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Square view of sausage stuffed acorn squash with apple and brown rice
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Sausage Stuffed Acorn Squash Recipe

Tender roasted acorn squash halves filled with pork sausage, brown rice, apple, celery, and sage.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 55 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings: 4 servings (1 stuffed half each)
Calories: 360.2
Ingredients Equipment Method Video Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 2 small acorn squash about 1.5 lb each
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1/4 tsp fine salt about 1.5 g
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper
  • 8 oz raw plain pork sausage 227 g; remove casing if present
  • 1/2 large onion diced, about 100 g
  • 1 celery stalk diced, about 60 g
  • 1 medium firm apple cored and diced, about 180 g
  • 2 garlic cloves minced, about 6 g
  • 1 tbsp chopped fresh sage
  • 1 cup cooked brown rice about 195 g; not dry rice

Equipment

  • 1 Rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment
  • 1 Large skillet
  • 1 Instant-read thermometer

Method
 

  1. Heat the oven to 400°F. Wash and dry the squash. Set on a stable cutting board and carefully halve lengthwise; scoop out seeds. Brush the cut flesh with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place cut-side down on a parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet. Roast 35–40 minutes, until easily pierced with a fork.
  2. While squash roasts, cook the sausage in a large skillet over medium heat for 7–9 minutes, breaking it into crumbles, until it reaches 160°F. Transfer to a bowl and drain excess rendered fat, leaving a light coating in the skillet.
  3. Cook onion, celery, and apple in the skillet for 6–8 minutes until softened, stirring often. If needed, add a splash of water to prevent sticking. Stir in garlic and sage for 30 seconds. Add the cooked sausage and cooked rice and stir until evenly combined and warmed.
  4. Carefully turn the tender squash halves cut-side up. Divide filling among the cavities, mounding lightly. Bake another 10–15 minutes, until the center of each filling reaches 165°F. If the tops brown too fast, cover loosely with foil.
  5. Serve one half per person, scooping tender squash flesh away from the skin. Refrigerate leftovers in shallow containers within 2 hours, or 1 hour above 90°F. Use within 3–4 days and reheat to 165°F.

Video

Notes

Start with fully cooked rice; time does not include cooking dry rice. Refrigerate cooked rice promptly and keep chilled until needed. Nutrition is estimated using 900 g edible squash flesh and three cooked sausage label servings from half a 16-oz package. Actual yield and brands vary. Total sugar is omitted because the squash data do not report it.
Related video credit: Kevin Is Cooking. His sausage stuffed acorn squash uses bread, egg, broth, cranberries, pecans, and maple syrup. This version uses cooked brown rice and apple, omits those additions, and roasts at 400°F. Follow the written card for amounts and safe temperatures.