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Wholesome Sausage-Stuffed Acorn Squash with Cranberries

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A cozy fall dinner featuring tender acorn squash halves stuffed with savory sausage, tart cranberries, and crunchy pecans. This balanced, crowd-pleasing recipe is naturally gluten-free and dairy-free, perfect for weeknight meals or holiday gatherings.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 medium acorn squash (about 1 to 1.5 pounds each)
  • 1 pound ground pork sausage (breakfast or Italian, casings removed)
  • 1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries
  • 1 medium yellow onion, diced
  • 2 stalks celery, diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tablespoon fresh sage, chopped (or 1 teaspoon dried)
  • 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves (or ½ teaspoon dried)
  • ½ cup low-sodium chicken broth
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
  • 1 tablespoon maple syrup
  • ½ cup pecans, roughly chopped (optional, but recommended)
  • Salt and black pepper to taste

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C).
  2. Cut each acorn squash in half from stem to tip. Scoop out seeds and stringy pulp. Place squash halves cut-side up in a baking dish or on a lined baking sheet.
  3. Brush cut sides and cavities with 1 tablespoon olive oil, then brush with maple syrup. Season generously with salt and pepper. Roast for 25 minutes until starting to soften but still holding shape.
  4. While squash roasts, heat remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add sausage and cook, breaking it up, until browned and cooked through, about 6-8 minutes. Leave about 1 tablespoon of fat in the pan.
  5. Add diced onion and celery to the skillet. Reduce heat to medium and cook until onion is translucent and celery softened, about 5 minutes. Add minced garlic and cook 1 minute until fragrant.
  6. Stir in cranberries, sage, and thyme. Cook 2-3 minutes until cranberries start to soften. Add chicken broth and simmer 2 minutes, scraping up browned bits from the pan.
  7. Remove skillet from heat. Stir in pecans if using. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
  8. Remove partially roasted squash from oven. Spoon sausage mixture evenly into each squash cavity, mounding slightly without packing too tightly.
  9. Return stuffed squash to oven and roast another 20-25 minutes until squash is tender when pierced with a fork and filling is hot and bubbly. Tent with foil if tops brown too quickly.
  10. Let rest 5 minutes before serving. Serve each half as a complete meal or cut in half for smaller portions as a side dish.

Notes

Don’t skip the initial squash roast—it ensures tender squash. Stick to ½ cup broth to avoid soupy filling. Toast pecans separately for best crunch. For stability, slice a tiny piece off the bottom of uneven squash halves. Leftovers keep 4 days in the fridge and taste even better the next day.

Nutrition

Keywords: stuffed acorn squash, sausage and cranberry, fall dinner, gluten-free, dairy-free, healthy comfort food, Thanksgiving side dish

Find it online: https://zorbmeal.com/wholesome-sausage-stuffed-acorn-squash-with-cranberries/