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Roasted acorn squash halves stuffed with quinoa, turkey sausage, kale, cranberries and pecans, topped with Parmesan

Easy Stuffed Acorn Squash with Quinoa & Sausage

Tender roasted acorn squash halves packed with savory turkey sausage, quinoa, kale and sweet-tart cranberries — a hearty, healthy-ish fall dinner that comes together in about an hour.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 2 medium acorn squash about 1.5 lb each, halved and seeded
  • 2 tbsp olive oil divided
  • 12 oz mild Italian turkey sausage casings removed
  • 1 small yellow onion diced
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 1/2 cup quinoa rinsed
  • 4 cups baby kale chopped; baby spinach works too
  • 1/3 cup dried cranberries
  • 1/3 cup pecans chopped
  • 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese grated, optional
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper

Method
 

  1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Halve the squash lengthwise and scoop out the seeds. Brush cut sides with 1 tbsp olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and place cut-side down on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Roast 35-40 minutes, until a fork pierces the flesh easily.
  2. Meanwhile, bring quinoa and 1 cup water to a boil in a small saucepan. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork.
  3. Heat remaining 1 tbsp oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Add sausage and cook, breaking it up, 6-8 minutes until browned. Add onion and cook 3 minutes; stir in garlic for 30 seconds.
  4. Add kale and cook 2-3 minutes until wilted. Remove from heat and fold in quinoa, cranberries and pecans; season with salt and pepper to taste.
  5. Flip squash halves cut-side up and divide the filling among them, mounding slightly. Top with Parmesan if using.
  6. Bake 10-12 minutes more, until the filling is hot and squash edges are golden. Serve warm.