Stuffed Acorn Squash with Apple, Sausage and Cornbread

This is the quintessential Fall recipe: acorn squash halves are stuffed with a flavorful mixture of chicken sausage, diced apple, cornbread, and seasonings.  Roasted until tender, this stuffed acorn squash is the perfect hearty side dish, or main course when paired with a fresh salad. This stuffed acorn squash with apple, sausage and cornbread is sweet, savory, filling, and healthy; add this to your Fall recipe roundup!

What is an acorn squash and what does it taste like?

An acorn squash is a winter squash, typically dark green on the outside and in the shape of an acorn. Acorn squash is mild and buttery in flavor, but really is a blank canvas for additional flavor.  You can microwave, bake or steam acorn squashes, and because of their hollow inside once the seeds are scooped out, acorn squashes are also perfect for stuffing, like I did here. 

Acorn squash takes a while to cook, but only because it is so thick and needs to break down in the oven to get tender, similar to other squash varieties.  Even though it takes a while to cook and get tender, this recipe is not complicated.

For this recipe, acorn squash is stuffed with sweet Italian sausage, onion, garlic, herbs and spices, fresh apple, and cornbread.  Drizzled with maple syrup before cooking, this recipe is packed with sweet and savory notes.  Each bite is packed with different flavors and textures. 

What will I need to make stuffed acorn squash with apple, sausage and cornbread?

To make this recipe, you will need:

• 2 acorn squash
• sweet Italian chicken sausage
  • My favorite brand is this one, Premio.  It tastes like authentic sweet Italian sausage.
• onion
• garlic
• kosher salt
• fresh cracked pepper
• thyme
• coriander
• nutmeg
• olive oil spray
• apples
• cornbread (prepared)
  • I buy this in the grocery store where they sell the cooked rotisserie chickens; they sell premade cornbread.

How to make stuffed acorn squash with apple, sausage and cornbread

To start this recipe, preheat the oven to 350F.  Cut the acorn squash in half, and scoop the seeds out.  This will leave a decent sized vessel for stuffing.

How to prepare the stuffing

To prepare the stuffing, remove the chicken sausage from the casings (which will result in ground sausage meat) and chop the onion.  Preheat a frying pan over medium high heat, and add olive oil spray.  Add the sausage and the chopped onion to the pan, along with the seasonings.  Cook this mixture for about 10 minutes or until the sausage is cooked and the onions are tender.

Next, add more olive oil spray and add the minced garlic.  Dice the apple (you can leave the skin on) and add that to the pan, along with the cornbread.  Stir everything together to create a stuffing mixture. 

Arrange the acorn squash halves in a baking dish.  Spray the acorn squash halves with olive oil spray, and season with a pinch of salt and pepper.  Next, add the stuffing mixture to each squash.  Drizzle with the maple syrup. 

How to cook the squash

To cook the squash, pour about 1/2 cup of water in the bottom of the baking dish, and cover the dish with foil.  This will allow the squash to steam in the oven and get tender.  Bake the squash for about 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until the squash is fork tender (this may take longer depending on individual ovens).  Check the squash frequently.

Oven times will vary; since everything in the filling mixture is cooked already, there is no need to worry about everything “cooking through.” The only important thing here is ensuring that the squash becomes tender; you can cook these acorn squash for as long as you need to in order for the squash to become tender.

Stuffed Acorn Squash with Apple, Sausage and Cornbread

This is the quintessential Fall recipe: acorn squash halves are stuffed with a flavorful mixture of chicken sausage, diced apple, cornbread, and seasonings.  Roasted until tender, this stuffed acorn squash is the perfect hearty side dish, or main course when paired with a fresh salad. This stuffed acorn squash with apple, sausage and cornbread is sweet, savory, filling, and healthy; add this to your Fall recipe roundup!

5 from 7 votes

print pin rate

course: appetizer,dinner,lunch,main course

keyword: acorn squash

prep time: 20 minutes minutes

cook time: 1 hour hour

servings: 4

calories: 250kcal

author: Steph

cook modeprevent your screen from going dark

Equipment

• frying pan
• baking dish

Ingredients

• 2 acorn squash
• kosher salt
• fresh cracked pepper
• 2 links sweet Italian chicken sausage, I use Premio brand
• 1 onion
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• olive oil spray
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp thyme, dried
• 1/2 tsp coriander, dried
• 1 pinch nutmeg
• 1 apple, small
• 2 oz cornbread
• 1 tbsp maple syrup

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350F.
• Cut the acorn squash in half and scoop the seeds out, leaving a vessel for stuffing.
• Spray the cut side of the acorn squash with olive oil spray, and season with a pinch of kosher salt and pepper.
• Preheat a frying pan over medium high heat. Add olive oil spray to the pan.
• Remove the chicken sausage from the casings. Dice the onion.
• Add the sausage and onion to the pan.
• Add the salt, thyme, coriander and nutmeg.
• Cook for about 10 minutes, or until the sausage is no longer pink and the onions are tender and slightly caramelized.
• Mince the garlic. Dice the apple (you can leave the skin on).
• Add more olive oil spray to the pan, and add the minced garlic. Cook for 1 minute or until fragrant.
• Add the diced apples and cornbread to the mixture.
• Place and acorn squash halves in a baking dish.
• Add the stuffing mixture to the inside of each acorn squash half.
• Drizzle with the maple syrup.
• Pour about 1/2 cup of water around the acorn squash halves. Cover the baking dish with foil.
• Bake the acorn squash for 45 minutes to 1 hour or until fork tender. Cook longer if needed.

Notes

WW Points:

• 4 WW points (all plans)

WW PersonalPoints™: Click here to track this recipe in the WW app.

Nutrition

Serving: 1acorn squash half | Calories: 250kcal | Carbohydrates: 44g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 38mg | Sodium: 624mg | Potassium: 875mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 1003IU | Vitamin C: 29mg | Calcium: 109mg | Iron: 2mg

Tried this recipe?Mention @sweetsavoryandsteph or tag #sweetsavoryandsteph!

If you are looking for other yummy Fall recipes with similar ingredients, check these out:

Healthy Butternut Squash Soup

Tortellini Soup with Chicken Sausage and Spinach

Autumn Harvest Mason Jar Salads

Related Posts