Sausage Apple Stuffed Butternut Squash
This sausage apple stuffed butternut squash dish is full of nutrient dense ingredients and flavor. It is elegant enough for dinner guests, but also easy enough for a quick weeknight dinner. It’s a one dish meal that will leave your family satisfied.
Once I learned to grow winter squash in my garden and experienced how long they last in cold storage, I needed to come up with more creative recipes to get my family eating them all winter long. If you aren’t growing squash yet, I would suggest finding a local farmer at the end of summer or early fall to stock up on all types of squash for recipes like this. Butternut, acorn, spaghetti, and many more types of squash make great dinners.
This recipe for stuffed butternut squash is actually quite easy and comes together without much effort besides chopping up some onions and apples.
What is Needed for Sausage Apple Stuffed Butternut Squash
2 butternut squash (medium to large size)
1 pound of ground sausage
1 medium onion chopped
4 cloves garlic minced
1 medium apple chopped
cooking oil (I prefer lard) but olive oil is good
Fresh or dried sage, rosemary, and thyme
2-3 cups spinach or other green such as kale or Swiss chard
1 cup pecans or walnuts
1/2 cup dried cranberries or raisins
1/4 cup maple Syrup
Salt and pepper
Tips for Making Stuffed Butternut Squash
When I cook I do not take the time to measure a lot of things. I added the measurements here, but feel free to put away the measuring cups and add what feels right for each ingredient. This is a guide and if yours is a bit different, then that’s great.
Step by Step Instructions
Heat your oven to 425 degrees and get out a flat baking sheet. Line with foil, parchment, or a silicone baking mat.
Wash the butternut squash and remove the stems. Then cut each one in half and scoop out the seeds.
Drizzle a bit of olive oil across the flesh of the squash and sprinkle with a bit of salt and pepper. Place the squash flesh side down on the baking mat or parchment. Bake in the 425 degree oven for 40 minutes or until soft when you press down on the top. Remove them from the oven when done.
While the squash is in the oven roasting, prepare the filling.
Heat a tablespoon or so of olive oil or lard. Add the sausage, and diced onion. After the meat starts to brown, add in the garlic. Season with salt and pepper along with the sage, rosemary, and thyme. Use about a teaspoon of dried herbs or a tablespoon of fresh herbs.
When the meat is cooked through, add in the apple, cranberries, pecans, and spinach. Add in the maple syrup and check for seasonings. Add more if needed.
Take mixture off the heat while you wait for the squash to be cool enough to scoop out part of the insides. I only take out about half of the squash since it is a big part of the dinner. You can scoop out what you desire and put the extra in the fridge to eat or use in a recipe later. I usually end up eating it with some of left over filling after stuffing the squash.
Since the squash and filling should still be warm, you will only need to put it under the broiler for about 3-5 minutes. Watch it carefully at this stage. If you let it cool down between stages, warm up in a 350 degree oven and then broil for the last few minutes.
Substitutions
As listed above, you can use spinach, kale, or chard. Spinach doesn’t need to be chopped but the kale or chard does. Remove the main stem if using either. Kale and chard also need a bit longer to cook and should be added in before the apples and cranberries.
Any type of dried fruit works here – cranberries or raisins are great. Trader Joes has a great mixture of 3 dried berries I love to use in recipes like this.
Sausage Apple Stuffed Butternut Squash
This apple and sausage stuffed roasted butternut squash is fancy enough for guests and easy enough for a weeknight dinner. Filled with nutrient dense ingredients of sausage, apple, onions, garlic, pecans, spinach, and savory herbs with a hint of sweet from real maple syrup.
Ingredients
- 2 butternut squash (medium to large size)
- 1 pound of ground sausage
- 1 medium apple chopped
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- cooking oil (I prefer lard) but olive oil is good
- Fresh or dried sage, rosemary, and thyme
- 2-3 cups spinach or other green such as kale or Swiss chard (chopped)
- 1 cup pecans or walnuts
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries or raisins
- 1/4 cup maple Syrup
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
Heat your oven to 425 degrees and get out a flat baking sheet. Line with foil, parchment, or a silicone baking mat.
Wash the butternut squash and remove the stems. Then cut each one in half and scoop out the seeds.
Drizzle a bit of olive oil across the flesh of the squash and sprinkle with a bit of salt and pepper. Place the squash flesh side down on the baking mat or parchment. Bake in the 425 degree oven for 40 minutes or until soft when you press down on the top. Remove them from the oven when done.
While the squash is in the oven roasting, prepare the filling.
Heat a tablespoon or so of olive oil or lard. Add the sausage, and diced onion. After the meat starts to brown, add in the garlic. Season with salt and pepper along with the sage, rosemary, and thyme. Use about a teaspoon of dried herbs or a tablespoon of fresh herbs.
When the meat is cooked through, add in the apple, cranberries, pecans, and spinach. Add in the maple syrup and check for seasonings. Add more if needed.
Take mixture off the heat while you wait for the squash to be cool enough to scoop out part of the insides. I only take out about half of the squash since it is a big part of the dinner. You can scoop out what you desire and put the extra in the fridge to eat or use in a recipe later. I usually end up eating it with some of left over filling after stuffing the squash.
Since everything should still be warm, you will only need to put it under the broiler for about 3-5 minutes. Watch it carefully at this stage.
