Sausage Stuffed Acorn Squash
Stuffed acorn squash with Italian sausage and crispy pancetta is the ultimate comfort food, complete with fresh sage, sweet leeks, and a little gooey Gruyère cheese for *chef’s kiss*.
Servings: 4 servings (4 large halves)
Ingredients
- 2 medium acorn squashes each roughly 5 inches in length
- 1 pound Italian sausage hot or mild
- 4 ounces diced pancetta
- 1 cup grated Gruyère cheese
- 1 medium leek cleaned and chopped (about 1 ½ cups)
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons fresh sage cut into thin ribbons
- Salt and pepper to taste
- ¼ cup real maple syrup optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Cut each squash in half lengthwise using a sharp chef’s knife. Be careful; it’s a little difficult to cut through the tough exterior! Scoop out seeds.
- Grease a baking sheet and then drizzle the squashes’ flesh with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Use your hands to rub the flesh with the olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.
- Place squash halves, cut-side down, on the baking sheet. Roast for 30-35 minutes until the squash is tender when pierced with a fork.
- While the squash is roasting, make the filling by cooking the pancetta in a large, dry pan over medium-high heat. Toss often until lightly crispy. Place pancetta in a large bowl using a slotted spoon.
- Drain fat out of your pan, and add the sausage meat removed from the casings. Use your slotted spoon to crumble sausage as it cooks over medium-high heat, tossing often until cooked through. Place crumbled sausage in the bowl with the pancetta using your slotted spoon.
- Drain pan again, and add 2 tablespoons olive oil. Add leeks and garlic. Sauté over medium-high heat for 4-5 minutes until the leeks are fragrant and softened.
- Scoop out the mixture into the bowl with the pancetta and sausage. Add Gruyère and sage. Toss. Season with salt and pepper.
- Stuff roasted squash halves with the filling (you may have a bit leftover depending on size of the squash halves).
- Bake at 400°F for 10 more minutes.
- Serve as-is or with a drizzle of maple syrup!
Video
Notes
- I recommend prepping all ingredients (chopping leeks, garlic, etc.) before starting the recipe!
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 758kcal | Carbohydrates: 41g | Protein: 32g | Fat: 68g | Saturated Fat: 24g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 8g | Monounsaturated Fat: 32g | Cholesterol: 141mg | Sodium: 1275mg | Potassium: 1222mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 13g | Vitamin A: 1485IU | Vitamin C: 29mg | Calcium: 484mg | Iron: 4mg