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Apple Sausage Stuffed Butternut Squash

Apple sausage stuffed butternut squash that roasts until tender and caramelized, then gets filled with browned Italian sausage, sweet apple, cranberries, and toasted pecans. Built as a one-pan bake with a savory herb mixture that clings to the squash halves.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American
Calories: 430
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Butternut squash
  • 1 lb butternut squash Halved and seeded (2 1/2 pounds total).
Olive oil
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
Seasonings
  • 0.25 salt and pepper To taste.
Italian sausage filling
  • 0.5 lb Italian sausage Cooked in a skillet until browned; crumbled as it cooks.
  • 0.5 onion Diced (half onion).
  • 3 garlic Minced (3 cloves).
Greens and fruit mix
  • 2 cup baby spinach
  • 1 apple Diced (1 apple).
  • 1 tbsp fresh sage Chopped.
  • 0.5 tbsp fresh rosemary Chopped.
Sweet add-ins
  • 0.33 cup dried cranberries
  • 0.25 cup chopped pecans

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan
  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Roast the squash
  1. Preheat the oven to 400F. Position a sheet pan in the oven while it heats for easier roasting.
  2. Rub the cut sides of the butternut squash with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Keep the cut surfaces coated so they caramelize as they bake.
  3. Place the squash cut side down on a baking sheet and roast for 40-45 minutes until tender. Look for a fork-tender squash and lightly browned edges.
Cook the sausage filling
  1. Cook the Italian sausage in a skillet over medium heat, breaking it up until browned. Continue until no pink remains and the bits start to crisp.
  2. Add the onion, garlic, and baby spinach, stirring for 2-3 minutes until the spinach wilts. Stir until the spinach is fully wilted and the onion softens.
  3. Stir in the diced apple, fresh sage, and fresh rosemary, cooking for 2-3 minutes until the apple softens slightly. You want softened edges but still noticeable apple pieces.
  4. Remove from heat and stir in the dried cranberries and chopped pecans. The mixture should look evenly distributed with glossy cranberries.
Stuff and serve
  1. Flip the roasted squash halves over, scoop out a little flesh to make room, then fill with the sausage mixture and serve. The filling should mound in the cavities and cling to the hot squash.

Notes

For cleaner scooping, let the roasted squash cool for 5 minutes so the flesh firms up slightly. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container up to 3 days; reheat in a 350F oven until warmed through. Freezing is not recommended for best texture. To make it vegetarian, replace the Italian sausage with plant-based sausage and use olive oil to sauté onion/garlic, keeping the rest of the stuffing the same.