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Stuffed acorn squash filled with farro, sausage, apples, and cheese on a white plate, with a fork stuck into the filling.
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4.41 from 71 votes

Stuffed Acorn Squash

This stuffed acorn squash filled with farro, sausage, juicy apples, dried cherries, and melty cheddar is a delicious mix of sweet and savory. An easy fall side dish!
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time1 hour
Total Time1 hour 15 minutes
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Servings: 6
Author: Rachel Gurk

Ingredients

  • 3 acorn squash, scrubbed clean
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil, plus 1 teaspoon
  • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
  • ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1 pound bulk turkey sausage
  • 1 small onion, diced small (about ½ cup)
  • 2 stalks celery, diced small (about ¾ cup)
  • 2 cups cooked farro (see note)
  • 1 apple, chopped
  • ½ cup dried cherries (dried cranberries or raisins are good, too)
  • ¼ teaspoon dried rubbed sage
  • ⅛ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese, extra for topping if desired (can substitute a different kind of cheese if you want)

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with foil or parchment paper. 
  • Carefully trim 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 olive oil. Sprinkle inside of squash with salt and pepper. Place cavity side down on prepared baking sheets. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes or until fork tender.
    3 acorn squash, scrubbed clean, ¼ teaspoon kosher salt, ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • While the squash roasts, heat one 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.
    1 pound bulk turkey sausage, 1 small onion, diced small, 2 stalks celery, diced small
  • Add cooked farro, apples, cherries, sage, and garlic powder to the skillet. Cook until the apple softens and the rest of the mixture is heated through.
    2 cups cooked farro, 1 apple, chopped, ½ cup dried cherries, ¼ teaspoon dried rubbed sage, ⅛ teaspoon garlic powder
  • Turn off heat and stir in cheese.
    ½ cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese, extra for topping if desired
  • 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 until heated through and cheese is melted.
  • Serve immediately.

Video

Notes

  • Substitutes for farro: Other cooked grains may be swapped in for the farro, such as rice, quinoa, bulgur, or barley.
  • Squash notes: The stuffing works well in other types of winter squash such as butternut, buttercup, kabocha, delicata, etc. 
  • Make ahead: Bake the squash and prep the stuffing up to one day in advance. When ready to bake, stuff squash and bake as directed, adding an extra 10 minutes baking time since all the ingredients are cold.

Nutrition

Serving: 1squash half | Calories: 382kcal | Carbohydrates: 51g | Protein: 20g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 66mg | Sodium: 628mg | Potassium: 1088mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 1381IU | Vitamin C: 28mg | Calcium: 177mg | Iron: 3mg

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