Stuffed Acorn Squash
James Carrier
Kathleen Moretto was in the mood for something simple and seasonal when she came up with this baked, stuffed acorn squash. She serves the halves with cornbread as a main dish, or cuts the squash into quarters to serve as a holiday side dish.
How to Make It
Step 1
1
Cut each squash in half crosswise; scoop out seeds. Cut a thin slice off the bottom of each half so it can stand upright. Place each half, cavity side down, in a 9- by 13-inch baking pan and cover pan tightly with foil. Bake in a 350° regular or convection oven until tender when pierced, 45 to 50 minutes.
Step 2
2
Meanwhile, in a 10- to 12-inch nonstick frying pan over medium-high heat, stir sausage until it is crumbly and just slightly pink, about 5 minutes. Drain off and discard fat. Add onion, apples, raisins, cranberries, and thyme; stir often until apples are tender when pierced, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in pecans.
Step 3
3
Uncover squash and turn halves upright; fill equally with sausage mixture. Drizzle equally with maple syrup and bake, uncovered, until filling is slightly browned on top, about 15 minutes longer.
Step 4
4
Nutritional analysis per main-dish serving.
Ingredients
2 acorn squash (about 1 1/2 lb. each), rinsed
8 ounces bulk pork sausage
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 sweet apples such as Fuji (1 lb. total), peeled, cored, and chopped
1/4 cup raisins
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
3 tablespoons chopped pecans
1/4 cup maple syrup
Directions
Step 1
1
Cut each squash in half crosswise; scoop out seeds. Cut a thin slice off the bottom of each half so it can stand upright. Place each half, cavity side down, in a 9- by 13-inch baking pan and cover pan tightly with foil. Bake in a 350° regular or convection oven until tender when pierced, 45 to 50 minutes.
Step 2
2
Meanwhile, in a 10- to 12-inch nonstick frying pan over medium-high heat, stir sausage until it is crumbly and just slightly pink, about 5 minutes. Drain off and discard fat. Add onion, apples, raisins, cranberries, and thyme; stir often until apples are tender when pierced, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in pecans.
Step 3
3
Uncover squash and turn halves upright; fill equally with sausage mixture. Drizzle equally with maple syrup and bake, uncovered, until filling is slightly browned on top, about 15 minutes longer.
Step 4
4
Nutritional analysis per main-dish serving.
Search All of Sunset's Recipes
The Latest
Pantone Just Announced the 2024 Color of the Year—and It’s Warm and Fuzzy
