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    Sausage Stuffed Acorn Squash

    By Julia | Updated: Nov 18, 2021 | Published: Nov 17, 2021 | 157 Comments

    122.2K shares
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    Sausage Stuffed Acorn Squash is an easy and delicious recipe that will make a great side dish or a main course. It's the ultimate Fall and Winter comfort food and a great way to add veggies to your dinner!

    stuffed acorn squash with sausage, dried cranberries, spinach, pecans on a white plate

     

    Sausage Stuffed Acorn Squash - festive Autumn recipe

    Combining acorn squash with sausage is one of the best and most delicious ways to serve this winter vegetable! Try this easy-to-make and flavorful recipe and it will quickly become a family favorite dish! It's gluten-free, packed with protein and fiber. This basic recipe will impress you with its simplicity.  It's so easy, you can quickly make it on a busy weeknight!

    • First, the acorn squash is roasted in the oven.
    • While the squash is being roasted, prepare the stuffing by cooking the onion, sausage, garlic, spices, and then adding spinach, dried cranberries, and pecans.
    • Stuff the roasted acorn squash halves with the sausage mixture you just cooked, and the dinner is ready! Very simple yet beautiful and delicious!

    Holiday side dish or main course

    One of the reasons I love Fall and Winter is because that's when we get to cook winter squash. I especially love squash recipes that feature savory ingredients, such as this butternut squash and spinach lasagna or this black bean butternut squash enchilada casserole.

    This delicious sausage stuffed acorn squash recipe combines savory and sweet flavors, is gluten-free, and is perfect for the Fall and Winter seasons.  It's a great choice as a holiday side dish or main course for Thanksgiving, Christmas, or New Year's Eve.

    stuffed acorn squash with sausage, dried cranberries, spinach, pecans on a baking sheet

    Variations and Substitutions

    This is a GREAT base recipe for stuffed acorn squash. It comes together quickly, the recipe steps are easy, and many ingredients can be omitted altogether or replaced with something else similar. The recipe is versatile and easily adjustable to what you have available on hand.

    • Sausage. This recipe works the best with spicy Italian sausage which adds lots of savory flavors and a bit of spice to the squash. You can use any other type of spicy sausage. If you don't like spicy sausage, use mild or sweet Italian sausage. You can also use chicken sausage.  I used crumbled sausage, however, you can use the one in casings, too - just remove the casings and crumble it as you cook it.
    • Onion.  The onion is lightly caramelized in the beginning and then combined with sausage.  You can use any variety of onions: sweet onions, yellow onions, or white onions.
    • Spinach. Use either fresh or frozen spinach (thawed completely and drained of any liquid). You can also use kale or Swiss chard instead.
    • Nuts. While pecans are an excellent choice here, you can easily use many other types of nuts, including pine nuts, cashews, or slivered almonds.
    • Dried cranberries. You can also use dried figs, raisins, or dried cherries.
    • Italian seasoning combines just the right dried herbs and is perfect for the stuffed acorn squash with sausage!  You can also use fresh herbs if you like, such as thyme, sage, or oregano.  But, since the sausage has such a strong flavor, just stick with dried herb mix - it works the best here!

    stuffed acorn squash with sausage, spinach, dried cranberries, and pecans on a white plate

    How to cut acorn squash

    1. First, Cut off the top and the bottom of each acorn squash to create a flat base. Keep fingers away from the knife to avoid injury. And, make sure not to cut too deep into the base of the squash.
    2. Then, slice each squash in half.
    3. Use a spoon to scoop out the seeds and fleshy strands tangled with the seeds.

    How to make sausage stuffed acorn squash

    1. Roast the squash. You will need 2 medium-size squashes. Carefully slice each one in half, scoop out the seeds. You will have 4 acorn squash halves. Roast in the preheated oven at 400 F for 30 minutes.
    2. Make the filling. While the squash is being roasted, prepare the sausage filling. First, cook together onions and sausage. Then, add Italian seasoning, minced garlic. Finally, add spinach, cooking it until it wilts. Then, mix in dried cranberries and pecans.
    3. Stuff the squash. Add the prepared sausage filling from the previous step into the cavities of each of the 4 acorn squash halves. Put it back in the oven at 350 F for about 10 or 20 minutes, and your sausage stuffed acorn squash is ready!

    Cooking tips

    • Use crumbled sausage. It works the best for stuffing the acorn squash. However, if you bought sausage in casings, that's not a problem - just remove the casings and crumble the sausage as you cook it.
    • Fresh spinach or frozen. I used fresh spinach but frozen spinach (thawed and drained well of all liquid) can be used here, as well.
    • Salt. I did not add any salt to the sausage mixture, because my sausage was salty enough. If your sausage is not salty enough, feel free to season the stuffing with more salt.  I did season the squash generously with salt and pepper when I roasted it.
    • To use cooking time efficiently, make the sausage mixture while you roast the acorn squash in the oven.
    • Bake or broil.  You can broil the stuffed acorn squash briefly (for about 5 minutes) in the oven if you like. Watch the squash carefully - it can burn easily. Otherwise, once you stuff the squash, just reheat in the oven for 10 or 20 minutes just until the stuffing is warmed through.

    How to store and reheat stuffed acorn squash

    • Refrigerate. Store sausage stuffed acorn squash in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
    • Freeze. You can easily freeze this dish in an airtight container for up to 2 months.
    • Reheat. Reheat the squash in the preheated oven at 350 F for about 30 minutes or until all the ingredients are heated through.

    close-up of stuffed acorn squash with sausage, spinach, dried cranberries, and pecans on a white plate

    What to serve with acorn squash

    • Vegetables.  Sausage stuffed acorn squash will pair beautifully with green vegetables such as these Brussels sprouts with balsamic glaze or green beans with pine nuts.
    • Fresh Salad.  Serve this winter squash with a simple spinach salad or a basic arugula salad with lemon zest, Parmesan, and pine nuts.
    • Winter Salad.  Since the stuffed acorn squash is such a festive holiday recipe, why not pair it with an equally festive salad that features Fall and Winter seasonal ingredients?  Take a look at this delicious Butternut Squash and Spinach Salad with Pecans, Cranberries, and Poppy Seed Honey-Lime Dressing or this amazing Mandarin Orange Salad with Balsamic Glaze.

    Other holiday acorn squash recipes you will love

    • Acorn Squash Stuffed with Apples
    • Stuffed Acorn Squash with Creamy Spinach and Cheese

    More delicious winter squash recipes you might like

    • Roasted Butternut Squash and Brussels sprouts with Pecans and Cranberries
    • Sheet Pan Maple-Dijon Chicken with Roasted Butternut Squash and Brussels Sprouts
    • Creamy Butternut Squash Orzo with Sausage
    • Creamy Butternut Squash Pasta with Sausage and Spinach
    close-up of stuffed acorn squash with sausage, spinach, dried cranberries, and pecans on a white plate
    4.74 from 287 votes

    Sausage Stuffed Acorn Squash

    Stuffed Acorn Squash with Sausage is an easy and delicious recipe that will make a great side dish or a main course. It's the ultimate Fall and Winter comfort food and is a great way to add veggies to your dinner!
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save RecipeSaved!
    Prep Time 20 minutes mins
    Cook Time 30 minutes mins
    Total Time 50 minutes mins
    Course Main Course, Side Dish
    Cuisine American, Mediterranean
    Servings 4 people
    Calories per serving 582 kcal
    Author: Julia

    Ingredients

    Acorn squash

    • 2 acorn squash medium
    • 2 tablespoons olive oil
    • ¼ teaspoon salt or more
    • black pepper freshly ground

    Sausage filling

    • 1 tablespoon olive oil
    • 1 onion small, diced
    • 10 oz Italian sausage spicy, crumbled
    • 4 cloves garlic minced
    • 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
    • 4 oz spinach fresh
    • ½ cup dried cranberries
    • ½ cup pecans chopped
    US Customary - Metric
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    Instructions 

    Roast acorn squash

    • Preheat oven to 400 F.
    • Prepare the acorn squash. Cut off the top and the bottom of each acorn squash to create a flat base. Keep fingers away from the knife to avoid injury. And, make sure not to cut too deep into the base of the squash. Slice each squash in half. Use a spoon to scoop out the seeds and fleshy strands tangled with the seeds.
    • Place acorn squash cut sides up on a baking sheet. Drizzle the cut sides of acorn squashes with olive oil and rub the oil into the squash. Season generously with salt and pepper. Turn the squash over, and place it cut sides down on a baking sheet.
    • Roast in the preheated oven at 400 F for 30 minutes.

    Make sausage 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 and a bit charred.
    • Add crumbled sausage, minced garlic, and Italian seasoning and cook for about 5 minutes or more on medium heat until the sausage is completely cooked through.
    • Add fresh spinach and cook for another 5 minutes on medium heat until the spinach wilts.
    • Add dried cranberries and chopped pecans and mix everything.
    • Season with salt and pepper. Probably not necessary since the sausage is already usually salty (unless you use sweet sausage which I do not recommend).

    How to stuff acorn squash

    • By this time, you have roasted the acorn squash for 30 minutes. Remove them from the oven and turn cooked squash halves cut sides up.
    • Divide the sausage filling among the 4 halves and stuff the squash until the mixture is leveled or a little bit higher.
    • Bake the stuffed acorn squash in the preheated oven at 350 F for 10 or 20 more minutes until the sausage mixture is heated through.

    Nutrition

    Nutrition Information
    Sausage Stuffed Acorn Squash
    Amount per Serving
    Calories
    582
    % Daily Value*
    Fat
     
    42
    g
    65
    %
    Saturated Fat
     
    10
    g
    63
    %
    Polyunsaturated Fat
     
    7
    g
    Monounsaturated Fat
     
    23
    g
    Cholesterol
     
    54
    mg
    18
    %
    Sodium
     
    695
    mg
    30
    %
    Potassium
     
    1210
    mg
    35
    %
    Carbohydrates
     
    43
    g
    14
    %
    Fiber
     
    7
    g
    29
    %
    Sugar
     
    12
    g
    13
    %
    Protein
     
    14
    g
    28
    %
    Vitamin A
     
    3478
    IU
    70
    %
    Vitamin C
     
    36
    mg
    44
    %
    Calcium
     
    154
    mg
    15
    %
    Iron
     
    4
    mg
    22
    %
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

    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.

    Keyword sausage stuffed acorn squash
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    Comments

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Lucy

      June 11, 2025 at 1:07 pm

      This has become a new family favourite. We made it for Mother’s Day brunch and it was a big hit with the whole family. We topped it with Swiss cheese at the end as our family loves cheese.

      Reply
      • Julia

        June 12, 2025 at 6:49 pm

        I am so glad it's a new family favorite, Lucy! Thank you so much for your 5-star review! ❤️

        Reply
    2. Nilha C Pearce

      May 12, 2025 at 7:20 pm

      The recipe was very pretty and tasty. I added some feta and probably should have added fresh herbs like rosemary or oregano since they are growing in my garden. That would have added brighter flavor than just the dried Italian seasoning.

      Reply
      • Julia

        May 13, 2025 at 12:40 pm

        Thank you, Nilha, for taking the time to leave a review! Yes, this would be so good with added feta and fresh herbs!!

        Reply
    3. Karen

      March 24, 2025 at 9:25 pm

      We really love this one. It’s on rotation all fall and winter. I’ll often use a melon baller and scoop out the squash and mix everything together when boxing up leftovers - this is a great meal prep recipe in that way. The flavors are delicious exactly as written!

      Reply
      • Julia

        March 25, 2025 at 1:59 pm

        Thank you, Karen, so glad you love this one as much as I do! 🙂 I do the same thing to keep leftovers, too!

        Reply
    4. Joan

      January 25, 2025 at 11:01 pm

      This dish is so good! My husband and I love the sausage stuffed spaghetti squash recipe too. This one has Italian seasoning and cranberries (I used raisins). We really loved it.
      Defiantly I’ll make it again.

      Reply
    5. David

      December 06, 2024 at 8:34 pm

      Entirely to much Italian seasoning. Go with a teaspoon not a tablespoon. Otherwise a good recipe to grow from.

      Reply
    6. Heidi

      November 30, 2024 at 11:08 am

      Followed the recipe to the T. SO GOOD. Hubby who doesn't even like squash tried it and very much liked it! Highly recommend this recipe.

      Reply
      • Julia

        December 02, 2024 at 8:26 pm

        Thank you, Heidi, for your wonderful review! ❤️❤️❤️

        Reply
    7. Sharon True

      November 26, 2024 at 11:00 am

      Trying to make a version of this without sausage/meat. I was thinking of trying to combine this recipe with your acorn squash stuffed with maple-cinn apples, pecans & pumpkin seeds. Any thoughts or suggestions?

      Reply
      • Julia

        December 02, 2024 at 9:11 pm

        Hi Sharon! That would be a great combo! Or, if you want to keep this on a more savory side, you can cook chopped portobello mushrooms with lots of chopped garlic, salt, paprika, Italian seasoning, salt, and freshly ground black pepper, and use the mushrooms instead of sausage in this recipe.

        Reply
      • Jo Ann

        December 30, 2024 at 1:27 pm

        Use Impossible Spicy Ground Sausage!! It's great in recipes!

        Reply
    8. Simone

      November 22, 2024 at 7:29 pm

      I made this adding wild rice & brown rice mixture, then froze the leftover stuffing. Really good.

      Reply
      • Julia

        November 24, 2024 at 6:11 pm

        I love the addition of wild rice, Simone!

        Reply
    9. Hannah

      November 16, 2024 at 7:41 pm

      I loved this recipe! 10/10 recommend. I can’t wait to use the filling in other squash as well. I also think adding small amount of apples could compliment well.

      Reply
      • Julia

        November 16, 2024 at 9:38 pm

        Thank you, Hannah! Yes, apples would be a great addition!

        Reply
    10. Liala RALPH

      November 12, 2024 at 7:50 pm

      Really tasty! My husband asked if this recipe could be made often.

      Reply
      • Julia

        November 12, 2024 at 11:20 pm

        I am so happy to hear that, Liala! My husband loves this recipe, too! 🙂

        Reply
    « Older Comments

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    Julia is the author of JuliasAlbum.com (a food blog focused on easy dinner recipes, pasta dishes, salads made with seasonal ingredients). In this photo, Julia is pictured wearing a yellow sweater against an Autumn background.

    Hi, I'm Julia!

    I am a full-time food blogger living in beautiful Colorado. I focus primarily on savory recipes (protein-based & fiber-rich main dishes, pasta, salads) using fresh & seasonal ingredients. A food blogger since 2012, I help home cooks create well-balanced and visually appealing dinners (many of which are 30-minute ONE-PAN meals). Find out more about me and my cooking philosophy. 

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