Sausage Stuffed Acorn Squash (Perfect for Fall!)

This Sausage Stuffed Acorn Squash recipe is exactly what we crave when the air gets crisp and squash is in season. It’s made with roasted acorn squash halves, ground pork, vegetables, fresh herbs, dried cranberries, chopped pecans, and shredded Parmesan to encapsulate the flavors of the autumn season. With a total time of under an hour, it’s a yummy weeknight dinner you can serve on its own or with a variety of side dishes to fill up a hungry crowd.

The post was created in partnership with the Minnesota Pork Board. 

Ingredients To Make Stuffed Acorn Squash with Sausage

Stuffed acorn squash with sausage uses a variety of fresh ingredients to create a taste and texture that is restaurant-worthy yet so easy to make at home. Here’s what you need: 

• Acorn squash – you could also use butternut squash
• Ground pork – we use ground pork to make a homemade pork sausage, but any kind of sausage mixture could work, such as as sweet Italian sausage, chicken sausage, or turkey sausage – just be sure to remove the casings if using one of those
• Veggies – you’ll need cremini or button mushrooms, yellow onion, cloves garlic, and baby spinach
• Apple – core and dice an apple into small pieces. Pink Lady, Cripps, or Granny Smith varieties work well
• Herbs – you’ll need fresh sage, fresh thyme leaves, and fresh rosemary leaves. May sub 1 teaspoon of the dried herb version of each of these, if preferred
• Spices – salt and black pepper to taste
• Dried cranberries – raisins also work well
• Toasted pecans – omit these for a nut-free recipe
• Parmesan cheese – omit to make this stuffed squash dairy-free

Find the ingredient list with exact measurements in the recipe card below.

How To Make Stuffed Acorn Squash

With minimal prep time and a cook time of less than an hour, this Sausage Stuffed Acorn Squash is a delicious recipe you’ll make again and again.

1. Preheat the oven, and mist a rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray.
2. Prepare the squash. Cut each squash in half crosswise, and trim both ends. Use a spoon to scoop out the seeds and stringy insides.
3. Bake. Spray the cut sides of each squash with cooking spray or lightly drizzle with olive oil and add a sprinkle of salt. Then, place each half cut side down on the prepared baking sheet, and bake until fork tender.
4. Cook the sausage mixture. While the squash bakes, heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and mist it with cooking spray. Add the ground pork, mushrooms, onions, and apples; sauté, breaking the meat into pieces, until the pork is cooked through and the onions are soft. Add the herbs and spices; cook until fragrant.
5. Add the spinach. Stir in the spinach, and reduce the heat to medium. Cook until the spinach begins to wilt, stirring occasionally.
6. Add the remaining ingredients. Remove the skillet from the heat, and stir in the dried cranberries, pecans, and Parmesan cheese. Adjust the seasonings to taste.
7. Stuff the squash. Scoop the meat mixture into the squash halves, and top with extra Parmesan cheese. Then, bake again until the cheese is melted, and serve warm.

How to Serve

One of our favorite main entree recipes, this stuffed squash recipe can easily be enjoyed on its own as a complete meal that includes several food groups while also meeting many special diets, including gluten free, grain free, egg free, and low carb. It also pairs well with a variety of sides, such as wild rice, brown rice, or cauliflower rice, as well as air fryer Brussels sprouts, if you want even more veggies.

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Recipe

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 7 reviews

Sausage Stuffed Acorn Squash (Perfect for Fall!)

A healthful and flavorful fall dinner that comes in a beautiful presentation and edible bowl. This stuffed squash recipe features a home pork-and-veggie filling that you’ll want to devour before you even stuff it into the squash halves. Perfect for fall dinners, entertaining, and easy high-protein meals with lots of veggies.

Prep: 20 minsCook: 25 minsTotal: 45 mins

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Servings: 4 servings 1x

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Ingredients

• 2 medium to large acorn squash, washed and patted dry
• Cooking spray
• 1 lb. ground pork
• 8 ounces cremini or button mushrooms, finely chopped
• ½ medium yellow onion, diced small (about 1 ½ cups)
• 1 small apple, cored and diced small (about 1 cup) Pink Lady/Cripps or Granny Smith work well
• 3 garlic cloves, finely minced
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage (or 1 teaspoon dried sage)
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves (or 1 teaspoon dried thyme)
• 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary leaves, minced (or 1 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed)
• ½ – ¾ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• 1 (5-ounce) bag baby spinach
• ⅓ cup dried cranberries
• ¼ cup toasted, chopped pecans
• ¼ cup shredded Parmesan cheese + more for sprinkling on top

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Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 425℉. Mist a rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray and set aside. Cut each squash in half crosswise (not through the stem) then trim both ends of each squash just enough so that each halve will sit up like a bowl. Use a spoon to scoop out the seeds and stringy insides. 
2. Spray the cut sides of each squash with cooking spray then sprinkle with salt. Place each squash halve cut side down on the baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes or until tender. When the squash is done, remove from the oven and reduce the oven temperature to 375℉.
3. While the squash is baking, place a large skillet over medium-high heat. When the skillet is hot, mist with cooking spray then add the ground pork, mushrooms, onions, and apples. Use a spatula to break up the pork and cook for 9-10 minutes or until the pork is cooked through and the onions are soft. 
4. Add the garlic, sage, thyme, rosemary, salt, and pepper to the mixture. Stir and cook for an additional 30 seconds or until the garlic is fragrant. 
5. Stir the spinach into the meat mixture and reduce the heat to medium. Continue cooking for 2-3 minutes or until the spinach is wilted, stirring occasionally.
6. Remove from the heat and stir in the dried cranberries, pecans, and ¼ cup Parmesan cheese. Taste and season with additional salt if needed.
7. Scoop the mixture into the baked squash halves, mounding them as needed to use up all of the filling. Sprinkle each squash halve with a little more Parmesan.
8. Bake the stuffed squash for 8-10 minutes or the cheese is melted. Remove from the oven and serve. 
9. Leftovers may be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

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Notes

When selecting acorn squash, go for those that are on the larger side of medium (medium-large squash).

Any extra filling that doesn’t fit into the squash can be baked in a ramekin right alongside the squash. It’s delicious as is and served over cooked rice or wild rice.

Press the filling into the acorn squash and mound it slightly. How much you use will depend on the size of the hole in your squash, but don’t be afraid to fill it up.

In a pinch you can use a seasoned sausage mixture, such as breakfast pork sausage.

Nutrition Information

• Serving Size: 1 stuffed squash half
• Calories: 425
• Fat: 19 g
• (Sat Fat: 4 g)
• Sodium: 776 mg
• Carbohydrate: 36 g
• (Fiber: 12 g
• Sugar: 12 g)
• Protein: 32 g
• Cholesterol: 73 mg

Dietary

Egg-FreeGluten-freeGrain-Free

© The Real Food Dietitians

Recipe By: Jessica Beacom

More Squash Recipes To Try

Savory Herb Roasted Acorn Squash with Parmesan

Dairy-Free Spaghetti Squash Chicken Alfredo

Butternut Squash and Apple Hash with Sausage

Oven-Baked Pork Chops with Delicata Squash

The photos in this blog post were taken by Rachel Cook of Half Acre House.

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