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Easy Sausage-Stuffed Acorn Squash with Cranberries

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This crowd-pleasing sausage-stuffed acorn squash with cranberries is a complete meal in a beautiful, edible bowl—savory sausage, sweet-tart cranberries, and tender squash, all coming together to steal the show at your next gathering.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 medium acorn squash (about 1 to 1.5 pounds each)
  • 1 pound sweet Italian sausage (bulk or casings removed)
  • 1/2 cup dried cranberries
  • 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
  • 2 ribs celery, finely diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tablespoon fresh sage, chopped
  • 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
  • 1/2 cup chicken or vegetable broth
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
  • Salt and black pepper to taste
  • Optional: toasted pecans or walnuts, crumbled goat cheese, or a drizzle of maple syrup for topping

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Cut each acorn squash in half from stem to tip. Scoop out seeds and stringy pulp. Brush cut sides and cavities with 1 tablespoon olive oil; season with salt and pepper. Place squash halves cut-side down on a baking dish. Roast for 25-30 minutes until just fork-tender.
  2. 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 5-7 minutes. Transfer sausage to a plate, leaving about 1 tablespoon fat in the pan.
  3. Reduce heat to medium. Add onion and celery to the skillet; cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, sage, and thyme; cook 1 minute until fragrant.
  4. Return sausage to skillet. Add cranberries and broth. Stir, scraping up browned bits. Simmer 1-2 minutes until slightly reduced. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
  5. Flip squash halves cut-side up. Divide stuffing evenly among cavities, mounding slightly.
  6. Bake for 15-20 minutes until squash is tender and stuffing is heated through and slightly browned on top.
  7. Let rest 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with optional toppings if desired.

Notes

Don’t skip the par-roasting step—it ensures the squash is tender and not watery. For make-ahead, roast squash and prepare stuffing up to 2 days in advance; store separately. When ready to serve, stuff cold squash and add 10 minutes to final bake time, covering with foil if top browns too quickly.

Nutrition

Keywords: sausage stuffed acorn squash, acorn squash with cranberries, fall dinner, gluten-free, stuffed squash

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