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Kid-Friendly Stuffed Acorn Squash with Sausage

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This one-pan wonder stuffs raw acorn squash with sweet Italian sausage, rice, and Parmesan, then roasts everything together for perfectly tender squash with a caramelized topping. It’s a budget-friendly, picky eater-approved fall dinner that comes together in about an hour with minimal dishes.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 medium acorn squash
  • 1 pound sweet Italian sausage, casings removed
  • 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/2 cup cooked rice
  • 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1/4 cup dried cranberries or chopped apple
  • 1 teaspoon dried sage
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • Optional garnish: fresh parsley or thyme

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Position the rack in the middle of the oven.
  2. Cut the acorn squash in half. Place each squash on a stable cutting board. Using your sharp chef’s knife, carefully cut from the stem end down through the tip. Scoop out the seeds and stringy pulp using an ice cream scoop or a sturdy spoon.
  3. Rub the squash with olive oil. Drizzle about 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil over the cut surface and inside cavity of each squash half. Use your hands or a pastry brush to coat evenly. Season the cut surfaces with a pinch of salt and pepper. Place the squash halves cut-side up on your parchment-lined baking sheet.
  4. Cook the sausage filling. Heat your large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sausage meat, breaking it up with your wooden spoon as it cooks. Cook for 5-7 minutes, until the sausage is browned and cooked through. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the cooked sausage to a mixing bowl, leaving about 1 tablespoon of rendered fat in the skillet.
  5. Sauté the onion and garlic. Reduce the heat to medium. Add the diced onion to the skillet with the reserved sausage fat. Cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion is softened and translucent. Add the minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant. Transfer the onion mixture to the bowl with the sausage.
  6. Combine the filling. Add the cooked rice, grated Parmesan, dried cranberries or chopped apple, dried sage, salt, and pepper to the bowl with the sausage and onions. Stir everything together until well combined. Taste the filling and adjust seasoning if needed.
  7. Stuff the squash halves. Divide the filling evenly among the four squash halves. Pack it in gently — you want it mounded on top, not crammed in. Each half should get about 1/2 to 3/4 cup of filling, depending on the size of your squash.
  8. Roast the stuffed squash. Place the baking sheet in the preheated oven. Roast for 35-45 minutes, until the squash is fork-tender and the filling is golden brown on top. The squash should be easy to pierce with a fork — if it resists, give it another 5-10 minutes. The filling should be bubbling around the edges.
  9. Rest and serve. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and let the squash rest for 5 minutes. This allows the filling to set slightly and makes the squash easier to handle. Sprinkle with fresh parsley or thyme if using, and serve warm.

Notes

If the filling starts browning too quickly before the squash is tender, loosely tent a piece of aluminum foil over the baking sheet for the last 10-15 minutes of cooking. Every oven runs a little differently, so start checking at the 35-minute mark. The squash should offer no resistance when pierced with a fork. Let the squash rest for 5 minutes before serving to allow the filling to set.

Nutrition

Keywords: stuffed acorn squash, sausage stuffed squash, kid-friendly squash, fall dinner, one-pan meal, acorn squash recipe

Find it online: https://piperplate.com/kid-friendly-stuffed-acorn-squash-with-sausage/