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Autumn Stuffed Acorn Squash | Skinnytaste Meal Prep

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This show stopping Autumn Stuffed Acorn Squash recipe is a delightful flavor reminiscent of the fall season.

Acorn squash is the ribbed darling of the squash world, with its deep and moody green skin and deep orange, just this side of sweet flesh.  It’s the star of this dish for its flavor and its shape, because once stuffed with a rice stuffing featuring chicken sausage, sage, apples, and thyme, it makes a perfect edible bowl.

You can serve Autumn Stuffed Acorn Squash for dinner then pack the extras for lunch, or make it ahead to freeze for the month. And don’t toss those squash seeds! Just like pumpkin seeds, you can toast the seeds of an acorn squash with a few spritzes of olive oil and a little salt for easy snacking.

This squash recipe is a delectable sample of what  Gina Homolka – bestselling author and founder of the award-winning blog Skinnytaste presents in her latest book SKINNYTASTE MEAL PREP Healthy Make-Ahead Meals and Freezer Recipes to Simplify Your Life.  

Skinnytaste Meal Prep delivers more than 120 healthy, diverse recipes that turn simple, easy-to-find ingredients into flavor-packed meals and snacks that can be done ahead. Recipes include vegetarian, gluten-free and dairy-free options, along with multiple variations on each recipe so you’ll never run out of ideas.

Her food covers all the bases, from breakfast to dessert.  One of her breakfast recipes I love making is her Baked Oatmeal Cups which are a cross between baked oatmeal and a muffin, and delectably moist and delicious. The recipe includes four variations, and encourages you to think of your own, too!

Baked Oatmeal Cups - Apple Cinnamon & Blueberry Banana

Baked Oatmeal Cups – Apple Cinnamon & Blueberry Banana

These Oatmeal Cups are perfect to make ahead for the week because they keep well, or to pop in the freezer for later.

Another recipe I enjoy is Toasted Cauliflower Shawarma Lettuce Wraps.

Toasted Cauliflower Shawarma Lettuce Wrap

It’s colorful, simple, fresh and exactly the kind of food I love to eat. Thanks to Melissas’s Produce, I recently saw Gina demonstrate this recipe. Click here to watch.

Today’s Recipe: Autumn Stuffed Acorn Squash

Back to the point, though, acorn squash is currently in season so it’s the perfect time to enjoy its mild, sweet, nutty flavor and beautiful golden orange color.

It is difficult to cut, so I recommend a heavy sharp knife.

I used spicy chicken sausage and black rice instead of wild rice because that is what I had in my pantry. It was yummy, and makes me think most rice or grains would work as well.

After roasting the acorn squash on its own, the empty shells are filled and put back in the oven until heated though.

This dish can easily be a meal by itself or an accompaniment to Thanksgiving turkey, like Herb Turkey Breast with Gravy – another wonderful recipe from Skinnytaste Meal Prep cookbook.

Herb Turkey Breast with Gravy | Photo by Sue Burns | It's Ok to Eat the Cupcake

Herb Turkey Breast with Gravy | Photo by Sue Burns | It’s Ok to Eat the Cupcake

You can check out that recipe at my friend Sue’s blog It’s Ok to Eat the Cupcake.

Print

Autumn Stuffed Acorn Squash

Autumn Stuffed Acorn Squash is packed with a rice stuffing featuring chicken sausage, sage, apples, and thyme. You can serve it for dinner, then pack the extras for lunch, or make it ahead to freeze for the month.

Servings 6
Author Gina Homolka - Skinnytaste Meal Prep

Ingredients

  • 3 small acorn squashes 22 ounces each, washed, halved lengthwise, and seeds removed
  • Olive oil spray
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/2 cup (3 ounces) uncooked wild rice I used black rice
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 small yellow onion chopped
  • 1 medium carrot chopped
  • 1 medium celery stalk chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves minced
  • 4 links (11 ounces total) sweet Italian chicken sausage casings removed
  • 1 Granny Smith apple chopped into ¼-inch pieces
  • 1½ tablespoons chopped fresh sage
  • 1/2 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
  • 1/2 cup chicken broth
  • 1/4 cup dry white wine
  • 2 cups chopped kale

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 375° F.
  2. Spritz both sides of the squash with olive oil spray. Season the insides with the salt and black pepper to taste.
  3. Place the squash on a large baking sheet, skin side up, and bake until soft and tender, 45 to 50 minutes.

  4. Meanwhile, cook the rice according to the package directions and set aside.

  5. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and carrot and cook until beginning to soften, about 3 minutes. Add the celery and cook until softened, about 2 minutes more. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about l minute.

  6. Add the chicken sausage, breaking it up as it cooks, until cooked through, about 6 minutes. Add the apple, sage, thyme, broth, wine, and kale. Mix well and cook until the liquid evaporates, 10 to 15 minutes. Mix in the rice and remove from the heat.

  7. Fill the acorn squash cavities with the rice and sausage mixture, about a generous ¾ cup each. Transfer to a large casserole dish, cover with foil, and bake until heated through, about 15 minutes. Serve hot.

Recipe Notes

→ FREEZE AND SERVE LATER: After stuffing the cavities, transfer to airtight containers or a large covered baking dish and transfer to the refrigerator or freezer. If reheating from frozen, let thaw in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 days. Reheat in the microwave for 3 to 4 minutes or in a 375° F oven for 20 to 30 minutes, until heated through. 

→ SKINNY SCOOP To make your "bowl" sit flat, simply slice the squash in half lengthwise and slice off a tiny piece of the skin at the bottom of each half. 

This recipe is easy to transport making it a great potluck or holiday dish.

Skinnytaste Meal Prep‘s simple solutions for healthy freezer meals, ready-to-serve dishes, grab-and-go breakfasts and lunches, and what’s more, these recipes save time, money, and calories. The photos are mouthwatering, too, making this cookbook a great gift or addition to your collection.
…and then, she paused for thought.
Disclaimer: I was given a copy of Skinnytaste Meal Prep to review. As always, all opinions are my own. This post contains affiliate links.
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Reader Interactions

Comments

  2. linda willhite

    Now you got me all in my autumn feels! I am going to try this recipe over the weekend. I love this comfort vibe.

    Reply

    • Cathy Arkle

      Thank you Linda. I love you are on the cooking ride with me. Let me know how it goes. Please feel free to use what you have on hand as this recipe is adaptable. That is what this cookbook is all about.

      Reply

  8. Christina Conte

    How did I miss this fabulous recipe? Love the combination of sausage and rice for the filling, and acorn squash is one of my favorites (way more than butternut, at least)! Thanks for sharing, Cathy, looks like a fabulous cookbook!

    Reply

  9. Dana @ FoodieGoesHealthy

    Hi Cathy, this looks like a fabulous Fall recipe. I cant wait to try it. I’m wondering when the rice cooks. It sounds like the raw rice is mixed into the stuffing and then heats in the oven for 15 minutes. Any guidance is appreciated.

    Reply

    • Cathy Arkle

      Thanks Dana! In step 4 of the directions it says to cook the rice according to the package. I understand this could be confusing as the ingredient list should have called for cooked rice, but I think the idea is that the rice is still hot when mixing it with the other ingredients. Hope this helps! Let me know.

      Reply

I would love to hear from you!