Stuffed Acorn Squash with Wild Rice and Sausage Recipe

American · Main course · 75 min total

A hearty and flavorful fall dish featuring tender acorn squash halves filled with a savory wild rice and sausage stuffing, perfect as a main course or a festive side.

Ingredients

• 2 acorn squash, halved and seeded
• 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1/2 pound sweet Italian sausage, casings removed
• 1 small onion, diced
• 2 celery stalks, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup cooked wild rice
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Brush cut sides of squash with 1 tablespoon olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place cut-side down on a baking sheet and roast until tender, about 30-35 minutes.
2. While squash roasts, heat remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add sausage and cook, breaking up with a spoon, until browned, about 5-7 minutes. Remove sausage with a slotted spoon and set aside.
3. In the same skillet, add onion and celery; cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook 1 minute more. Return sausage to skillet. Stir in cooked wild rice, dried cranberries, and parsley. Cook until heated through, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
4. When squash is tender, remove from oven and turn cut-side up. Divide stuffing evenly among squash halves. Sprinkle each with Parmesan cheese.
5. Return to oven and bake until stuffing is hot and cheese is melted, about 10-15 minutes. Serve warm.

Tips

• For a vegetarian version, omit sausage and add 1 cup cooked lentils or chickpeas.
• Leftover stuffing can be stored separately and reheated.

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