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Cozy Sausage-Stuffed Acorn Squash with Cranberries Easy 30-Minute Dinner

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A quick and easy 30-minute dinner featuring tender roasted acorn squash filled with savory sausage, sweet apples, tart cranberries, and fluffy quinoa or rice. Perfect for busy fall weeknights, this comforting dish is balanced, flavorful, and sure to become a seasonal favorite.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 medium acorn squash
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • Salt and black pepper to taste
  • 1 pound ground pork sausage (sweet Italian recommended)
  • 1 small yellow onion, diced (about 1 cup)
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 medium apple, diced (Honeycrisp or Granny Smith)
  • 1/2 cup dried cranberries
  • 1/2 cup cooked quinoa or rice
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried sage (optional)
  • 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
  • 1/4 cup crumbled feta or goat cheese (optional topping)
  • 2 tablespoons toasted pecans or walnuts, chopped (optional topping)
  • Balsamic glaze for drizzling (optional)

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Cut each acorn squash in half from stem to tip. Scoop out seeds and stringy pulp. Brush cut sides and cavity with olive oil; season with salt and pepper. Place cut-side down on a rimmed baking sheet. Roast for 15 minutes.
  2. While squash roasts, heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add ground sausage and cook, breaking it up, until browned and cooked through (5-7 minutes). Leave about 1 tablespoon of fat in the pan.
  3. Add diced onion to the skillet and cook 2-3 minutes until softened. Add minced garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant.
  4. Reduce heat to medium-low. Stir in diced apple, dried cranberries, cooked quinoa or rice, and dried sage (if using). Cook 2-3 minutes until apple softens slightly. Season with salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes to taste. Stir in fresh parsley and remove from heat.
  5. Remove partially roasted squash from oven. Carefully flip them over using tongs. Spoon sausage mixture evenly into each squash cavity, mounding slightly.
  6. Return stuffed squash to oven and roast another 10-12 minutes until squash is tender when pierced with a fork and filling is heated through.
  7. Remove from oven and let rest 2-3 minutes. If desired, top with crumbled feta or goat cheese, toasted pecans or walnuts, and a drizzle of balsamic glaze. Serve warm.

Notes

For extra tender squash, microwave it for 2-3 minutes before cutting. To make ahead, roast squash and cook filling separately up to 2 days in advance; stuff and roast before serving. Leftovers keep in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Keywords: stuffed acorn squash, sausage stuffed squash, fall dinner, 30 minute dinner, acorn squash recipe, cranberry sausage squash

Find it online: https://freshforkful.com/cozy-sausage-stuffed-acorn-squash-with-cranberries-easy-30-minute-dinner/