Add this delicious Cranberry-Sage Stuffed Acorn Squash to your holiday table!
My mom and dad ate a lot of squash when I was a kid, usually roasted with brown sugar and butter. As you might guess, I was not a fan.
I'm not sure how many kids like squash, actually.
Thankfully, they never forced me to eat it ... no bad flashbacks here! And sometime post-college, it grew on me. Now I cook squash all of the time.
I've actually grown to love it, especially when it comes to delicious recipes like this Cranberry-Sage Stuffed Acorn Squash! This stuffed squash recipe is packed with flavor, and it's the perfect addition to your holiday table.
Cranberry-Sage Stuffed Acorn Squash
This Cranberry-Sage Stuffed Acorn Squash is one of my favorite ways to eat squash, especially at this time of year.
I filled the squash with a sweet-savory take on my Dad's classic stuffing recipe. It's full of veggies, tart cranberries, and aromatic sage ... so simple to make and super tasty.
If you are hosting a vegetarian or vegan for Thanksgiving, this Cranberry-Sage Stuffed Acorn Squash is the perfect solution! Plus, you can cut it into wedges and serve it as a side dish that everyone else at the table will enjoy, too.
I like serving this yummy Stuffed Squash with festive holiday favorites like Cream Cheese Mashed Potatoes and Roasted Vegetables.
But however you serve it, this Stuffed Acorn Squash is one recipe your guests are sure to love!
Cranberry-Sage Stuffed Acorn Squash
Ingredients
- nonstick cooking spray
For Bread:
- ½ loaf firm white bread, cut into 1-inch cubes
For Squash:
- 2 medium acorn squash
For Filling:
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1 large celery stalk, chopped
- 10 ounces white mushrooms, chopped
- 4 to 6 sage leaves, chopped
- ⅓ cup dried cranberries
- 1 to 1 ½ cups broth
- salt
- pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray two baking sheets with cooking spray.
Prepare Bread:
- Place bread on a baking sheet in a single layer. Bake until toasted and edges are lightly golden, about 10 to 15 minutes. Set aside to cool.
Prepare Squash:
- Use a sharp knife to cut acorn squash in half (vertically through stem). Scoop out seeds and discard.
- Place squash cut-side down on the other baking sheet. When bread is finished cooking, roast squash for 30 to 45 minutes or until tender. The edges will be caramelized. Set aside to cool slightly.
- When squash cool enough to handle, scoop out squash flesh leaving a ¼-inch shell. Return shells to baking sheet, cut side up.
- Roughly chop the squash you removed from shells and set aside.
Prepare Filling:
- While the squash is roasting, melt butter over medium heat in a large skillet.
- Add onions and celery to butter; saute until tender, about 5 to 10 minutes.
- Mix mushrooms into onion mixture and saute until mushrooms are cooked and liquid from mushrooms has evaporated, stirring occasionally (about 10 minutes).
- Stir sage and cranberries into vegetable mixture. Cook, stirring, for about a minute or until heated through. Remove from heat and season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Gently fold in chopped squash and toasted bread.
- Moisten bread-vegetable mixture with broth, adding a little at a time, just until bread is moistened and filling holds together.
- Taste again and season with additional salt and pepper, if necessary.
Prepare Stuffed Squash:
- Stuff squash shells with bread-vegetable mixture and return to oven. Bake for 15 – 20 minutes or until heated through.
- Serve hot. Enjoy!
Notes
- This recipe serves 4 as a main course, however roasted acorn halves can be divided further into halves or quarters (before stuffing) to create a side dish that will serve a crowd.
- Dish can be made vegan by substituting butter with olive oil. Also, make sure to check that the bread is not made with eggs or dairy.
- The recipe is very flexible. Try adding apples or pears in place of the cranberries (saute with onions and celery). Vary the herbs: thyme and rosemary work well, too. Add veggie sausage for a heartier dish.
- Don’t throw out the squash seeds. Roast them! The Kitchn has a good recipe.
- For an easy vegetarian Thanksgiving meal, just add mashed potatoes and an additional veggie or salad.
Do you like squash, too? What is your favorite way to prepare it?
Yum! This looks so good! I'll have to make it while the acorn squash is still here!
Thanks, Megan! Let me know if you try it.
Looks amazing! Thanks so much for joining us at Show Off Friday!
Thanks, Jenn! You're welcome - great party:)
This sounds delicious, and the photos are beautiful! What a perfect fall side dish! Are you going to make this for Thanksgiving?
Thanks so much for joining us at Saturday Night Fever!
Thank you so much, Andi! I'm spending the day with friends, and I'm in charge of dessert, so not this year:)
Any squash is great but this entire recipe sounds delicious! I wanted to say thanks for linking your recipe up to our Lovely Ladies link party, and to let you know I've featured them in a great round-up of Thanksgiving sides & appetizers. You can check it out if you'd like.
Thank you so much, Molly! I can't wait to check out the round-up:)
This sound sooooooooooooooo good. Thanks for the recipe and Thanks tons for linking to Inspire Me. Hugs, Marty
Thanks for stopping by, Marty! Have a great week:)