Roasted winter squash makes a simple and rustic entree when stuffed with Italian sausage, garlic & spinach. Top with dried cranberries and pecans to make it really special.
We gave this recipe an Italian flair by adding garlic and Italian seasoning to the sausage stuffing, but you can easily customize this dish to fit your family’s tastes. You could add kale instead of spinach, top with pine nuts and feta cheese instead of cranberries and pecans. And we used Acorn Squash, but you could use butternut or spaghetti squash instead. It’s totally up to you!
Since Acorn squash and other winter squash are in season through March, this stuffed squash recipe makes a wonderful winter meal idea to keep in your dinner rotation. And as an added bonus, Acorn squash is an excellent source of vitamin A, potassium, and magnesium.
Hope you enjoy this cozy winter recipe! Happy New Year!
4
servings30
minutes40
minutes1
hour10
minutesIngredients
2 acorn squash
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt & Pepper
- Sausage mixture
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion, diced
1 pound ground Italian sausage (we used hot)
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
4 oz. fresh spinach
½ cup dried cranberries
½ cup pecans, chopped
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F and line a sheet pan with parchment or aluminum foil. Prepare the acorn squash by cutting a slice off of the top (stem end) and the bottom of each to create a flat base. Slice each squash in half through the middle. Use a spoon to scoop out the seeds and stringy bits and discard.
- Place acorn squash cut sides up on the prepared sheet pan. Drizzle the cut sides with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and massage into the squash. Season with salt and pepper. Turn the squash over, and place it cut side down on the prepared sheet pan. Roast at 400 F for 30 minutes.
- While the squash is roasting, prepare the sausage filling. In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil, add diced onion, and cook over Medium-high heat for 2 minutes. Add sausage, garlic, and Italian seasoning. Cook for 5 minutes over Medium heat, breaking up the sausage with a spatula until completely browned. Mix in the fresh spinach, stirring while cooking, until the spinach wilts. Lastly, add dried cranberries and chopped pecans and combine well. Set aside and keep warm.
- After 30 minutes, remove squash from the oven, and turn the halves cut side up. Divide the sausage filling among the 4 halves, generously mounding the filling into each half. Return the stuffed acorn squash to the oven for 10 minutes, until the sausage mixture is heated through. Enjoy!
