Description
This stuffed acorn squash is a warming dish and makes a delicious seasonal recipe. It can be stuffed with many different ingredients and you can easily customize it for each member of the family.
Ingredients
Scale
Roasted Squash:
- 3 acorn squash, halved
- 3 Tbsp. olive oil
- 2 Tbsp. pure maple syrup
- 1/2 tsp. sea salt
- 1/2 tsp. black pepper
Wild Rice:
- 1/2 cup wild rice
- 1/4 tsp. sea salt
- water, for cooking (per package instructions)
Ground Turkey & Apple Stuffing:
- 1 lb. ground turkey
- 1 Tbsp. olive oil
- 1/2 onion, diced
- 1 apple, diced
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1/2 tsp. dried thyme
- pinch of dried rosemary
Add-Ins for Stuffing:
- 4 oz. mushrooms, diced and sauteed in 1 tsp. olive oil
- 1/2 cup cranberries
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans
- 1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit
- In a saucepan, cook the wild rice per cooking instructions. Add 1 1/2 cups of water for 1/2 cup rice and season with sea salt. Bring the water to a boil and simmer for about 45 minutes. Set aside, when done cooking.
- Cut the acorn squash in half. Remove the seeds. Rub with olive oil and maple syrup and season with salt and pepper.
- Place the acorn squash flesh side up on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for 30-40 minutes until the flesh is tender. Cooking time will vary depending on your oven temperature and the size of the squash.
- Meanwhile, prepare the stuffing mixture.
- Cut up the onions and apples and mince the garlic.
- Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the olive oil. Saute the onion and apples for 3-5 minutes until tender, then add in the garlic and cook another 1 minute. Add in the spices and incorporate well, until fragrant. Set aside.
- Brown the ground turkey in the same pan, with a little sea salt and pepper. Drain any oil, if needed. Return the onion and the garlic mixture back to the pan. Heat for another few minutes and mix well. Taste and adjust seasoning, if needed.
- Once the squash is done cooking, pull them out of the oven. Add the stuffing mixture and any of the desired add-ins. Return to the oven for another 5-10 minutes.
Notes
For a build your own style of serving the squash, have each person you are serving decide what add ins they’d like in their stuffing to fit their own tastes.
Cook the apples and onions separately from the meat, if some you are serving someone who may want a vegan/vegetarian version
Add some chopped kale to the meat mixture, which is a great way to add some texture and additional nutrients to the dish