Stuffed Acorn Squash with Sausage and Apples

This Stuffed Acorn Squash is fall embodied in one recipe. It will become a quick favorite with its healthy mix of sweet and savory in one filling and satisfying recipe.

I’m so excited to share this recipe with you guys. It’s a recent favorite and it instantly went into our regular rotation. It screams fall boldly with its flavors and warmth. It’s cozy, nutritious, and easy to make. All the things we love about a recipe!

For some reason, I associate stuffed squash with being difficult to make or a hassle but it’s actually so easy! I made the farro in the morning so it was ready to go, but the squash takes 45 minutes to an hour to cook so you could prepare the entire filling while the squash cooks.

Tip: Grains such as rice, quinoa and farro freeze really well after they’re cooked! When I’m cooking a grain, I often cook the entire bag and freeze it in labeled bags with 1, 2, or 3 cup portions. It thaws quickly in the fridge or on the counter and makes healthy eating even easier!

With this recipe, as the squash cooks, you’ll brown the sausage and vegetables, and then you add in the apples to soften and the grains to warm through. By the time you’re done, the squash has finished cooking. All that’s left to do then is fill it (fill it as full as you can!) and return it to the oven for about 10 minutes to melt that flavorful sharp white cheddar cheese.

There’s something about the combination of sausage and apple, sweet dried cherries, a little bit of sage, and flavorful cheddar that is pure comfort food. The best part is, it’s so filling, hearty, and healthy! It’s a win-win in my book.

How to Make this a Vegetarian Stuffed Acorn Squash

While I love the sausage in this recipe, you could use a vegetarian meat substitute, add chopped mushrooms instead, or add a little more cheese. All of those would be delicious options! It would also be good with some pecans or walnuts added in!

How to Make this stuffed Acorn Squash Paleo

To make it paleo, leave out the farro and cheese. Try adding chopped walnuts or pecans.

 

Stuffed Acorn Squash with Sausage and Farro

Yield: 6 servings

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour

Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes

This Stuffed Acorn Squash is fall embodied in one recipe. It will become a quick favorite with its healthy mix of sweet and savory in one filling and satisfying recipe.

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Ingredients

• 3 acorn squash
• 1 tablespoon olive oil plus 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1 pound ground turkey sausage
• 1 small onion, diced small (about 1/2 cup)
• 2 stalks celery, diced small (about 3/4 cup)
• 1 apple, chopped
• 2 cups cooked farro
• 1/2 cup dried cherries or dried cranberries
• 1/4 teaspoon dried sage
• 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese, extra for topping if desired

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with foil or parchment paper. 
2. Carefully rim a tiny bit off the top and bottom of each squash to create a flat surface. Then cut each squash in half. Scrape out seeds and stringy bits. Rub inside and cut edges of squash with a tablespoon of olive oil. Sprinkle inside of squash with salt and pepper. Place cavity side down on prepared baking sheets. Bake for 40-50 minutes or until fork tender.
3. While the squash roasts, heat the teaspoon of olive oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. When the oil is shimmering and hot, add the sausage, onion, and celery and cook until sausage is cooked through, breaking the sausage up into crumbles as it cooks.
4. Add in farro, apples, cherries, sage, and garlic powder and cook until the apple softens and the rest of the mixture has heated through.
5. Turn off heat and stir in cheese.
6. When squash is tender, remove from oven and carefully flip each half over. Fill with sausage mixture and if desired, sprinkle with additional cheese. Return to oven for 10 minutes or until cheese is melted.
7. Serve immediately.

Notes

• You can also slice these top to bottom, I choose to do them this way because I like the pretty appearance of them.
• You can substitute any grain you want for the farro. Other choices that would be great are rice, quinoa, or barley.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 547 Total Fat: 12g Saturated Fat: 4g Trans Fat: 0g Cholesterol: 57mg Carbohydrates: 80g Fiber: 8g Sugar: 12g Protein: 30g

Verdict: TOTALLY OBSESSED.
Husband’s take: Honestly I wasn’t completely sure if Ben would like this (squash isn’t necessarily his favorite), but he really loved it!
Changes I would make: None at all are needed, but try some of my adaptations I mentioned above if you want to mix it up a little.
Difficulty: Easy!