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Stuffed Acorn Squash with Sausage, Spinach, Cranberries, and Pecans Recipe

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4.3 from 31 reviews

Delicious and hearty stuffed acorn squash featuring a savory Italian sausage filling with spinach, cranberries, and pecans, roasted to perfection for a comforting and satisfying meal suitable for fall and winter.

  • Total Time: 50 minutes
  • Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

Squash

  • 2 medium acorn squash
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt, or more to taste
  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Filling

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 small onion, diced
  • 10 oz spicy Italian sausage, crumbled
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
  • 4 oz fresh spinach
  • 1/2 cup dried cranberries
  • 1/2 cup pecans, chopped

Instructions

  1. Preheat and prepare squash: Preheat your oven to 400°F. Cut off the top and bottom of each acorn squash to create a flat base. Then slice each squash in half and scoop out the seeds and stringy bits with a spoon.
  2. Oil and season squash: Place squash halves cut side up on a baking sheet. Drizzle olive oil over the cut sides and rub it in, then generously season with salt and pepper. Flip the squash over so the cut sides face down on the baking sheet.
  3. Roast squash: Roast the squash in the preheated oven at 400°F for 30 minutes to soften and begin cooking.
  4. Cook sausage filling: While squash roasts, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add diced onion and cook for about 2 minutes until softened and slightly charred.
  5. Add sausage and seasonings: Add crumbled spicy Italian sausage, minced garlic, and Italian seasoning to the skillet. Cook on medium heat for about 5 minutes or until sausage is fully cooked.
  6. Cook spinach: Stir in fresh spinach and cook for an additional 5 minutes until spinach is wilted.
  7. Mix in cranberries and pecans: Add dried cranberries and chopped pecans, stirring everything together evenly.
  8. Season filling: Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed, keeping in mind that the sausage is already salty.
  9. Stuff the squash: After the initial roasting, remove the squash and turn them cut side up. Evenly divide the sausage filling among the 4 squash halves, mounding slightly if desired.
  10. Final bake: Lower the oven temperature to 350°F and return the stuffed squash to the oven. Bake for an additional 10 to 20 minutes until the filling is heated through and flavors meld together.

Notes

  • Use spicy Italian sausage for a nice kick; switch to sweet sausage if preferred but reduce added salt.
  • Make sure to not cut too deep into the squash bases to keep them stable while roasting.
  • Leftover stuffed squash can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and reheated.
  • Consider adding a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese on top before the final bake for extra flavor.
  • This recipe works well as a vegetarian dish if the sausage is replaced by seasoned plant-based crumble.
  • Author: Olivia
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 35 minutes
  • Category: Main Course
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: American

Find it online: https://yourdailycook.com/stuffed-acorn-squash-with-sausage-spinach-cranberries-and-pecans-recipe/