Roasted acorn squash stuffed with sausage, quinoa, apples, dried cranberries, and fresh herbs.

Sausage & Quinoa Stuffed Acorn Squash from The Messy Baker

With winter comes squash. Each year, more and more varieties are added to the heaping pile of colorful gourds: big, beautiful butternut squash, stout acorn squash, variegated delicata squash, and the list goes on. This week, the #SundaySupper team is celebrating all things squash.

My favorite way to eat squash is drizzled with a little olive oil, sprinkled with salt and pepper, and roasted to caramelized perfection.

But…

What if I stuffed it with sausage, quinoa, apples, dried cranberries, and fresh herbs? Maybe a little parmesan sprinkled on top and a drizzle of olive oil?

Now I want to eat squash every day, all day. Yum!

Sausage & Quinoa Stuffed Acorn Squash from The Messy Baker

Acorn squash is my favorite of all the winter squash. It roasts up tender and sweet.

Sausage & Quinoa Stuffed Acorn Squash from The Messy Baker

The stout, round squash is perfect for filling with yummy stuffing. I decided to go with a sausage & quinoa stuffed acorn squash, but you can stuff your squash with practically anything–the choices are endless.

Sausage & Quinoa Stuffed Acorn Squash from The Messy Baker

You’re going to want to cut your squash in half and scoop out all of the seeds. Drizzle each half with olive oil and a generous pinch of salt and pepper and roast in a 400 degree F. oven for 45 minutes, or until fork tender.

When your squash is fork tender, it’s ready for the filling.

Sausage & Quinoa Stuffed Acorn Squash from The Messy Baker

Don’t hold back on the stuffing—just keep on scooping until you can’t scoop anymore. Overflow is quite all right in my book.

Overflow=delicious crispy bits on the bottom of the pan. And, you know what we do with delicious crispy bits, don’t you? We scoop them up with a fork and shovel them into our mouths. No crispy bits shall go to waste in this kitchen.

Sausage & Quinoa Stuffed Acorn Squash from The Messy Baker

The filling reminds me of Thanksgiving. It’s full of fresh chopped rosemary and thyme and loaded with crispy sage sausage, crunchy apples, and sweet dried cranberries.

Sausage & Quinoa Stuffed Acorn Squash
Recipe Type: Main Dish
Author: Jennie
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 4
Ingredients
  • 2 acorn squash, halved and seeded
  • 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
  • 1/2 pound pork sausage
  • 1/2 cup onion, diced
  • 1/4 cup celery, finely diced
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 1 tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped
  • 1/2 cup diced apple
  • 1/4 cup dried cranberries
  • 2 cups cooked quinoa
  • 1/3 cup parmesan cheese
  • salt and pepper
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
  2. Drizzle acorn squash halves with 1/2 tablespoon olive oil per squash half. Sprinkle with a generous pinch of salt and pepper. Roast for 45 minutes, or until the squash is fork tender.
  3. While the squash is cooking, heat a large sauté pan with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add the sausage and brown. Add the onion, celery, garlic, red pepper flakes, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook for 3-4 minutes, or until the onion is tender and translucent.
  4. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the chopped thyme and rosemary. Stir in the quinoa, apples, and dried cranberries. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
  5. Scoop the mixture into the roasted acorn squash halves. Top with parmesan cheese and a drizzle of olive oil. Bake for 10 minutes.
  6. Serve hot.

Check out the other #SundaySupper squash recipes:

Breakfasts and Breads

Appetizers, Starters, and Condiments

Soups, Sandwiches, and Salads

Main Dishes

Side Dishes

Desserts

Wine Pairing Recommendations for Squashin’ Winter #SundaySupper from Enofylz Wine Blog

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