For an easy fall meal idea, this Cheesy Stuffed Acorn Squash is a no-brainer! Pretty acorn squash is roasted and filled with the most delicious savory ground chicken stuffing and topped with ooey gooey melted cheese. It’s the ultimate in cold-weather comfort food!
Once fall arrives and the winter squash begins appearing at the markets and grocery stores, I start dreaming of this hearty dish. I think it makes the perfect fall meal idea and would also be welcome at your Thanksgiving feast! Not only is it easy and incredibly tasty, but it also looks so impressive on the plate.
Stuffed vegetables are one of my favorite comfort meals, especially ones that are topped with cheese. This is a 3-cheese stuffed acorn squash, so there’s plenty of ooey gooey goodness to go around!
The squash is cut in half and roasted until tender then scooped out and stuffed with a filling made with ground chicken, mushrooms, onions, apples, parmesan cheese, and fresh herbs. Everything gets topped with shredded cheese and is broiled to bubbling perfection!
The recipe serves half of a cheesy stuffed acorn squash per person if serving as a full meal or a quarter if serving as a side. To round out the meal, you might like to serve it with a shaved Brussels sprout salad, a roasted cauliflower salad, or a nice simple green salad.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- It’s an all-in-one-meal: This dish has it all – protein, veggies, and lots of cheese! You can eat this stuffed squash on its own or serve it as part of a larger meal with some additional sides.
- It’s ready in about an hour: All the components come together in about an hour so you can serve this hearty and impressive dish in no time at all!
- It will fill you up: The stuffing is loaded with healthy things like ground chicken and vegetables which will keep you full.
Ingredients In Recipe
I know the list of ingredients looks a bit long, but you probably already have a lot of them in your fridge and pantry and they’re all really easy to find in your local grocery store.
Complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
- Acorn squash: This winter squash is green or green and orange on the outside and is the shape of a large acorn (it’s where it gets its name!). It has a slightly sweet and buttery flavor and so delicious when it’s roasted. I used 2 two-pound squash. If yours are smaller, you might need 3, otherwise, you’ll end up with too much filling.
For the stuffing/filling:
- Ground chicken: I used ground chicken for its mild flavor. You can substitute for ground turkey or ground beef. Sausage stuffed acorn squash is also really popular. Just remove the sausage meat from the casing before cooking.
- Vegetables and aromatics: I added cremini mushrooms for their deep earthy flavor, yellow onion, celery, and garlic.
- Apple: A sweet crisp apple is a good pairing for this filling. Peel, core, and dice the apple.
- Fresh Herbs: Thyme and/or rosemary are good options here or substitute for your favorite fresh herbs.
- Cheese: Parmesan cheese is folded into the stuffing to give it that great salty cheesy flavor. I also sprinkle shredded cheese over the top for a melty bubbly topping. I do a mix of mozzarella with sharp cheddar, but any other melting cheese will work.
- Red pepper flakes (optional): If you like a bit of heat, a sprinkling of red pepper flakes in the stuffing mix will give it an extra kick.
How to Cut Acorn Squash
Cutting the squash in half isn’t too difficult. Just make sure you use a sharp knife and cut the squash on a steady cutting board.
- Slice a little bit off the top and bottom of the squash to create a flat bottom so each half will sit flat on the roasting dish.
- To make it easier to cut the squash, score the skin lightly by making small inserts in the skin with your knife along the length to make a dashed line. Then cut through the entire squash following the dashed line you made.
- Slice the acorn squash in half lengthwise from stem to end. You should end up with two similarly sized halves.
How To Make It
Cheesy stuffed acorn squash makes a beautiful presentation plus it couldn’t be easier to make. Follow the steps below to make this cozy meal!
- Scoop seeds. Carefully cut each acorn squash in half and scoop out the seeds with a spoon or an ice cream scoop.
- Roast. Roast the squash facing up on a sheet pan for 30-40 minutes until tender.
- Brown meat. Cook ground chicken/turkey in olive oil and butter until brown all over.
- Add vegetables and apples. Mix mushrooms, onion, celery, and apple with the chicken and cook until soft. Add garlic, thyme, and seasoning.
- Add parmesan. Mix the parmesan into the filling and remove the skillet from the heat.
- Scoop out the squash. Once the acorn squash is cool enough to handle, carefully scoop out the flesh. Leave a ¼ inch wall of flesh all around the squash to hold in the stuffing.
Tip!
It’s very important to try not to rip the walls of the squash. Once cooked it becomes quite soft, so I like to use an ice cream scoop or a spoon to hollow out the squash bit by bit, leaving ¼” inch of flesh. That way it is still sturdy enough to hold everything and there’s less of a chance you rip a hole in it!
- Add squash to the filling. Stir in the scooped squash until everything is combined.
- Fill squash. Divide the filling between the 4 acorn squash halves.
- Bake then broil. Top the filling with shredded cheese and roast for 5 minutes, then broil for a couple of extra minutes until the top is bubbling and lightly browned.
Recipe Tips
- Trim the bottoms. Remember to trim a little bit off the bottom of your squash so they sit flat instead of wobbling all over the plate!
- Do not overstuff. It’s fine to fill it to the brim, but be careful not to add too much. Otherwise, it’ll overflow, fall out and no longer look as presentable.
- Watch while broiling. Keep a close eye on your squash as it broils to avoid anything burning.
Make it Your Own
The stuffing is very customizable so you can add and swap ingredients to suit your own tastes. Here are some ideas to get you started:
- Add beans or chickpeas.
- Throw in some dried cranberries or chopped dried apricots.
- Sprinkle over some chopped toasted nuts or seeds before serving for added crunch.
- Fold in some cooked wild rice to the filling.
- Add some heat with red pepper flakes or a dash of hot sauce.
Storing Tips
Refrigerator: Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3–4 days.
Reheat in the oven: Place the cheesy stuffed acorn squash in a baking dish with a couple of tablespoons of water in the bottom of the dish. Bake in a 350°F/180°C oven for about 15–20 minutes until the stuffing is heated throughout.
Reheat in the microwave: Place the squash in a microwave-safe dish with a couple of tablespoons of water and microwave for 2–3 minutes. You will want to stir the filling halfway through to make sure it heats evenly.
Freezing: You can freeze the stuffed squash easily by wrapping it tightly and storing it in an airtight container. It will keep in the freezer for up to 2 months. Thaw the stuffed squash overnight in the fridge and then reheat in a 350°F/180°C oven for 15–20 minutes until the stuffing is warmed through.
What To Serve With
If you’re worried about your guests needing more to fill up, don’t be! One of these stuffed acorn halves is enough to satisfy even the hungriest teenager.
However, if you’re up to adding on a few extra sides for the holidays, or special occasions, I’d suggest pairing it with a colorful fall salad like this easy pear salad, a beet salad, or roasted sweet potato salad.
You could also serve it in quarters as a side along with roasted Cornish hens, turkey tenderloins, or a juicy roast chicken.
FAQs
Look for a squash that is firm and heavy and without too many blemishes on the skin. The skin should be mostly green with a little bit of orange, but not too much or your squash will be too ripe.
You want to roast the cheesy stuffed acorn squash uncovered with the fleshy side facing up on the baking sheet. This way the squash will roast and get lots of that delicious, caramelized flavor.
Once the skin is roasted, it will be soft, so you can eat it if you like!
Absolutely! You can make the sausage stuffing one day in advance and keep it in the fridge in an airtight container. The next day, warm the filling in a skillet then proceed with the rest of the recipe.
Cozy up to cheesy stuffed acorn squash tonight or save this recipe for the next time you’re craving something healthy, wholesome, and satisfying! Pin it for more people to enjoy too!
Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest!
Cheesy Stuffed Acorn Squash
Equipment
- Spoon or ice cream scoop
- Roaster
Ingredients
- 2 medium acorn squash each was 2 lb, if yours are smaller you might need 3 otherwise you’ll end up with too much filling
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
For the Filling:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 pound (450g) ground chicken or ground turkey, ground beef or mild italian sausage, I used ground chicken in the images
- 8 ounces cremini mushrooms sliced
- 1 small yellow onion diced
- 1 rib celery diced
- 1 sweet crisp apple peeled, cored and diced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 teaspoons fresh chopped thyme or rosemary or a mix of both
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ⅓ cup shredded parmesan
- 1 cup shredded cheese I do a mix of mozzarella with sharp cheddar but any other cheese works
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F/200°C, then cut each acorn squash in half and scoop out the seeds with the help of a spoon or an ice cream scoop and discard the seeds.
- Place on a sheet pan, drizzle with olive oil, season with salt and pepper and roast for 30-40 minutes or until fork tender.
- Meanwhile, make the filling: In a skillet over medium high heat, add olive oil and melt the butter then add ground chicken. Cook until it’s browned.
- Add the mushrooms, onion, celery and apple and cook for 4-5 more minutes or until the onions are soft and translucent. Add garlic, thyme, salt, pepper and cook for 30 seconds.
- Mix in the parmesan and remove from heat.
- When the acorn squash are cool enough to handle, carefully scoop out the flesh leaving about ¼ inch of wall all around the squash (try not to create a hole in of the sides, I use an ice cream scoop to do this, or a spoon).
- Add the scooped squash to the filling, and stir to combine.
- Divide the filling between the 4 acorn squash halves
- Top the filling with shredded cheese and roast for 5 minutes, then broil for a couple of extra minutes until the top is bubbling and lightly browned.
Notes:
- Yield: This recipe serves 4 people if served as a main, or 8 people if served as a side.
- Trim the bottoms. Remember to trim a little bit off the bottom of your squash so they sit flat instead of wobbling all over the plate!
- Do not overstuff. It’s fine to fill it to the brim, but be careful not to add too much. Otherwise, it’ll overflow, fall out and no longer look as presentable.
- Watch while broiling. Keep a close eye on your squash as it broils to avoid anything burning.
- Storing: Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3–4 days.
Nutrition Information
This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.
© Little Sunny Kitchen
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