Description
This Stuffed Acorn Squash recipe features tender roasted acorn squash halves filled with a savory mixture of ground turkey, apples, dried cranberries, pecans, and aromatic herbs, topped with parmesan cheese and crispy breadcrumbs. It’s a hearty and flavorful dish perfect for a comforting fall or winter meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Squash:
- 2 small acorn squash, cut in half
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Kosher salt, to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Filling:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 medium yellow onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 lb ground turkey
- 1 apple, chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh sage, minced
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme
- 1/3 cup dried cranberries
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans
- Kosher salt, to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Topping:
- 1/3 cup Panko breadcrumbs
- 1/3 cup parmesan cheese, freshly grated
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 400°F to prepare for roasting the squash.
- Prepare Squash: Cut each acorn squash in half from stem to tip. Scoop out the seeds and stringy flesh from the center and discard. Slice or shave a small section from the back of each squash half so it can sit flat on the baking sheet.
- Roast Squash: Place the squash halves flesh-side up on a baking sheet. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast in the oven for 30 minutes to soften the squash.
- Cook Filling – Sauté Vegetables: While the squash roasts, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chopped onion and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until translucent. Add the minced garlic and cook for about 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Cook Turkey: Add the ground turkey to the skillet, season with salt and pepper, and cook until fully browned and cooked through, breaking it up as it cooks.
- Add Fruit and Herbs: Stir in the chopped apple, fresh sage, and thyme. Cook for about 3 minutes until the apples start to soften.
- Mix in Cranberries and Pecans: Add dried cranberries and chopped pecans to the filling mixture. Stir well and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper to taste.
- Stuff Squash: Remove the roasted squash from the oven. Use a spoon to fill each squash half generously with the turkey filling.
- Add Topping: Sprinkle the grated parmesan cheese evenly over each stuffed squash half, then top with Panko breadcrumbs for a crunchy finish.
- Final Bake: Return the stuffed squash to the oven and bake for about 15 minutes, or until the topping is golden brown and crispy.
- Serve: Remove from oven and serve warm. Enjoy your hearty and flavorful stuffed acorn squash!
Notes
- Scoop out the squash seeds and stringy flesh carefully to create enough cavity for the filling.
- If you prefer a vegetarian version, substitute ground turkey with cooked lentils or plant-based meat alternatives.
- For a gluten-free option, replace Panko breadcrumbs with gluten-free breadcrumbs or omit them entirely.
- Fresh herbs can be replaced with dried herbs, reducing the quantity by half.
- To make it spicier, add a pinch of red pepper flakes while cooking the filling.
- Day-old bread crumbs can be toasted in a dry pan for extra crispiness before topping.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 stuffed acorn squash half
- Calories: 400 kcal
- Sugar: 10 g
- Sodium: 350 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 6 g
- Protein: 25 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg
