Stuffed Butternut Squash with Italian sausage, spinach, apples, and toasted pumpkin seeds is a fall-inspired weeknight meal that highlights the best of autumn’s produce, featuring winter squash, red and green apples, and toasted pumpkin seeds! It works well as a side or a main dish, and it’s gluten-free, dairy-free, and low-carb.
Stuffed butternut squash with sausage and apples
During Fall, I tend to make lots of stuffed squash recipes, such as this apple stuffed acorn squash and this family-favorite Italian Sausage Stuffed Spaghetti Squash with Spinach, Tomatoes, and Mushrooms because butternut squash is one of my favorite ingredients! With this recipe, my goal was to create a simple and festive meal that would be fitting for the fall season and holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas, using basic ingredients yet creating bold flavors. First, I roasted the butternut squash with just olive oil, salt, and pepper to enhance its natural sweetness. While it roasted, I prepared the filling using Italian sausage, spinach, toasted pumpkin seeds, and diced Gala and Granny Smith apples. Once the squash was done, I filled it with this delicious blend of savory and sweet ingredients. And just like that, I’ve found a new fall favorite for both me and my husband! We love enjoying it as a quick weeknight meal or pairing it as a side with steaks, pork, or chicken.
Why you'll love it
- Incredible Flavor. The dish is packed with flavor, featuring a sweet-savory blend of spicy sausage, wilted spinach, and pumpkin seeds that beautifully complement the natural sweetness of the squash. Granny Smith and Fuji or Gala apples add just the right amount of extra sweetness.
- Beautiful Presentation. The vibrant orange color of the stuffed butternut squash always makes it an eye-catching dish that’s sure to impress. It’s simple enough to whip up on a busy weeknight but also stunning enough to serve at gatherings and parties.
- Perfect for Holidays. This recipe uses seasonal flavors and ingredients and will make a wonderful addition to your fall and winter holiday menu for Thanksgiving and Christmas.
The Ingredients
- Butternut Squash. Not only is it delicious, but it's also very nutritious. It's rich in dietary fiber, and a great source of vitamins A, B6, C, and E, along with minerals like magnesium, manganese, and potassium.
- Sausage: I used spicy crumbled Italian sausage.
- Onion. I caramelize chopped onion lightly at the beginning. You can use sweet, yellow, or white onions.
- Spinach. I used fresh spinach, but you can also use frozen spinach (thawed and drained) or kale.
- Seeds. Pumpkin seeds add crunch and texture, but sunflower seeds or nuts like pecans or walnuts can be used as alternatives.
- Apples. Fresh apples provide natural sweetness and texture. Choose firm apples for better presentation, using a mix of colors (green Granny Smith and red Gala, Fuji, or Honey Crisp). Do not peel the apples for a better look!
- Olive Oil. Used for brushing the squash before roasting.
- Seasonings. Just salt and freshly ground black pepper are needed.
Instructions
Here’s a visual overview of the directions with step-by-step photos. For the specific ingredient quantities and detailed instructions, please scroll down to the recipe card.
Roast the Butternut Squash:
Preheat your oven to 400°F. Slice the butternut squash in half lengthwise, being careful to keep your fingers clear of the knife. Scoop out the seeds and stringy flesh using a spoon. Place the squash cut sides up on a baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil, and season generously with salt and pepper. Flip the halves so the cut sides are down, lining the baking sheet with parchment paper for easy cleanup if desired. Roast for 30 to 40 minutes.
Make the Sausage and Apple Filling:
While the squash is roasting, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sauté the diced onion for about 2 minutes, then add the crumbled sausage and cook for 5 minutes until browned. Stir in the fresh spinach and cook until wilted, then add the diced apples and cook for a few more minutes until warmed through. Season with salt and pepper, adjusting as needed.
Prepare the squash for stuffing:
Once the squash is roasted, remove it from the oven and turn the halves cut side up. Let them cool slightly, then scoop out the flesh, leaving about a 1-inch border. See the photos below for reference:
Assembly:
Mix the scooped squash back into the filling, then reheat the mixture in the skillet. Stuff the squash halves with the sausage filling until leveled or slightly heaped. Top with toasted pumpkin seeds and serve.
Cooking tips
- Choose firm apples. Select apples with a firm texture to prevent them from becoming mushy when cooked with the sausage (and then stored and reheated). I recommend using two colors—green and red—for better presentation. I used one Granny Smith and one red apple, both unpeeled.
- Use your favorite greens. You can substitute spinach with kale or other greens.
- Caramelization tip. Roast the squash on the lowest rack in the oven if you like the darker caramelization look along the edges of the butternut squash.
- For easy cleanup, line the baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Save time by preparing the sausage filling while the squash is roasting in the oven.
Storage and reheating tips
- Refrigerate. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Freeze. This dish can be easily frozen in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to 2 months. It freezes well - so it's a great recipe for meal prep and make-ahead meals.
- Reheat in the oven. To reheat, place the refrigerated squash in a preheated oven at 350°F and heat for about 30 minutes or until all ingredients are warmed through.
What to serve with it
Serve stuffed roasted butternut squash alongside a Fall salad—I have quite a few salad recipes featuring seasonal ingredients to choose from:
- The Best Apple Spinach Salad
- Holiday Salad with Pecans, Mandarin Oranges, Pomegranate, and Dried Cranberries
- Pear Spinach Salad
- Apple Spinach Salad with Pecans, Goat, Cheese, and Maple-Lime Dressing
Other stuffed butternut squash recipes to try
- Stuffed Butternut Squash with Spinach, Bacon, and Cheese
- Sausage Stuffed Butternut Squash with Spinach, Pecans, and Cranberries
- Southwestern Ground Beef Stuffed Butternut Squash
- Roasted Butternut Squash stuffed with Corn, Zucchini, Parmesan, and Cream Cheese
- Butternut Squash with Spinach and Mushroom Cheese Mixture
Sausage Stuffed Butternut Squash
Ingredients
Roasted Butternut Squash
Sausage filling
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 small onion diced
- 14 oz Italian sausage spicy, crumbled
- 5 oz spinach fresh
- 2 large apples (1 green apple, 1 red apple cored and diced into small cubes)
- ½ cup pumpkin seeds toasted
Instructions
Roast the butternut squash
- Preheat oven to 400 F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper for easy clean-up.
- Prepare the butternut squash. Slice each one in half lengthwise. Keep fingers away from the knife to avoid injury. Use a spoon to scoop out the seeds and fleshy strands tangled with the seeds.
- Place butternut squash cut sides up on a baking sheet. Drizzle the cut sides of the butternut squash halves with olive oil and rub the oil into the squash. Season generously with salt and pepper.
- Turn the squash halves over, and place it cut sides down on a baking sheet.
- Roast in the preheated oven at 400 F for 30 or 40 minutes.
Make sausage and apple filling
- Make the sausage filling while the squash is being roasted in the oven.
- In a large skillet, heat olive oil, add diced onion, and cook it on medium-high heat for about 2 minutes until cooked.
- Add the crumbled sausage and cook for 5 minutes or more on medium heat until it is completely cooked through.
- Add fresh spinach and cook briefly on medium heat until the spinach wilts.
- Add the diced apples and stir everything together, cooking for a few minutes until the apples are heated through.
- Season with salt and pepper. Probably not necessary since the sausage is already usually salty.
Assembly
- By this time, you have roasted the butternut squash for 30 or 40 minutes. Remove them from the oven and turn the cooked squash halves cut sides up.
- Let it cool slightly. Using a spoon, scoop out the flesh, leaving about a 1-inch border along the sides. (For reference, I provide the step-by-step photos for this step above the recipe card). Add the scooped-out squash back into the largest cavities and press it down.
- Reheat the sausage mixture in the same skillet you made it in to warm it up.
- Divide the sausage filling among the 4 halves and stuff the squash until the mixture is leveled or a little bit higher.
- Top with toasted pumpkin seeds and serve.
Nutrition
Nutrition Disclaimer:
The nutritional information on this website is only an estimate and is provided for convenience and as a courtesy only. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed. It should not be used as a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
I follow Julia and have made many of her delicious recipes. Love this one!! ❤️
The filling did not have much taste. Did not add a green veggie because my husband is on a blood thinner. If the spinach or kale is what adds the flavor then I guess that's the reason we found it lacking in flavor.
Thank you for your review, Edna! I definitely recommend using spicy (or hot) Italian sausage, as it adds a lot of flavor. Regular sausage can work as well, but you may need to add seasoning (like smoked paprika, red pepper flakes, Italian seasoning, and salt).