Sausage and Mushroom Stuffed Acorn Squash
The following recipe and photography was provided by recipe developer and food photographer, Ashley Durand of Plate & Pen.
Perfect as a Thanksgiving side dish or a seasonal fall entrée, this Sausage and Mushroom Stuffed Squash is simply delicious!
I love eating squash in the fall, and Heinen’s Produce Department has seemingly every variety imaginable. You’ll often see spaghetti squash stuffed with a variety of toppings, but acorn squash is also a delicious vehicle for stuffing.
Speaking of stuffing, this particular recipe calls for an Italian sausage and mushroom filling! I really enjoy Italian sausage, especially sweet Italian sausage, and Heinen’s CARE Certified selection is the highest quality I’ve ever found in the grocery store. It comes ground, which makes the cooking process a breeze. Paired with earthy mushrooms and fennel, you’ll be amazed at the flavor.
If Italian sausage is not your favorite, feel free to use ground turkey or even leftover slices of turkey from your Thanksgiving gatherings. There’s no way to go wrong!
Let’s cook!
Sausage and Mushroom Stuffed Acorn Squash
Servings: 8
Ingredients
For the Acorn Squash
- 2 acorn squash, seeded and cut into quarters
- Heinen's olive oil
- 8 tsp. Heinen's brown sugar, 1 tsp. per squash quarter
- 1-2 tsp. dried or fresh rosemary, sage and thyme, each
- Salt and pepper, to taste
For the Sausage Stuffing
- 2 shallots, diced
- 1 lb. Heinen's CARE Certified Italian sausage
- 2 Portobello mushrooms, diced
- 1 cup button mushrooms, diced
- 1 Tbsp. Heinen’s dried sage
- 1 tsp. fresh thyme, chopped
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1 tsp. pepper
- 1 package Heinen’s cooked ancient grains
Toppings
- Heinen's 24-month aged Parmigiano Reggiano, shredded
- 1 cup microgreens
- Pepitas, to sprinkle
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- Drizzle olive oil over each squash quarter. Sprinkle with brown sugar, spices and herbs.
- Bake in oven for 30 minutes, checking at halfway through.
- While the squash is baking, sauté the shallots in a cast iron skillet until tender.
- Add the remaining stuffing ingredients, except for the grains, and cook for about 8 minutes over medium heat until cooked through and tender.
- Transfer the sausage mixture to a large bowl and add the cooked ancient grains. Stir to combine.
- Remove the squash quarters from the oven and scoop a generous amount of stuffing into each cavity.
- Cover the tops with Parmigiano Reggiano and place in the oven at 400°F for 5 minutes.
- Remove from the oven, sprinkle the microgreens and pepitas on top and sere with figs on the side, if desired.
