about 45-55 minutes.
- Seasonings: Youβll coat the squash halves in 2 tablespoons olive oil so that the seasonings will stick to the squash. A combination of kosher salt and black pepper is perfect to sprinkle over the acorn squash.
- 1 Pound Pork Sausage: You can use your favorite pork sausage crumbles for this recipe. I recommend spicy Italian sausage or mild Italian sausage, depending on your preference. You could also use sage sausage for more herby fall flavor. Just make sure it is ground sausage, not sausage links (unless you cut them open and remove the casings).
- 4 Cups Dried Stuffing Mix: Using a store-bought stuffing mixture makes this Acorn Squash recipe so easy! It already has herbs and seasonings in it so you donβt have to raid your pantry. You can always add more seasonings too, I have some suggestions in the Variations section of this post.
- Wet Ingredients: You will also need 1 cup of chicken broth and 1 egg to help bring the stuffing mix together and add some moisture.
Kitchen Tools & Equipment
- Baking Sheet: Use a baking sheet, cookie sheet, or large baking dish to roast the squash. It needs to be big enough to hold 6 acorn squash halves.
- Large Skillet: Grab your favorite large skillet to cook the sausage and stuffing mixture, plus a good large spoon to stir and combine all the ingredients.
How to Make Stuffed Acorn Squash
Time needed:Β 1 hour and 25 minutes.
- Prep Time
Heat oven to 400 degrees. Oil and season the squash halves.
- Roast Squash
Roast cut side down.
- Flip
Flip over when golden brown and set aside.
- Prepare Filling
Cook sausage, onion, and salt in a large skillet until meat is browned. Mix broth and egg, then add to the sausage mixture. Stir in a stuffing mix until moistened.
- Stuff
Fill each cooked squash half with the stuffing mixture.
- Bake
Bake uncovered until cooked through and the top of the stuffing is toasted.
Recipe Card
IngredientsΒ
- 3 acorn squash , cut in half through the stem and cleaned
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
- 1 pound pork sausage
- 1 yellow onion , diced
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 large egg
- 4 cups dried stuffing mix
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- Brush the acorn squash halves with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
- Place the acorn squash cut side down and roast for 30 minutes.
- Remove from the oven, turn the acorn squash cut side up. Set aside.
- Add the pork sausage, onion, and salt to a large skillet on high heat.
- Cook, breaking it apart into chunks as you cook it, until browned about 3-4 minutes.
- Whisk the chicken broth and egg in a bowl, then add it to the skillet.
- Add in the stuffing mix, stirring until moistened.
- Scoop the mixture into the acorn squash halves.
- Cook, uncovered for 30 minutes or until the stuffing tops are crispy.
Nutrition
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Chefβs Note: The Perfect Meal Base
Another reason I love this easy fall meal is that acorn squash pairs well with so many savory flavors. Itβs a great base recipe to clean out your pantry and use what you have on hand to add in with the stuffing mixture. Check out the Variations section below for suggestions like swapping cooked rice for bread cubes or adding Parmesan cheese or crisp apples.
Can this be made ahead of time?
Yes, you can make this ahead of time. You have a couple of options when doing so:
- Partially Prepared: You can roast the squash and cook the filling, then store each separately for a day or two in the refrigerator. On the day youβd like to serve it, stuff the squash and roast it in the oven to warm it through and brown the top.
- Fully Prepared: You can fully roast the Stuffed Squash and then refrigerate it in an airtight container. Reheat it on a baking sheet on the day you plan to serve it.
Nutritional Facts
Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Choosing an Acorn Squash: Acorn squash are best in early fall and throughout winter. A perfectly ripe squash is going to have dull, dark green skin with some yellow or orange streaking. If they are too shiny, then they are not ripe, and if they have too much yellow, they are probably over-ripe.
- Properly Cutting Acorn Squash: First, scrub and wash the squash thoroughly. Using a sharp knife, cut in half either stem to tip or across the middle. It really is the preference of how you want it to look. Slice off a thin, even part of the bottom of each squash half so they lay flat and donβt wobble. With a metal spoon, scoop out the seeds and any stringy membrane down to the flesh, like you would a pumpkin.
Pairing & Serving Ideas
These Roasted Acorn Squash pair well with winter green salads filled with root veggies and fall fruits like Winter Pear Salad or Beet Salad. Green vegetables like Roasted Broccoli or Green Beans not only look beautiful next to the squash halves, but they also make an easy veggie side too. For a more filling side dish, try serving it with grains like my amazing Stick of Butter Rice.
These Stuffed Acorn Squashes are hearty enough for dinner or you can serve them as a delicious, beautiful Thanksgiving side dish. Speaking of Turkey Day, they are a great dish to use up leftovers! If you have leftover Thanksgiving Stuffing or a rice pilaf like my Mushroom Rice, you can use that instead of the stuffing mix with the Italian sausage, and it would taste just as delicious and keep the same fall flavors.
How to Store
- Store: You can keep this squash dish at room temperature for up to 2 hours, but tent it with aluminum foil so the stuffing doesnβt dry out. Once completely cool, store leftovers in an airtight storage container or wrapped in plastic wrap for up to 3 days.
- Reheat: Reheat in the oven wrapped in foil until heated all the way through, then broil for about 2-3 minutes to crisp up the top of the stuffing again.
- Freeze: Wrap the squash tightly with plastic wrap and store it in a freezer-safe bag with all the air removed. Freeze for up to 4 months and thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating in the oven. Wrap in foil to heat all the way through without burning the top or drying out the stuffing.
Frequent Questions
You can eat the skin of acorn squash, but you probably wonβt want to. Itβs not the best flavor and the texture is both tough and waxy. So even though the skin is edible, the tender flesh inside is the good stuff.
You want to keep the skin of the squash on it when roasting. Not only does it hold everything together when you go to stuff it later, but it helps the cooking process. The thick skin traps the heat and moisture as the squash roasts so it cooks all the way through evenly.
Acorn seeds are edible and can be used just like pumpkin seeds! Try roasting them with your favorite seasonings for a tasty snack or salad topping. You could even toast them and use a garnish for acorn squash recipes.
Acorn squash is very similar to butternut squash in that it has a slightly nutty and sweeter taste. Itβs almost like sweet potato and butternut squash combined, with a hint of pecan. It is most often used in savory dishes and the sweetness is enhanced by roasting it. You could swap acorn squash for butternut squash or sweet potatoes in soup recipes.
Variations
- Fruit: Nothing says fall stuffing like crisp apples or other winter fruits. Use tart, firm apples like Granny Smith apples or Braeburn apples. You can also try dried fruits like dried cranberries, golden raisins, dried figs, or dried cherries.
- Stuffing: Instead of stuffing mix, you can use cooked Quinoa, Barley, Black Beans, Wild Rice, or Steamed Rice. Keep in mind if you are not using a seasoned stuffing mix, youβll want to add herbs and spices for flavor.
- Herbs: Some herbs that would bring out the savory flavors of Fall are sage, thyme, rosemary, oregano, garlic, green onion, chives, and parsley. Use fresh, dried, or a mixture of each in your stuffing mixture.
- Greens: Add some more veggies by mixing in fresh greens like Swiss chard, spinach, or kale to the sausage mixture. If you use frozen spinach, thaw it first and drain it well so your stuffing doesnβt get soggy.
- Nuts: Give the filling some crunch with nuts like pecans, walnuts, or hazelnuts. You could also use pepitas or top them with roasted acorn squash seeds.
- Cheese: Cheese makes everything better! Mix in a half cup of shredded mozzarella cheese, Gouda cheese, cheddar cheese, or grated Parmesan cheese into the stuffing mixture. During the last 5 minutes, top the squash halves with more cheese!
- Meat: You can replace the sausage in this recipe with ground beef if you like, or use ground turkey, turkey sausage, ground chicken, or chicken sausage. If you prefer a vegetarian option, you can use a meat substitute of your choice.
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