INGREDIENTS:
2 acorn squash, halved and seeded
1–2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 pound pork sausage, cooked and drained
1 apple, diced
1/2 cup chopped nuts such as pecans or walnuts
1/4 cup dried cranberries or cherries
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
2–3 tablespoons maple syrup
Salt and pepper to taste
DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
2. Brush the cut sides of squash with olive oil and place them face down on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Roast for 30 minutes.
3. Brown sausage in pan until fully cooked. Drain, then add to a medium bowl.
4. Add remaining ingredients to sausage and stir to combine.
5. Remove squash from the oven and turn them over. Divide the filling mixture evenly among the squash halves.
6. Return the stuffed squash to the oven and bake for an additional 20 minutes, until the apples are tender, and the squash is thoroughly cooked.
7. Remove from the oven and let cool for a few minutes before serving.
Notes
–To make this a side dish, leave out sausage.
–To make this vegetarian, add 1 cup of cooked quinoa in place of sausage.
This article originally appeared in the November/December 2025 issue of Upstate Gardeners’ Journal.
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