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Stuffed Acorn Squash halves filled with turkey sausage, quinoa, spinach, cranberries, and pecans topped with golden Parmesan

Stuffed Acorn Squash

Roasted Stuffed Acorn Squash filled with turkey sausage, quinoa, sage, spinach, cranberries, and pecans, then baked under golden Parmesan. A high-protein, gluten-free fall dinner.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American
Calories: 520
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Squash
  • 2 medium acorn squash halved and seeded
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1/2 tsp kosher salt black pepper
Filling
  • 1 lb Italian turkey sausage 450 g, casings removed
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 small yellow onion and 2 celery ribs diced
  • 2 garlic cloves minced
  • 1 tbsp fresh sage 1 tsp fresh thyme
  • 1 cup cooked quinoa 185 g
  • 2 packed cups baby spinach chopped
  • 1/3 cup dried cranberries 40 g
  • 1/3 cup chopped pecans 35 g
  • 1/2 cup grated Parmesan 45 g, divided

Method
 

  1. Roast: Halve and seed the squash, brush with oil, season, and roast cut side down at 400°F (200°C) for 30 to 35 minutes.
  2. Brown: Cook the sausage in oil until browned, 5 to 6 minutes. Add onion and celery for 4 minutes, then garlic and herbs for 30 seconds.
  3. Mix: Stir in the quinoa, spinach, cranberries, and pecans until the spinach wilts. Off the heat, add half the Parmesan.
  4. Fill and bake: Turn the squash cut side up, fill generously, top with the remaining Parmesan, and bake 12 to 15 minutes until golden.

Notes

  • Microwaving the whole squash for 3 minutes makes cutting much safer.
  • Check your sausage label if you need it to be gluten-free.
  • Pour off any liquid in the roasted halves before stuffing.
Kitchen Shortcut: Use a pouch of ready-cooked quinoa or leftover rice. You skip a pot and save 15 minutes.
Pro-Chef Tip: Rinse and roast the squash seeds with a little oil and salt at 350°F (175°C) for 12 minutes. They make a crunchy free topping for the finished squash.
Nutrition is an estimate per Serving, 1 Stuffed Half.