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Sausage Stuffed Acorn Squash

Sausage stuffed acorn squash with savory Italian sausage, onion, and sage in a roasted, caramelized-orange filling. Cut-side-down roasting keeps the squash tender, then a final bake crisps the topping.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings: 2 servings
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American
Calories: 380
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

acorn squash
  • 2 small acorn squash Halved and seeded.
olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
Italian sausage filling
  • 0.5 lb Italian sausage
  • 0.5 yellow onion yellow onion Diced.
  • 2 cloves garlic cloves Minced.
  • 1 tsp dried sage
breadcrumb Parmesan topping
  • 0.5 cup breadcrumbs
  • 0.25 cup grated Parmesan
seasoning
  • Salt and pepper To taste.

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan
  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Roast the squash
  1. Heat oven to 400°F. Roast the squash halves cut-side down on a sheet pan for 30 minutes until tender.
  2. Remove the sheet pan from the oven. Flip the squash, season the cavities with salt and pepper, then set aside while you make the filling.
Brown the filling
  1. Heat a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat, then add olive oil. Brown the Italian sausage with diced yellow onion, minced garlic, and dried sage until the sausage is cooked through, about 8 minutes, stirring as it browns.
  2. Lower heat to medium and stir in breadcrumbs and grated Parmesan. Cook for 1 minute, stirring, until the mixture looks cohesive and fragrant.
Stuff and finish baking
  1. Pack the hot sausage-breadcrumb mixture into the flipped squash halves. Press lightly so the filling sits mounded above the squash.
  2. Bake for 15 minutes more at 400°F until the tops are crunchy. Serve hot straight from the pan.

Notes

Pro tip: Cut a small slice off the bottoms so the squash halves sit flat on the sheet pan. Store leftovers in the refrigerator up to 3 days; reheat in a 350°F oven until warmed through. Freezing: not recommended because the squash texture softens. Dietary swap: use turkey sausage (instead of Italian sausage) for a lighter option while keeping the same stuffing and bake times.