Couscous Sausage Stuffed Acorn Squash Recipes

SAUSAGE STUFFED ACORN SQUASH

Steps:

• Bake the squash: Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. With a sharp, sturdy chef's knife, carefully cut the squash in half from stem to base. Scoop out and discard the stringy core and seeds. Arrange the halves cut-sides up on a rimmed baking sheet. Brush each half with 1 teaspoon olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place in the oven and bake for 40 minutes, until the edges begin to wrinkle and the flesh is fork-tender. Set aside. Reduce the oven temperature to 375 degrees F.
• While the squash bakes, prepare the filling: Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sausage. Brown the meat, breaking it apart into small pieces for 3 minutes.
• Add the mushrooms, onion, apple, salt, pepper, nutmeg, allspice, and minced garlic. Cook, stirring frequently, until the sausage is cooked through, the vegetables and apple are softened, have given up liquid, and the liquid has cooked off, about 8 additional minutes.
• When the squash is cool enough to handle, scoop out its flesh, leaving a wall all the way around that is about ¼-inch thick. Add the scooped squash to the pan with the sausage. Add the herbs and ¼ cup Parmesan. Stir to combine. Taste and adjust salt and pepper as desired.
• Mound the filling inside of the hollowed squash halves. Sprinkle the remaining Parmesan over the top. Place the pan in the oven and bake until the cheese is melted and the filling is nice and hot, about 15 minutes. Sprinkle with additional fresh herbs as desired. Serve hot.

MOROCCAN-STYLE STUFFED ACORN SQUASH

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Arrange squash halves cut side down on a baking sheet. Bake 30 minutes, or until tender. Dissolve the sugar in the melted butter. Brush squash with the butter mixture, and keep squash warm while preparing the stuffing.
• Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Stir in the garlic, celery, and carrots, and cook 5 minutes. Mix in the garbanzo beans and raisins. Season with cumin, salt, and pepper, and continue to cook and stir until vegetables are tender.
• Pour the chicken broth into the skillet, and mix in the couscous. Cover skillet, and turn off heat. Allow couscous to absorb liquid for 5 minutes. Stuff squash halves with the skillet mixture to serve.

STUFFED ACORN SQUASH

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
• Place squash, face up, in a shallow baking dish. In each half place 2 tablespoons butter, 2 tablespoons brown sugar, 1 cup stuffing mix, 3/4 cup chicken broth, salt, pepper, garlic powder and onion powder. Wrap each half tightly with aluminum foil.
• Bake in preheated oven for 60 minutes, or until squash is very tender.

SAUSAGE-STUFFED ACORN SQUASH

Steps:

• Halve squash lengthwise; discard seeds. Place squash in a microwave-safe dish, cut side down. Microwave, covered, on high until tender, 10-12 minutes. , Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook and crumble sausage with onion over medium heat until no longer pink, 5-7 minutes; drain. Remove from heat; stir in spinach, cranberries and bread crumbs. In a small bowl, whisk together egg and milk; add to sausage mixture and toss until moistened. , Turn over squash; fill with sausage mixture. Microwave, covered, until a thermometer inserted in stuffing reads 165°, 2-3 minutes.

VEGAN ACORN SQUASH STUFFED WITH ISRAELI COUSCOUS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Grease a baking sheet.
• Place squash, cut-sides down, on the prepared baking sheet.
• Bake in the preheated oven until squash is soft to the touch, about 30 minutes.
• While the squash is baking, bring water and bouillon to a boil over medium-high heat. Add couscous and garlic, cover, and lower to a simmer. Cook until water has been absorbed, 8 to 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, heat oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms, leek, and bell pepper; saute until tender, about 5 minutes. Add couscous and mix to combine.
• Remove squash from the oven and stuff with the couscous-veggie mixture.

COUSCOUS-STUFFED ACORN SQUASH

Steps:

• Cut squash in half; discard seeds. Place squash cut side down in an ungreased 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish; add water. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 40-45 minutes or until tender. , In a small saucepan, bring apple juice to a boil; stir in couscous. Cover and remove from the heat; let stand for 5 minutes or until liquid is absorbed. Fluff with a fork., Scoop out squash, leaving a 1/4-in. shell. Cut pulp into 1/2-in. pieces; place in a bowl. Stir in the couscous, cranberries, walnuts and onion. Combine the butter, brown sugar, salt and cinnamon; drizzle over couscous mixture and toss gently. Spoon into squash shells. Serve immediately.

BEEF-STUFFED ACORN SQUASH

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°. Invert squash in an 11 x 7-in. baking dish. Add water and cover with foil. Bake until tender, 50-60 minutes. , Meanwhile, cook beef, onion and celery over medium heat until no longer pink; drain. Stir in the flour, salt and sage until blended. Add milk. Bring to a boil. Cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened and bubbly. Stir in rice. , Transfer squash to a baking sheet. Fill cavity with meat mixture. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes. Remove from oven; sprinkle with cheese and bake 3-5 minutes longer or until cheese is melted.

TURKEY SAUSAGE-STUFFED ACORN SQUASH

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°. Cut squash lengthwise in half; remove and discard seeds. Using a sharp knife, cut a thin slice from bottom of each half to allow them to lie flat. Place squash in a shallow roasting pan, hollow side down; add 1/4 in. of hot water and halved tomatoes. Bake, uncovered, 45 minutes., Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook sausage, mushrooms, apple, onion and dried seasonings over medium heat 8-10 minutes or until sausage is no longer pink, breaking up sausage into crumbles; drain. Add spinach, thyme, salt and pepper; cook and stir 2 minutes. Remove from heat., Carefully remove squash from roasting pan. Drain cooking liquid, reserving the tomatoes. Return squash to pan, hollow side up., Stir cheese, vinegar and reserved tomatoes into sausage mixture. Spoon into squash halves. Bake 5-10 minutes longer or until heated through and squash is easily pierced with a fork.

ACORN SQUASH STUFFED WITH SAUSAGE AND RICE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C).
• Poke holes in the flesh of the squash with a fork. Coat flesh with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place on a baking sheet.
• Bake in the preheated oven until flesh is tender, 40 to 50 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside until cool enough to handle, 10 to 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Meanwhile, combine rice, chicken broth, and water in a rice steamer. Seal and select setting according to manufacturer's instructions; cook until tender, about 18 to 20 minutes.
• Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook and stir sausage in the hot skillet, breaking it up with a spoon, until some of the fat has rendered, about 5 minutes. Add onion, bell pepper, and celery; cook until sausage is completely browned and crumbly and vegetables are tender, 3 to 5 more minutes. Stir in sage, pumpkin pie spice, and paprika, and season with salt and pepper. Cook for another minute, then set aside.
• Scoop flesh from the cooled squash halves, leaving about 1/4 inch squash to retain structure. Place squash flesh in a bowl with sausage mixture, Cheddar cheese, and cranberries. Mix to combine then taste and adjust seasonings, if needed. Scoop filling into the squash shells and top with additional Cheddar cheese, if desired.
• Bake in the oven until cheese is melted and bubbly and the tops are nicely browned, about 15 minutes. Allow to cool for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.

COUSCOUS-STUFFED ACORN SQUASH

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• Brush each squash half with 1/2 tablespoon olive oil. Place on a rimmed baking sheet, cut-sides down. Use a sharp knife to cut off a small section of the rounded squash, so it will sit flat when turned upside-down.
• Bake in the preheated oven until squash is soft when pierced with a fork, 30 to 40 minutes.
• Meanwhile, combine garbanzo beans, orange juice, cinnamon, cumin, and remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in a saucepan over low heat. Cook the beans for 10 minutes while the mixture slowly comes to a boil. Remove from the heat, stir in couscous, and cover with a lid. Let sit for 5 minutes.
• Remove the lid and stir cranberries, pistachio nuts, carrots, and butter into the couscous.
• Remove squash from the oven. Turn over and stuff with couscous mixture, firmly pushing it into each open cavity. Return to the oven and bake for 5 to 10 minutes more.