Hearty Stuffed Baked Acorn Squash
A delicious fall recipe featuring sweet roasted acorn squash filled with savory ground turkey, wild rice, cranberries, nuts, and cheese for a complete meal.
Equipment
- 1 Large baking sheet
- 1 Sharp chef's knife
- 1 Large Skillet
- 1 Mixing Bowl
Ingredients
- 2 whole Acorn squash heavy for their size with firm skin
- 3 tablespoons Olive oil divided
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 1/2 teaspoon Black pepper
- 1 pound Ground turkey or Italian sausage
- 1 medium Yellow onion diced
- 3 cloves Garlic minced
- 1.5 cups Wild rice or quinoa cooked
- 1/3 cup Dried cranberries
- 1/3 cup Pecans or walnuts chopped
- 2 tablespoons Fresh sage or thyme chopped
- 2 cups Baby spinach
- 1/2 cup Feta or goat cheese crumbled
- 2 tablespoons Maple syrup
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Cut each acorn squash in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds and stringy bits with a spoon.
- Brush the cut sides of the squash with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
- Place the squash halves cut-side down on the prepared baking sheet and roast for 25-30 minutes until tender.
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat while the squash roasts.
- Add the ground turkey or sausage to the skillet and cook until browned, breaking it into small pieces.
- Add the diced onion to the skillet and cook for 5 minutes until softened.
- Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Add your cooked rice or quinoa, cranberries, and chopped nuts to the skillet.
- Toss in the fresh herbs and spinach, stirring until the spinach wilts.
- Drizzle the maple syrup over the filling and stir to combine everything.
- Remove the squash from the oven and flip them over so the cut side faces up.
- Spoon the filling generously into each squash half, mounding it slightly.
- Crumble the cheese over the top of each stuffed squash.
- Return the stuffed squash to the oven and bake for 10-15 minutes until the cheese melts and the filling is hot.
- Let the squash cool for 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave or oven. Freeze wrapped squash halves for up to 3 months.