Quinoa & Sausage Stuffed Acorn Squash
Quinoa & Sausage Stuffed Acorn Squash will be your favorite Fall-inspired recipe! Perfectly roasted acorn squash, stuffed to the brim with quinoa, chicken sausage, dried cranberries, and herbs.
Thanksgiving is close, and I’m officially pulling out all the butternut and acorn squash recipes for you guys! I love a good Thanksgiving menu that has a variety of Grandma’s classic dishes, and also some new fun experiments.
This stuffed acorn squash dish could be something that you bring to your Thanksgiving gathering as a side dish, or even as a part of the main course.
It is simple, only requires a few ingredients, and is always a hit when I make it for friends and family. If you decide that you don’t want to serve it with the acorn squash as the bowl, you can cut the skin off of the squash, then dice it up and mix everything together. It is delicious either way!
Acorn Squash is so versatile ->
Did you know that you can use acorn squash in sweeter recipes as well? Its true, one of my favorite ways to eat it is for breakfast, stuffed with yogurt, and then drizzled with honey and cinnamon. You can also stuff if with fruits like apple, this quinoa and apple stuffed version is amazing.
How to cut an acorn squash ->
Cutting any larger squash like this can be a little intimidating, but it doesn’t have to be. Just make sure you are using a very sharp chef’s knife and have a stable cutting board that won’t slide around on your countertop.
Start by cutting the stem end off, it shouldn’t be too difficult because you don’t need to cut much off. Just the VERY end of it. (You’ll see that I didn’t cut the stem off in these pictures, but I was able to get around it with my knife for photography purposes 😉 )
Next, stand your acorn squash up on the end that you just cut. Then, make a cut down the middle of the squash, using your hand to press firmly on the top of the knife to push down (watch those fingers!). Once you have it cut in half, just scoop out the seeds and stringy bits in the inside with a spoon.
I think you guys are going to love this one! You have everything from the soft roasted squash, to the fluffy texture of the quinoa, the savory chicken sausage, and the bit of sweetness from the dried cranberries.
Fancy enough for a family Thanksgiving dinner, and easy enough for a simple weeknight meal!
Looking for more Fall recipes?
- Stuffed Butternut Squash with Quinoa, Sausage & Cranberries
- Stuffed Acorn Squash with Wild Rice & Kale
- Roasted Acorn Squash & Quinoa Salad
- Maple Roasted Butternut Squash
- Creamy Butternut Leek Soup
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Quinoa & Sausage Stuffed Acorn Squash
Ingredients
- 1 acorn squash
- ½ cup uncooked quinoa
- 1½ cups water or broth
- 1 lb ground chicken sausage
- 3 green onions
- ⅓ cup dried cranberries
- 3 tbsp chopped parsley
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- pinch of salt and pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. To cut the acorn squash in half, make sure you are using a very sharp chef's knife and have a stable cutting board that won't slide around on your countertop. Start by cutting the stem end off, it shouldn't be too difficult because you don't need to cut much off.
- Next, stand your acorn squash up on the end that you just cut. Then, make a cut down the middle of the squash, using your hand to press firmly on the top of the knife to push down (watch those fingers!). Once you have it cut in half, just scoop out the seeds and stringy bits in the inside with a spoon.
- Drizzle the inside of the squash with 1 tbsp of oil, season with a pinch of salt and pepper, and place the squash face down on a baking sheet. Roast for 30-35 minutes, until you are easily able to stick a knife into the flesh.
- While the squash roasts, cook the quinoa. Start by rinsing the quinoa in a fine mesh strainer under cold water. Then add the quinoa and 1 1/2 cups of water or broth to a saucepan. Cover with a lid and bring to a boil. Once boiling, turn the heat down to low and let it simmer until all of the liquid is absorbed, about 20-25 minutes.
- While the quinoa cooks, prepare the rest of the filling. Preheat a large skillet over medium heat. Add 1 tbsp of olive oil, then add the chicken sausage. Use a wooden spoon to break up the pieces of sausage, and let it cook for 4-5 minutes, until it is almost completely cooked through.
- Add in the green onions and continue to cook for another 2-3 minutes, until the chicken sausage is cooked through and slightly brown.
- Take the skillet off the heat, add in the cranberries, quinoa and parsley, stir to combine.
- Once the squash is done, transfer the halves to a plate and spoon the quinoa mixture into the center of the squash, filling as much as you would like. Garnish with more parsley if desired.