Stuffed Acorn Squash
Total Time
1 hour and 10 minutes
Prep Time
30 minutes
Cook Time
50 minutes
Rating
5 out of 5 stars
(23)
Ingredients
6 servings
- 3 small acorn squash (5-6 inches in length) or sub other small winter squash.
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- salt and pepper to taste
- ———–
- 1 cup Italian sausage- or sub vegan sausage, browned
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 cups peeled and finely diced parsnip (two medium-sized)
- 1/2 an onion, diced
- 1 cup apple (like a gala), diced
- 2 tablespoons chopped sage
- salt and pepper to taste
- Splash white wine (or sub-water)
- 2 cups chopped kale
- 1/2 cup maple pecans (recipe below) or toasted pecans
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- fresh grated nutmeg (or ¼ teaspoon ground)
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Preparation
Step 1
Preheat oven to 400F
Step 2
Cut Acorn Squash lengthwise and scoop out seeds with a spoon ( or scoop after baking!). Brush insides with a mix of 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1 tablespoon maple syrup. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper and lay skin-side up on a greased, or parchment lined baking sheet, and roast in a hot oven for 30-40 minutes, until you can pierce through skin and flesh with a fork. Remove from the oven and using a metal spatula, turn over, trying to keep caramelized edges intact, and let cool. Place in a baking dish.
Step 3
While squash is roasting in the oven, brown Italian sausage (or soy sausage), set aside and wipe out pan.
Step 4
In the same pan, saute parsnips and onions in olive oil, on medium heat, until tender, about 10 minutes.
Step 5
Add apples, kale and sage, and saute 5 more minutes, until apples are tender. You may need to add a little more olive oil. Generously Salt and Pepper to taste.
Step 6
Splash with a little white wine and add pecans. When wine has evaporated, add 1 T maple syrup. Add sausage back in and taste for salt, adding if necessary. Add a little fresh grated nutmeg or a pinch or two of ground. Fill the squash with the apple parsnip sausage mixture and place in a 350 F until heated through (about 15-20 minutes)
Step 7
To Make Maple Pecans
Step 8
Pre heat oven to 400F
Step 9
In a small bowl, coat pecans with real maple syrup (only real maple will work here) Add a pinch of salt and some cracked pepper. Spread out on a greased baking sheet and using a timer, bake 8 minutes to start, in a 400 F oven, give them a mix, then bake another 7 – 13 minutes. These need to toast up nicely for the right “crunch,” but time will vary depending on your oven – so keep a close eye on these to make sure they don’t burn.
Step 10
Remove, let cool 3-4 minutes, then use a metal spatula to unstick them from the sheet pan. If they are completely stuck, place them back in the oven for a minute or two, to loosen, and try again. Then let cool completely, store in a zip lock bag. I make these in big batches and use in salads or cheese platters.
Step 11
Save recipe for the next time?
