Description

Cheesy Stuffed Acorn Squash is a hearty and savory dish featuring roasted acorn squash halves filled with a flavorful mixture of ground chicken, sautéed mushrooms, onions, celery, crisp apple, fresh herbs, and parmesan cheese, all topped with melted mozzarella and sharp cheddar cheese. It’s a comforting, family-friendly meal perfect for fall or winter, combining sweet and savory flavors with a satisfying cheesy finish.

Ingredients

Scale

Acorn Squash

2 medium acorn squash (around 2 lb each; use 3 if smaller)
2 tablespoons olive oil
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

Filling

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
1 pound (450g) ground chicken (or ground turkey, beef, or mild Italian sausage)
8 ounces cremini mushrooms, sliced
1 small yellow onion, diced
1 rib celery, diced
1 sweet crisp apple, peeled, cored and diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons fresh chopped thyme (or rosemary or a mix)
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
⅓ cup shredded parmesan cheese

Topping

1 cup shredded cheese (a mix of mozzarella and sharp cheddar recommended)

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Instructions

Preheat and Prepare Squash: Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Cut each acorn squash in half and carefully scoop out the seeds using a spoon or ice cream scoop, then discard the seeds.
Roast Squash: Place the squash halves cut side up on a sheet pan. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons olive oil, season with ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon black pepper. Roast for 30-40 minutes or until the flesh is fork-tender.
Cook Filling Base: In a skillet over medium-high heat, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil and melt 1 tablespoon butter. Add the ground chicken and cook until browned and cooked through.
Sauté Vegetables and Apple: Add sliced mushrooms, diced onion, celery, and apple to the skillet. Cook for 4-5 minutes until onions are soft and translucent.
Add Aromatics and Seasoning: Stir in minced garlic, fresh thyme, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Cook for an additional 30 seconds to release the flavors.
Incorporate Cheese: Remove skillet from heat and mix in ⅓ cup shredded parmesan cheese.
Scoop Squash Flesh: Once squash halves are cool enough to handle, carefully scoop out the flesh leaving about ¼ inch thick walls to avoid poking holes, using a spoon or ice cream scoop.
Combine and Fill: Add the scooped squash flesh to the filling mixture and stir until well combined. Divide the filling evenly among the 4 squash halves.
Add Cheese Topping and Bake: Top each filled squash half with the 1 cup shredded cheese mixture. Return to the oven and roast for 5 minutes.
Broil for Finish: Broil the squash halves for an additional 2 minutes or until the cheese topping is bubbling and lightly browned.

Notes

Use medium-sized acorn squash around 2 pounds each to get the perfect filling to squash ratio.
The filling is versatile: ground turkey, beef, or mild Italian sausage can substitute for chicken.
Fresh thyme or rosemary can be used for aromatic herb flavor.
The cheese topping can be any meltable cheese but mozzarella and sharp cheddar offer great taste and meltiness.
Be careful when scooping out the flesh to avoid creating holes that cause filling to leak.
This dish works well as a vegetarian option if you omit the meat and add more vegetables or beans.
Broiling at the end gives the cheese a nice golden crust but watch carefully to avoid burning.

Nutrition

Serving Size: ½ acorn squash with filling and cheese
Calories: 531 kcal
Sugar: 7 g
Sodium: 1001 mg
Fat: 31 g
Saturated Fat: 11 g
Unsaturated Fat: 18 g
Trans Fat: 0.2 g
Carbohydrates: 35 g
Fiber: 5 g
Protein: 33 g
Cholesterol: 133 mg