You’ll love this recipe if you like this roasted cauliflower and butternut squash with bacon and this sheet pan sausage and vegetables.
Stuffed Acorn Squash is roasted acorn squash halves filled with browned Italian sausage, apple, mushrooms, kale, dried cranberries, and pecans, then topped with melted Parmesan. It takes about 40 minutes and serves 4 as a main dish or 8 as a side for a holiday table.
Two steps make this recipe work. Roast the squash cut side down first so the flesh steams tender in about 20 minutes, and the filled halves only need a short second bake. Trim a thin slice off the rounded bottom of each half so it sits flat and does not tip over when you fill it.
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💛 Why you’ll love this recipe
- It is pretty enough for a holiday table and takes 40 minutes, most of it hands-off in the oven.
- Every bite is sweet, savory, and crunchy. The apple and cranberries balance the sausage, the pecans add crunch, and the Parmesan melts over the top.
- The squash halves hold the filling, so there is only one skillet and one sheet pan to wash.
- Serve it for dinner or as a side. One half is dinner with a salad, and a quarter is a side next to turkey or pork.
- Naturally gluten-free, and dairy-free if you leave off the Parmesan.
- Leftovers reheat well and the filling is good on its own over rice or toast.
➡️ Ingredients
⏲ How to make this recipe
Roast the squash first. Heat the oven to 425°F and line a sheet pan with foil with a light coat of cooking spray. Cut each squash in half from side to side, not through the stem, and slice a thin piece off each rounded end so the halves sit flat. Scoop out the seeds and strings with a spoon.
Oil, season, and roast cut side down. Brush the inside of each half with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and set them hollow side down on the pan. Roast 20 to 25 minutes until mostly tender. Cut side down traps steam so the flesh cooks fast and stays moist. When they come out, turn the oven down to 375°F.
Brown the sausage while the squash roasts. In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the sausage, celery, and onion together until the meat is cooked through, about 8 minutes, breaking it up as you go. Drain the grease.
Build the filling. Add the mushrooms, apple, kale, garlic, sage, rosemary, thyme, salt, and pepper and cook 5 more minutes until the mushrooms give up their liquid and the kale wilts. Stir in the cranberries, pecans, and Parmesan off the heat.
Fill and finish. Turn the squash halves cut side up, pack the filling into each one and mound it high, then top with more Parmesan. Bake at 375°F for 8 to 10 minutes until the squash is fully tender and the cheese has melted. Serve hot.
👉 Easy ingredient swaps
- Sausage: hot Italian sausage for a kick, or ground turkey sausage. Ground beef works if you add an extra pinch of the dried herbs.
- Kale: baby spinach wilts faster and is milder. Add it in the last minute.
- Pecans: pine nuts or chopped walnuts, or skip nuts entirely. The crunch is worth keeping if you can.
- Dried cranberries: chopped dried cherries or golden raisins.
- Parmesan: shredded Gruyère or white cheddar melt beautifully. Leave it off for dairy-free.
- Squash: small butternut or delicata halves roast the same way. Delicata cooks faster, so check at 15 minutes.
✨ Variations
- Thanksgiving side: use smaller squash, cut them in quarters after roasting, and top each wedge with a spoonful of filling so one recipe stretches to 8 plates.
- Wild rice: stir ½ cup cooked wild rice into the filling for a heartier, stuffing-style version.
- Vegetarian: swap the sausage for a 15-ounce can of drained white beans plus a second cup of mushrooms, and cook the beans with the herbs so they pick up the flavor.
- Maple glaze: brush the roasted squash with a teaspoon of maple syrup before filling for a sweeter, glossier edge.
- Make ahead: roast the squash and cook the filling up to 2 days ahead, refrigerate separately, then fill and bake at 375°F for 15 to 20 minutes until hot through.
〰️ How to serve
- As a holiday side: set half a squash next to oven roasted whole chicken or bacon-wrapped pork tenderloin. The filling can take the place of stuffing.
- As dinner: one half per person with a simple green salad, or add cheddar and chive mashed potatoes for a bigger plate.
- Round out the table: roasted maple Parmesan carrots and pumpkin cranberry bread go with the same fall flavors.
- Extra filling: if your squash are small, serve what is left over rice, on toast, or scrambled with eggs the next morning.
💬 FAQs
Do you eat the skin of acorn squash?
You can. Acorn squash skin turns tender and edible once roasted, and it holds the half together on the plate. Most people scoop the flesh and filling out with a fork and leave the skin, so serve it either way.
How do I cut an acorn squash safely?
Slice a thin piece off the rounded bottom and top first so the squash sits flat, then cut through the middle from side to side with a heavy chef’s knife. If it is very hard, microwave the whole squash for 2 to 3 minutes to soften the skin before cutting.
Can I make stuffed acorn squash ahead of time?
Yes. Roast the squash and cook the filling up to 2 days ahead and refrigerate them separately. Fill the halves and bake at 375°F for 15 to 20 minutes until hot in the center. Fully assembled leftovers keep 3 to 4 days in an airtight container and reheat in a 350°F oven in about 15 minutes.
Is this a main dish or a side?
Both. One squash half is a full dinner with a salad, and two squash make 4 main-dish servings. Cut the roasted halves into quarters and it becomes a side for 8, which is how it works on a Thanksgiving table.
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Stuffed Acorn Squash
Ingredients
Squash
- 2 acorn squash, medium to large
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ⅛ teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
Filling
- 1 pound ground mild Italian sausage
- 2 stalks celery, diced
- ½ medium onion, diced small
- 4 ounces mushrooms, chopped small
- 1 cup apple, cored and diced small
- ¾ cup kale, stems removed, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon dried sage
- 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
- ¼ teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
- ¼ teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
- ½ cup dried cranberries
- 2 Tablespoons pecans, chopped
- ¼ cup Parmesan cheese, grated, plus more for topping
Instructions
- Heat the oven: Preheat to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with foil and lightly coat it with cooking spray.
- Cut the squash: Cut each squash in half from side to side, not through the stem. Trim a thin slice off each rounded end so the halves sit flat without wobbling. Scoop out the seeds and strings with a spoon.
- Roast cut side down: Brush the inside of each half with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place hollow side down on the baking sheet and roast 20 to 25 minutes, until mostly tender. When you take them out, reduce the oven to 375°F.
- Brown the sausage: While the squash roasts, cook the sausage, celery, and onion in a large skillet over medium heat until the meat is cooked through, about 8 minutes. Drain the grease.
- Finish the filling: Add the mushrooms, apple, kale, garlic, sage, rosemary, thyme, salt, and pepper. Cook 5 more minutes. Stir in the dried cranberries, pecans, and Parmesan.
- Fill the squash: Turn the halves cut side up and pack the filling into each cavity, mounding it up. Sprinkle with more Parmesan if you like.
- Bake and serve: Bake at 375°F for 8 to 10 minutes, until the squash is tender and the cheese is melted. Serve hot.
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