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Cozy Stuffed Acorn Squash with Sausage and Wild Rice

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A comforting and flavorful stuffed acorn squash featuring savory sausage, nutty wild rice, sweet apples, and crunchy pecans. Perfect for cozy nights and crowd-pleasing dinners.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 medium acorn squash
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • Salt and black pepper to taste
  • 1 pound ground sausage (breakfast or Italian)
  • 1 cup cooked wild rice (about ⅓ cup uncooked)
  • 1 small yellow onion, diced
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 medium apple, diced (Honeycrisp or Granny Smith)
  • ½ cup dried cranberries
  • ½ cup chopped pecans, toasted
  • 1 teaspoon dried sage
  • ½ teaspoon dried thyme
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese (optional)
  • 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Cut acorn squash in half from stem to tip, scoop out seeds and pulp. Place cut-side up on a baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil, season with salt and pepper. Roast for 25-30 minutes until tender.
  2. While squash roasts, cook wild rice: bring 1 cup water to a boil, add ⅓ cup wild rice, reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 45-50 minutes. Drain excess water and let cool.
  3. Cook sausage in a large skillet over medium-high heat, breaking it up, until browned (6-8 minutes). Transfer to a plate, leaving 1 tablespoon fat in pan.
  4. In the same skillet, sauté diced onion over medium heat until softened (about 4 minutes). Add minced garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant.
  5. Return sausage to skillet. Add cooked wild rice, diced apple, dried cranberries, chopped pecans, sage, thyme, and cinnamon. Stir and cook 2-3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
  6. Remove roasted squash from oven. Spoon filling into each squash cavity, mounding slightly. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese on top if using.
  7. Return to oven and bake 10-15 minutes until filling is heated through and cheese is melted. For extra browning, broil for 2 minutes, watching closely.
  8. Remove from oven, let rest 5 minutes. Garnish with fresh parsley and serve warm.

Notes

Squash and rice can be prepped a day ahead. For vegetarian, swap sausage with cooked lentils. For dairy-free, omit Parmesan. Toast pecans for extra flavor. Let filling cool slightly before stuffing.

Nutrition

Keywords: stuffed acorn squash, sausage and wild rice, fall recipe, comfort food, gluten-free

Find it online: https://dinadishes.com/cozy-stuffed-acorn-squash-with-sausage-and-wild-rice/