Amidst the delightful symphony of fall flavors, there’s a dish that truly stands out to us here at Hestan. Stuffed Acorn Squash, a cherished fall recipe, embodies the heart and soul of festive cooking. Explore the art of combining the texture of acorn squash with a medley of flavors, creating a dish that will elevate your holiday gatherings and infuse your home with the spirit of the season.

Ingredients for Squash:

2 medium acorn squash

2 tablespoons olive oil

¼ teaspoon salt or more

black pepper

Ingredients for 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

2 tsp kosher salt 

1 tsp black pepper 

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 F.
2. Prepare the acorn squash. Cut off the top and the bottom of each acorn squash to create a flat base. Slice each squash in half. Use a spoon to scoop out the seeds and fleshy strands tangled with the seeds.
3. Place acorn squash cut sides up on a baking sheet. Drizzle 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.
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. Add fresh spinach and cook for another 5 minutes on medium heat until the spinach wilts.
7. Add dried cranberries and chopped pecans and mix everything.
8. Season with salt and pepper.  Remove squash from the oven and turn cooked squash halves cut sides up.
9.  Divide the sausage filling among the 4 halves and stuff the squash.

For more inspiration, check out our other recipe blogs here.

Niloo Sarshar

Director of Culinary and Content Marketing