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Cold-weather comfort food! This Sausage Stuffed Acorn Squash with apples, spinach and cranberries is an entire meal in one dish. While it looks impressive enough for entertaining, the easy dinner is ready in just 30 minutes. Perfect for busy weeknights!
Sausage Stuffed Acorn Squash
This easy sausage and spinach stuffed acorn squash tastes like a Thanksgiving dinner all wrapped up in a neat little package! With herb stuffing mix, pork sausage, apples, cranberries, spinach, celery and onion, each bite is jam-packed full of rich, sweet and savory flavors. Plus, I’m sharing a few tips to make the dish quick and easy — without sacrificing quality!
What is the difference between acorn squash and butternut squash?
While they’re both considered “winter squash” and have similar colors and flavors, acorn squash and butternut squash differ in a number of significant ways. First, an acorn squash is smaller than a butternut squash, and it’s shaped like an acorn. By contrast, a butternut squash has a long neck and a large, round, bulbous end. The skin on a butternut squash is a smooth, light beige color, while acorn squash has thick, dark green, ridges on its skin. They both have a sweet, mild flavor that’s somewhat similar to pumpkin.
When purchasing an acorn squash, look for a squash that is heavy for its size, has smooth, dull skin and no soft spots, as well as a good balance between green and orange coloring. An uncooked acorn squash is supposed to be very hard, but will soften when cooked.
How to Make Sausage and Apple Stuffed Acorn Squash
With help from the microwave (to quickly pre-cook the acorn squash) and a package of herb-seasoned stuffing mix, this delicious and easy dinner is ready for the oven in about 20 minutes!
Ingredients
- Acorn squash
- Bulk pork sausage (spicy or mild)
- Onion
- Celery
- Apple
- Baby spinach
- Dried cranberries
- Stuffing mix (I use Pepperidge Farm Herb Seasoned Classic Stuffing, but any similar variety will work)
- Egg
- Milk
Step 1: How to Cook Acorn Squash
First, cut the acorn squash in half lengthwise. It’s very helpful to use a really long, really sharp knife to get through the tough skin.
Scoop out the seeds.
Place the squash in a microwave-safe dish, cut-side down.
Cover and microwave on high until tender (about 10-12 minutes).
Step 2: Prepare the Stuffing
While the acorn squash is cooking in the microwave, use that time to prepare the filling. You need to cook the stuffing first, and then spoon it into the acorn squash. Do not put raw sausage in the cavity of your squash.
Step 3: Stuff Squash
Divide the sausage mixture evenly among the cavities of the halved acorn squash. Really stuff it in there and pile them high!
Step 4: Bake in the Oven
Finish cooking the stuffed acorn squash by baking them in the oven to get that nice, crispy exterior on the stuffing. This will give the egg in the stuffing a chance to set, too.
Do you eat the skin of acorn squash?
This is a matter of personal preference. Once cooked, the skin will be tender enough to cut and chew, so feel free to grab a knife and fork and dig in! If it’s too tough for your liking, it’s really easy to just scoop out the flesh of the acorn squash with your fork — kind of like you would do with a baked potato.
What to Serve with Baked Stuffed Acorn Squash
This fall-inspired dish is basically an entire meal in one: you get the meat, greens, veggies and stuffing all in one bite! If you’d like to offer additional sides, here are a few easy options that pair well with acorn squash:
- Spinach Salad
- An autumn-inspired tossed salad with apple butter vinaigrette
- Collard Greens
- Sauteed Spinach with Garlic
- Arkansas Green Beans with Bacon
- Baked Potatoes or Mashed Potatoes
- Southern Buttermilk Biscuits or Sweet Potato Biscuits
- Mashed Sweet Potatoes
- Skillet Cornbread or Corn Muffins
- Pumpkin Bread or Pumpkin Muffins
- Roasted Broccoli
- Fried Corn
- Roasted Cabbage
- Garlic and Parmesan Cauliflower Mash
- Homemade Applesauce
- Mac and Cheese
- Brussels Sprouts with Bacon
Storage
Store leftover stuffed acorn squash wrapped tightly in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
How to Freeze
Yes, you can freeze the stuffed acorn squash either before or after baking. Allow the squash to cool to room temperature, then wrap tightly and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. When ready to bake, thaw in the refrigerator overnight.
How to Reheat Stuffed Acorn Squash
Allow the baked stuffed acorn squash to come to room temperature on the counter for at least 30 minutes. Tent loosely with foil (to prevent burning), and warm in a 350 degree F oven until heated through (about 15 minutes).
Recipe Variations
- The Sausage: You can use mild or spicy pork sausage, or try a sage pork sausage (like this one from Jimmy Dean) for even more flavor. Try sweet or spicy Italian sausage, too!
- Beef or Turkey: Swap out the sausage and substitute with 1 lb. of ground beef or ground turkey. These meats aren’t seasoned like sausage, so you’ll likely need to add extra seasoning of your own — such as salt, pepper, garlic, and any herbs that you like.
- Herbs: The stuffing mix includes herbs, but you can also use more of your favorite fresh herbs if you like. Try parsley, sage, thyme or rosemary.
- The Stuffing: Instead of the Pepperidge Farm Herb-Seasoned Stuffing mix, try a different brand (such as Stove Top) or a different flavor, such as Cornbread Stuffing Mix.
- To stretch the filling, use 3 acorn squash instead of 2. Each cavity will not be stuffed quite as full as you see here, but there should still be enough filling for 6 halves (instead of just 4 servings).
- For extra crunch, try adding chopped walnuts or pecans to the filling.
More Winter Squash Recipes to Try
- Roasted Butternut Squash Soup
- Apple and Butternut Squash Casserole
- Brown Sugar Roasted Acorn Squash
- Fall Harvest Salad with Pumpkin Goddess Dressing
- Pumpkin Bread
Stuffed Acorn Squash
Ingredients
- 2 acorn squash
- 1 lb. bulk pork sausage (spicy or mild)
- ¼ cup chopped onion
- ¼ cup chopped celery
- ¼ cup peeled, diced apple
- 1 cup loosely-packed fresh baby spinach leaves, finely chopped
- ¼ cup dried cranberries
- 1 ½ cups stuffing mix (I use Pepperidge Farm Herb Stuffing)
- 1 egg
- 2 tablespoons milk
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
- Cut the squash in half lengthwise; scoop out seeds. Place the squash in a microwave-safe dish, cut-side down. Cover and microwave on high until tender, 10-12 minutes.
- Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook the sausage, onion, celery and apple until the sausage is no longer pink, about 5-7 minutes. Drain. Remove from heat and stir in the spinach, cranberries and stuffing mix. In a separate bowl, whisk together egg and milk. Add the egg mixture to the sausage mixture and gently toss to combine.
- Turn over the squash. Divide the sausage mixture in the cavity of each half of squash. Place the stuffed squash in the oven and bake for about 10 minutes, or until heated through.
Notes
- The Sausage: You can use mild or spicy pork sausage, or try a sage pork sausage (like this one from Jimmy Dean) for even more flavor. Try sweet or spicy Italian sausage, too!
- Beef or Turkey: Swap out the sausage and substitute with 1 lb. of ground beef or ground turkey. These meats aren’t seasoned like sausage, so you’ll likely need to add extra seasoning of your own — such as salt, pepper, garlic, and any herbs that you like.
- Herbs: The stuffing mix includes herbs, but you can also use more of your favorite fresh herbs if you like. Try parsley, sage, thyme or rosemary.
- The Stuffing: Instead of the Pepperidge Farm Herb-Seasoned Stuffing mix, try a different brand (such as Stove Top) or a different flavor, such as Cornbread Stuffing Mix.
- To stretch the filling, use 3 acorn squash instead of 2. Each cavity will not be stuffed quite as full as you see here, but there should still be enough filling for 6 halves (instead of just 4 servings).
- For extra crunch, try adding chopped walnuts or pecans to the filling.