Fall has arrived, and with it, cozy dinner ideas are a must! This recipe pairs the subtle buttery sweetness of acorn squash with sage and thyme making a healthy fall dinner the family will love.

Stuffed Acorn Squash

prep time: 15 min
cook time: 1 hr 15 min

Ingredients

For the Roasted Squash

3 medium sized acorn squash

2 tbsp olive oil

Salt and pepper

For the Filling

2 tbsp olive oil

8 sage leaves, chopped

1 lb ground Italian sausage

8 oz baby bella mushrooms, sliced

1/2 red onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 tbsp fresh thyme, chopped plus more for garnish

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp ground black pepper, plus more for garnish

1 1/2 cups cooked rice

1/3 cups heavy cream 

1 cup grated Fontina or Monterrey Jack cheese

Preparation

1. For the squash: Preheat the oven to 400°F. Carefully cut the squash in half, through the stem. Scoop out the seeds and fibrous center. Place on a baking sheet cut-side up. Brush with olive oil and sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Roast for 30 minutes. Flip each half over, placing them cut side down, and continue to roast for 15 minutes or until very tender. Remove from the oven and reduce the oven temperature to 350°F.

2. For the filling: While the squash is roasting, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until very hot. Add the sage and cook for 30 seconds or until dark green. Add the sausage to the skillet. Cook until fully browned, breaking up the sausage with the back of a spoon as it cooks, about 10 minutes. Transfer the sausage-sage mixture to a bowl.

3. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil to the skillet. Add the mushrooms, onion, garlic, thyme, salt, and pepper. Cook, frequently stirring until the mushrooms release their liquid and the onions are softened about 7 minutes.

4. Stir in the cooked rice and heavy cream. Stir in 1/2 cup fontina cheese until well combined. Stir the sausage back into the mixture. Let simmer for a couple of minutes then remove from the heat.

5. Flip the squash cut-side up and divide the filling among each squash half. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 cup of fontina. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until the cheese is melted and everything is warm. Garnish with more fresh thyme leaves and black pepper before serving.

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