Stuffed Acorn Squash

Delicious and healthy stuffed acorn squash - the perfect dish for Fall!

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Fall is probably one of my favorite times of year. Basic, I know, but this time of year reminds me of all the food my mom used to cook while growing up. Not to mention the cooler weather makes me crave anything warm and comforting to eat.

Don't be intimidated, stuffed acorn squash is super easy to make and so aesthetically pleasing once the meal is cooked.

You'll notice that I have two random bell peppers to the right of the acorn squash - don't judge! I had a good bit of leftover stuffing, so I figured I would utilize a bell pepper I had on hand. Fun fact - this recipe can also be used with bell peppers if you aren't a fan of squash.

I like to add a green apple to my stuffed squash, but this is optional if you're not a fan of the texture or taste. Personally, I don't taste the apple when it's cooked - I think the flavor blends nicely with the ground turkey and the flavors of the squash. Feel free to incorporate your own twists into this recipe, it's all entirely to your preference and liking. If you do follow my recipe, I hope you enjoy and leave my a comment below!

TIPS:

• Acorn squash is hard to cut! Make sure that you lay the squash on it's side and cut vertically from the bottom to the stem. Use a sharp knife and carefully cut the squash in half. Remember, slow and steady wins the race. Once the squash is cut, I like to cut off a small portion of the skin on the bottom of the squash, so when I bake it, it lays flat and doesn't move around on the baking sheet.

• Some people like to cook rice to include in the stuffing... growing up this is what my mom would do, but for this recipe I didn't feel like making the rice. However you prefer to prepare this, it will turn out great!

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Stuffed Acorn Squash

Simple, delicious stuffed squash with ground turkey.

Course Dinner, Lunch Cuisine American Keyword dinner, healthy

Prep Time 50 minutes Cook Time 40 minutes Total Time 1 hour & 30 minutes

Servings 4 Author Sara Garvin

Ingredients

• 2 acorn squash

• 1 pound lean ground turkey

• 2 bell peppers (1 for cooking and 1 for stuffing)

• 1 package sliced white mushrooms

• 2 carrots, thinly sliced

• 1 celery stalk

• 1/2 white onion, diced

• 4 cloves garlic, minced

• 1/2 green apple, diced and seeds removed

• ½ teaspoon pepper

• ½ teaspoon salt

• 1 teaspoon thyme

• 1/2 teaspoon oregano

• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

• 1/2 teaspoon knorr caldo de pollo powder

• ⅛ teaspoon cloves

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

• 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese for topping

• fresh cilantro for garnish

Instructions

1. Pre-heat oven to 400°F

2. Cut the acorn squash in half, lengthwise. (See Tips section above for advice on cutting the squash.) You can also cut across horizontally to use the top stem as a lid.

3. Scoop out the seeds from the hollow part of the acorn squash, pour oil in the innards of squash and season with salt and pepper. Place prepared squash on a sprayed nonstick baking tray.

4. Place the squash in the oven for 40 minutes, or until the flesh is fork tender.

Prepping the Filling

1. Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a large skillet on medium/high heat and brown the ground turkey until no longer pink and cooked through - about 4-5 minutes. Set turkey aside in a bowl.

2. To the skillet, add additional 1 tbsp of oil and sauté the onion, carrots, apple, celery and mushrooms. Add thyme, salt, pepper, oregano, cayenne pepper and knorr seasonings to vegetables and mix to combine. Cook until softened - about 5 minutes.

3. Add garlic and cook for additional minute or until fragrant.

4. Remove from heat and add the vegetables to the bowl of cooked ground turkey.

Stuffing the Acorn Squash

1. (Optional) Once the acorn squash's flesh is fork tender, scrape some of the innards out and mix the squash into stuffing mixture.

2. Fill the acorn squash with the stuffing.

3. Top with shredded parmesan or cheese of choice.

4. Bake at 400°F for 15-20 minutes, until cheese is melted and slightly golden on top.

5. Remove from oven and enjoy!

6. (Optional) Garnish with cilantro and hot sauce to serve.

Recipe Notes

• You can use any oil in this recipe, but I prefer ones that don’t have a strong taste, like canola or vegetable.

• Feel free to substitute or add different seasonings of your choice.

• This recipe works well with acorn squash, butternut squash, or even bell peppers! For bell peppers, I don't pre-cook them like I do with the squash. Instead, I alter the baking time for 25 minutes, instead of 15-20.