This Easy Stuffed Acorn Squash is a comforting fall dinner idea, stuffed with homemade turkey sausage and chopped kale.
Ingredients and substitutions
- Olive oil – or another neutral cooking oil such as canola or avocado oil.
- Acorn squash – substitute for another winter squash like butternut squash, spaghetti squash, pumpkin or Hubbard squash.
- Salt & pepper – to taste.
- Kale – try using another dark leafy green like spinach, Swiss chard, collar greens, escarole, mustard greens or turnip greens.
Homemade turkey sausage
- Ground turkey – ground chicken or pork would also be good.
- Fennel seeds – anise or dill seeds are the best substitutes here.
- Paprika – cayenne can be used instead but has more of a kick.
- Garlic powder – swap out for onion powder instead.
- Onion powder – garlic powder can be used instead.
- Salt & pepper – to taste.
How to cook acorn squash
Step 1: Microwave the squash.
Microwave the squash to make it easier to cut.
Step 2: Cut the squash in half.
Slice the squash in half lengthwise.
Step 3: Scoop out the seeds.
Use a spoon to scoop out the squash seeds.
Step 4: Season and bake.
Drizzle with 1 tbsp olive oil and season with salt & pepper. Bake on a parchment-lined baking sheet for 40 minutes or until squash is fork tender.
How to make stuffed acorn squash
Step 1: Prep your ingredients.
Assemble all the turkey sausage ingredients.
Step 2: Mix together the turkey sausage.
Combine ingredients for turkey sausage in a large bowl.
Step 3: Cook the turkey sausage.
Heat remaining 1 tbsp of olive oil in a large skillet over med-high heat, then add turkey sausage, breaking up with a spoon and cooking until browned, about 7-8 minutes.
Step 4: Add the kale.
Remove from heat and stir in kale then set aside.
Step 5: Stuff the acorn squash.
When squash is done, add turkey and kale mixture.
Step 6: Bake and then serve!
Bake another 5 minutes. Serve and enjoy!
What to serve with stuffed acorn squash
Acorn squash will go with just about any other veggie, protein or starch. You can serve your stuffed squash with wild rice or quinoa on the side (or include it in the stuffing). Feel free to serve a nice salad on the side to keep things simple and add more veggies to the mix. Roasted potatoes would also be a great side dish for this recipe, but will increase the carb count.
Frequently Asked Questions
Acorn squash tastes great with this homemade turkey sausage and kale mix! You can swap out the ground turkey for ground chicken or pork instead, and mix up the greens you add by using another dark leafy green like spinach or Swiss chard (or a combination).
No, you’ll need to leave the skin on the acorn squash for this recipe. The skin will help the squash keep its shape. If you remove it, then you won’t be able to properly stuff the squash.
Acorn squash and butternut squash are both winter squashes, but they’re two different vegetables. Acorn squash has a round acorn shape, while butternut squash is narrow at the top and round at the bottom. Acorn squash also has a slightly nuttier taste while butternut squash is a bit sweeter.
Storing and reheating
If you have leftovers, you can store them in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Reheat it in the oven for 15 to 20 minutes at 350° Fahrenheit. You could also microwave the stuffed acorn squash in the microwave for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring halfway through.
You can also cook some of the components ahead of time to cut down on prep. Just pre-cook the sausage and kale and store it in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days until you’re ready to use it.
Can you freeze stuffed acorn squash?
The entire stuffed acorn squash won’t freeze well, but you can freeze the filling and squash separately.
The filling with last in the freezer for 2 to 3 months in Ziploc bags or glass containers. When you’re ready to use it, let it defrost in the fridge overnight then microwave it for 1 to 2 minutes or reheat it in a pan on the stovetop. Add it to fresh cooked acorn squash then bake for another 5 minutes as you normally would.
If you’re freezing the cooked butternut squash on its own, it will last in the freezer for 10 to 12 months. Reheat it in the microwave for 5 to 6 minutes then serve with fresh or reheated filling.
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More stuffed squash recipes
Meal prep tools for this recipe
- Grab some glass meal prep bowls to store the leftovers from this recipe.
- I get all my free-range ground chicken from Butcher Box, conveniently delivered to me frozen.
Easy Stuffed Acorn Squash {Sausage + Kale}
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil, divided
- 2 acorn squash, sliced in half
- Salt & pepper to taste
- 2 cups chopped kale
Homemade turkey sausage
- 1 lb ground turkey or chicken
- 1 tbsp fennel seeds
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp each salt & pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 F. Slice squash in half and scoop out seeds. Drizzle with 1 tbsp olive oil and season with salt & pepper. Bake on a parchment-lined baking sheet for 40 minutes or until squash is fork tender.
- Meanwhile, combine ingredients for turkey sausage in a large bowl.
- Heat remaining 1 tbsp of olive oil in a large skillet over med-high heat, then add turkey sausage, breaking up with a spoon and cooking until browned, about 7-8 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in kale then set aside.
- When squash is done, add turkey and kale mixture, then bake another 5 minutes. Serve and enjoy!
- Storing and reheating: Leftovers will last in fridge up to 5 days. To reheat, microwave for 1-2 minutes on high, or bake in a 375 F oven for 10-15 minutes until heated through.
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