Description
Looking for a cozy, crowd-pleasing dinner idea that tastes like autumn on a plate? This Turkey Stuffed Acorn Squash recipe is exactly what you need. Roasted acorn squash halves become the perfect edible bowl for a rich stuffing made with seasoned turkey sausage, sautéed apples and onions, tart cranberries, and warm herbs. It’s the ultimate in easy dinner ideas, perfect for holiday meals, fall-inspired weeknights, or even healthy snack-style lunches. With vibrant seasonal flavors and a stunning presentation, this dish will quickly become one of your favorite go-to dinner recipes.
Ingredients
2 medium acorn squash
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound ground turkey sausage
1 medium apple, diced
2 celery stalks, diced
1 small onion, diced
1/3 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
1 teaspoon dried sage
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Slice each acorn squash in half lengthwise and remove seeds.
2. Brush the flesh with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
3. Place squash halves cut side down on a baking sheet and roast for 30 minutes until fork-tender.
4. In a large skillet, melt butter and sauté onion, celery, and apple until softened.
5. Add ground turkey sausage and cook until browned.
6. Stir in cranberries, sage, thyme, salt, and pepper.
7. Remove from heat and mix in breadcrumbs and chopped parsley.
8. Flip the roasted squash halves cut side up and fill each with the turkey mixture.
9. Return to the oven and bake for an additional 15 minutes.
10. Serve warm, optionally garnished with more parsley or Parmesan cheese.
Notes
Use a sweet apple like Honeycrisp or Gala for the best balance of flavor.
For a gluten-free version, substitute gluten-free breadcrumbs.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 stuffed half
- Calories: 410
- Sugar: 12g
- Sodium: 620mg
- Fat: 22g
- Saturated Fat: 7g
- Unsaturated Fat: 13g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 34g
- Fiber: 6g
- Protein: 22g
- Cholesterol: 65mg
Keywords: turkey stuffed squash, fall dinner recipe, healthy stuffed squash, easy dinner, stuffed acorn squash