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Turkey Stuffed Acorn Squash

Turkey stuffed acorn squash with lean ground turkey, sage, and cranberries—roasted orange halves topped with a savory simmered filling. No bread stuffing needed, just roast, brown, simmer, and bake until hot and tender.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings: 2 servings
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American
Calories: 330
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Acorn squash
  • 2 acorn squash Halved and seeded.
Cooking fat
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
Ground turkey filling
  • 1 lb ground turkey
  • 1 yellow onion Diced.
  • 2 celery stalks Diced.
  • 1 tsp dried sage
  • 0.5 tsp dried thyme
  • 0.33 cup dried cranberries
  • 0.5 cup chicken broth
  • 0.25 salt and pepper To taste (use as needed).

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan
  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Roast the squash
  1. Heat oven to 400°F and place squash cut-side down on a sheet pan. Roast for 30 minutes until tender around the edges (visual cue: flesh looks softened and slightly glossy).
  2. Flip the squash and return to the pan to prep for filling. Roast briefly while you warm the turkey mixture so the squash stays hot and ready to be filled (visual cue: cut sides look steamy and hot).
Cook the turkey filling
  1. Heat olive oil in a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Brown the ground turkey with the diced onion and celery until the turkey is cooked through and the vegetables soften (visual cue: turkey develops browned bits).
  2. Add dried sage, dried thyme, dried cranberries, and chicken broth to the skillet. Simmer for 5 minutes to thicken slightly and meld flavors (visual cue: cranberries look plump and liquid reduces).
Stuff and bake
  1. Spoon the turkey mixture into the roasted squash halves. Make sure each half is generously filled so the top stays mound-like (visual cue: filling reaches near the rim of each squash).
  2. Bake until hot, about 10 minutes. Rest for 2 minutes before serving (visual cue: filling is bubbling at the edges and the squash is hot throughout).

Notes

Pro tip: Brown the turkey well for the best flavor—don’t rush; let it sit briefly before stirring to develop browned bits. Refrigerate leftovers in a sealed container up to 3 days. Freeze stuffed squash for up to 2 months, then reheat covered in a 350°F oven until hot through. For a lower-sodium option, use no-salt-added broth and season with herbs plus a light pinch of salt to taste.