Stuffed Acorn Squash Recipe

If you haven't tried Acorn Squash yet, you need to! I used to be intimidated by this odd looking squash, not exactly sure what to do it with it. But there are so many awesome recipes out there for this nutrient dense veggie!

I was looking for a fall inspired dinner and this hit the spot!

Recipe:

Prep Time: 15min

Cook Time: 1 hour

Total Time: 1 hour 15 min

Servings: 6

Ingredients:

-3 Acorn Squash

-2 Tbsp Avocado Oil, divided

-1 medium onion, finely chopped

-3 garlic cloves, minced

-1lb ground turkey, extra lean (or any substitute you want, I used LightLife plant based crumbles)

-3 cups spinach, chopped

-2 Tbsp tomato paste

-2 tsp Rosemary

-3 Tbsp dried Parsley

-Salt and Pepper to taste

-3/4 cup shredded cheese, divided (you can use anything here, but I used a mozzarella blend)

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.

2. To cut squash open, place a rubber mat under the cutting board and a towel on top. Place squash on the towel and cut through using long serrated knife, cut all around. You might get some help from a meat tenderizer but I found it wasn’t necessary. Now scoop out the seeds.

3. Place squash cut side up on a large baking sheet. Brush with 1 tbsp of oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake for 30 minutes.

4. In the meantime, prepare the stuffing by first placing large skillet on a low-medium heat. Add remaining avocado oil and tilt the skillet to coat. Add onion and garlic; cook until translucent, stirring occasionally. Now add turkey and cook for another 7 minutes, stirring and breaking into pieces. Add remaining ingredients (except cheese) and cook for a few more minutes. Remove from heat and stir in 1/2 cup cheese.

5. Stuff opening of each pre-roasted and somewhat cooled squash-half with stuffing, dividing evenly. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Return to the oven and bake for another 25 minutes or until tops start to turn golden brown. Serve hot.