Healthy Stuffed Acorn Squash with Sausage Recipe

Healthy Stuffed Acorn Squash with Sausage Recipe

For nights when you want your dinner to offer you a hug: Sausage Stuffed Acorn Squash. This recipe is unabashedly comfortable, low carb, and loaded with protein and vegetables.

Golden acorn squash that’s baked until caramelized and tender, after that packed with a harvesty blend of Italian sausage (I make use of chicken sausage to keep the recipe on the lighter side), mushrooms, apples, warm flavors, and herbs, this recipe is very dental filling, simple to make, and healthy as well.

I completed the Italian sausage stuffed acorn squash with Parmesan cheese, which is nutty and becomes sparkling and crisp while the squash bakes.

  • If you like, you can omit the cheese for a paleo sausage stuffed acorn squash.
  • OR you can go the complete opposite path and include additional cheese to the loading to make the recipe a little additional decadent.

Stuffed vegetables are among my favored ways to cook and eat nutritious suppers in your home, utilizing whatever vegetables are in season.

In the autumn and winter that indicates stuffed winter squash

As with this Packed Butternut Squash, this Spaghetti Squash Lasagna, and this Instantaneous Pot Acorn Squash (stuffed with wild rice and chickpeas), stuffed squash recipes are hearty, preference outstanding leftover, and every forkful offers vitamins and nutrients.

In addition to being an excellent weeknight major, this sausage stuffed acorn squash with apples and mushrooms is unique sufficient to serve as an extra passionate side at a vacation dish.

For an extra typical sized acorn squash side receipes, try these brown sugar and pecan Baked Acorn Squash Slices.

Exactly How to Make Sausage Stuffed Acorn Squash

Cozy as much as a huge plate of this easy, healthy acorn squash recipe. Right here’s what you require to make it.

The Ingredients

Italian Sausage. Italian chicken or turkey sausage is just one of my preferred ingredients to include tons of taste to a recipe, while keeping it lean (my Italian Sausage Skillet, Sausage and Peppers, and Italian Sausage and Rice Casserole are a few various other favorites). You can utilize sweet or spicy Italian sausage, depending upon you and your household’s preference. We use spicy. I like its counterpoint to the sweetness of the squash.

Apples. The combination of apple and sausage is so yummy with acorn squash. The apples come to be great and tender. I such as to leave the peels on; you can not taste them, and they provide a couple of additional nutrients.

Mushrooms. Sliced finely, the mushrooms nearly vanish into the dental filling, leaving you just with an extra savory flavor. If you are cooking for non-mushroom followers, you can omit them for a still tasty, basic recipe for apple sausage stuffed acorn squash.

Onion + Garlic. To up the full-flavored element and recipe complexity.

Sage and/or Thyme. These 2 classic fresh herbs make the squash taste special. Don’t make use of dried. Fresh will certainly give you the outcomes with which you will be the most pleased.

Nutmeg and Allspice. Both are classic pairings with acorn squash. They make this apple sausage stuffed acorn squash recipe preference like home.

Parmesan. For a nutty, extra Italian finish.

The Directions

1. Bake the squash: Cut the squash, and scoop out the seeds. Lay the fifty percents cut-sides up on a flat pan. Bake for 40 minutes at 400 degrees F, up until tender.

2. Prepare the filling: Brown the sausage in a large frying pan. Include the vegetables, apple, salt, and flavors. Stir till the vegetables are tender and the sausage is cooked through.

3. Scoop out the squash flesh, leaving about 1/4-inch on all sides to function as a “wall”. Add the removed squash to the sausage mix. Mix in the herbs and cheese.

4. Mound the filling up within the squash halves. Sprinkle extra cheese over the top, and cook at 375 degrees F for 15 minutes until warm and melty. Serve warm, and ENJOY!

What Does Acorn Squash Taste Like?

Acorn squash tastes slightly pleasant and nutty. Its flavor is not as strong as other winter squash varieties, that makes it remarkable for packing with other ingredients.

If you have not had actually acorn squash prior to however take pleasure in various other winter squash recipes, certainly offer it a taste! It is just one of the easiest squashes to prepare, and it’s tasty also.

Is Acorn Squash Healthy?

OF COURSE! Acorn squash is healthy.

– Acorn squash reduced in calories.

How to Cut Acorn Squash

– The simplest way to cut acorn squash is from stem to end.

– Lay your squash on its side, and make use of a sharp chef’s knife to carefully make a cut on one side in between 2 of the ridges. Keep pressure on the knife till you feel it get to the hollow center. If you feel your knife getting stuck, draw it out and start your cut once more. Proceed reducing on the same line, rearranging and turning your squash over as needed, up until you have actually reduced all the way with around all-time low of the squash on both sides. Unless you’re utilizing a very sharp chef’s knife, do not punctured the stem. Rather, lay your knife down, and grab the bottom end of both halves, drawing them apart. The stem will stay on just one fifty percent, and you can leave it on for the toasting procedure.

– My Pointer. I such as to rack up the flesh initially to make sure I can safely cut all the way with the squash. To rack up, make use of the sharp pointer to make a collection of incisions in the shape of a populated line, after that reduced all the way with the dotted as routed above.

Just how to Store and Reheat Stuffed Acorn Squash

– To Store. Place in an impermeable storage container in the refrigerator for as much as 3 days.

– To Reheat. Place stuffed acorn squash in a baking receipes with a small amount of water in all-time low. Tent with foil, after that rewarm in the stove at 350 degrees F for around 15 mins, or till warm.

– To Freeze. Let the squash cool to room temperature. Place one fifty percent of stuffed squash right into a quart dimension freezer bag and remove as much air as feasible. Place in the fridge up until well chilled, and then move to the fridge freezer for up to 3 months.

– To Reheat From Frozen. To reheat, eliminate a frozen squash half, and place it a in covered casserole receipes. Bake at 350 degrees for and 45 to 50 mins (from frozen). Include extra cheese as wanted in the last 10 minutes of cooking. You can additionally reheat the squash fifty percent in the microwave above for 5 to 7 minutes.

If you favor, you can allow the squash half thaw overnight in the refrigerator and rewarm according to the “To Reheat” instructions over.

Recipe Variations

– Add a Grain. Stir 1 1/2 cups of a cooked whole grain right into the filling up prior to packing the squash. Sausage and rice packed acorn squash or farro and sausage stuffed acorn squash would both be terrific. You can likewise mix the cooked full of rice or farro after the squash is baked.

– Sausage Stuffed Butternut Squash Follow this very same recipe, yet bake and things butternut squash fifty percents rather. Keep in mind: you will certainly require to change the baking time for the butternut squash halves, as it will require a bit longer (45 to 55 mins) than the acorn squash.

– Paleo Sausage Stuffed Acorn Squash. Leave out celebrity; ensure you are using a paleo-friendly sausage.

– Stuffed Acorn Squash with Sausage, Apples, and Cranberries. Prior to stuffing the squash, mix 1/4 cup dried out cranberries right into the filling.

– Vegetarian Stuffed Acorn Squash. Swap the sausage for a 15-ounce can of rinsed and drained white beans, such as cannellini or white kidney beans. Mix the beans right into the loading right before packing the squash.

Receipe that Match Acorn Squash

While this packed acorn squash is a delicious all-in-one meal, below are a few concepts of what you might offer with it:

Vegetables. Add a green veggie for better nutritional variety. Sautéed Brussels Sprouts, Roasted Brussels Sprouts, or Roasted Butternut Squash would certainly all be tasty.

Salad. A fresh, healthy salad such as this Brussels Sprouts Slaw or Winter Slaw would be scrumptious.

We enjoyed this apple, mushroom, and sausage stuffed acorn first as a hearty dinner, and the leftovers were excellent reheated the next day.

My other preferred method to eat this was to scoop out the filling, mix it with cooked rice and sautéed environment-friendlies, then sprinkle it with extra cheese for an acorn squash “bowl” result.

However you appreciate it, this acorn squash recipe is sure to include some relaxing heat to your day.

Stuffed Acorn Squash with Sausage

This comfy, passionate Stuffed Acorn Squash with sausage and mushrooms is a superb mix of wonderful and savoryflavors. Easy and tasty!

  • PREP: 15minutes minutes
  • CHEF: 55minutes mins
  • TOTAL AMOUNT: 1hour hr 10minutes minutes
  • SERVINGS: 4 portions

Ingredients

For The Squash:

  • 2 acorn squash halved through from the stem to the base and seeds removed
  • 4 teaspoons olive oil
  • Kosher salt and ground black pepper
  • 1/2 tbsp olive oil

For The Filling up:

  • 1 pound Italian chicken or turkey sausage about 2 web links, coverings got rid of, pleasant or spicy (we utilize spicy).
  • 8 ounces cremini baby bella mushrooms carefully sliced.
  • 1 little yellow onion cut.
  • 1 tool sweet-crisp apple cored and carefully diced (peel or on; I left it on).
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt.
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper.
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg.
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground allspice.
  • 2 cloves minced garlic.
  • 1 tbsp sliced fresh sage thyme, or a mix (plus extra for serving).
  • 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese separated.

Instructions

1. Cook the squash: Place a shelf in the facility of the oven and preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. With a sharp, durable cook’s knife, very carefully cut the squash in half from stem to base. Scoop out and discard the stringy core and seeds. Set up the halves cut-sides up on a rimmed baking sheet. Brush each half with 1 teaspoon olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Area in the oven and cook for 40 minutes, up until the sides begin to crease and the flesh is fork-tender. Reserve. Decrease the oven temperature level to 375 degrees F.

2. While the squash bakes, prepare the dental filling: Warmth the olive oil in a big skillet over medium-high warm. Add the sausage. Brown the meat, damaging it apart right into little pieces for 3 mins.

3. Add the mushrooms, onion, apple, salt, pepper, nutmeg, allspice, and minced garlic. Cook, mixing frequently, until the sausage is cooked through, the vegetables and apple are softened, have surrendered fluid, and the fluid has cooked off, about 8 added minutes.

4. When the squash is awesome enough to handle, scoop out its flesh, leaving a wall all the way around that has to do with 1/4- inch thick. Include the scooped squash to the pan with the sausage. Include the herbs and 1/4 mug Parmesan. Mix to integrate. Preference and readjust salt and pepper as wanted.

5. Mound the filling inside of the hollowed squash halves. Sprinkle the continuing to be Parmesan over the top. Place the frying pan in the oven and bake up until the cheese is thawed and the dental filling is nice and hot, regarding 15 mins. Sprinkle with extra fresh herbs as wanted. Serve warm.

Notes:

TO STORE: Area in an airtight storage container in the refrigerator for as much as 3 days.

TO REHEAT: Area packed acorn squash in a cooking receipes with a small amount of water in the bottom. Rewarm in the stove at 350 degrees F for around 15 mins, or till hot.

TO FREEZE: Place one half of cooked stuffed squash into a quart size fridge freezer bag and get rid of as much air as feasible. Place in the refrigerator till well cooled, and afterwards transfer to the fridge freezer for up to 3 months.

TO REHEAT FROM FROZEN: To reheat, get rid of a frozen squash half, and place it in a covered casserole receipes. Bake at 350 degrees for and 45 to 50 minutes (from frozen). Add extra cheese as desired in the last 10 mins of cooking. You can likewise reheat the squash half in the microwave on high for 5 to 7 minutes.

If you favor, you can allow the squash fifty percent thaw over night in the refrigerator and rewarm according to the “To Reheat” directions over.

Nutrition

  • OFFERING: 1(of 4)
  • CALORIES: 421kcal
  • CARBOHYDRATES: 40g
  • PROTEIN: 26g
  • FAT: 20g
  • SATURATED FAT: 7g
  • CHOLESTEROL: 71mg
  • POTASSIUM: 1330mg
  • FIBER: 6g
  • SUGAR: 11g
  • VITAMIN A: 1087IU
  • VITAMIN C: 62mg
  • CALCIUM: 263mg IRON: 13mg