Description
Delicious and hearty stuffed acorn squash filled with a savory farro, bacon or sausage, and scallion mixture, roasted to tender perfection and topped with Parmesan cheese. Ideal for a comforting fall or winter meal packed with flavor and wholesome ingredients.
Ingredients
Scale
Squash
- 2 Acorn Squash – cut in half, stem to root; scoop seeds out & discarded
- 1 TBS Olive Oil
- Kosher Salt & Pepper – to taste
Stock
- 4 Cups Unsalted Chicken Stock mixed with 4 Cups of water – warmed
Filling
- 10-12 ounces Bacon or Sausage – cut into bite sized pieces or removed from casing if using sausage links
- 2 bunches Scallions – thinly sliced; green and white/light green parts separated (about 10 scallions)
- 2 Cups Farro
- 1 clove Garlic – minced
- ½ Cup Dry White Wine (Chardonnay recommended)
- 2 tsp Lemon Juice
- ½ cup Parmesan – finely grated, plus more for topping
- Kosher Salt & Pepper – to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven: Set your oven to 375°F and arrange the racks to the lower middle position to ensure even roasting of the squash halves.
- Roast acorn squash halves: Place the squash cut side down in a large baking dish. Add hot water to fill the pan about ¼ inch deep and cover loosely with foil. Roast until the squash is just barely fork-tender, about 30-40 minutes. Carefully remove from the oven, pour out the water, flip the squash so the cut sides face up, and set aside in the baking dish.
- Cook bacon or sausage: Heat a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the bacon or sausage pieces and cook, stirring often to break up the meat, until fully cooked, about 6-9 minutes. Transfer the meat to a paper towel-lined plate with a slotted spoon and set aside.
- Toast farro: Pour off all but 1 tablespoon of fat from the saucepan. Add the farro to the pot and toss to coat in the fat. Cook while stirring often until the farro is toasted, about 4-5 minutes. Remove from the pan and transfer to a bowl.
- Add aromatics and deglaze: Add 1 tablespoon olive oil to the saucepan. Add the white and light green parts of the sliced scallions, seasoning with ¼ teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Cook until softened, about 2 minutes. Stir in minced garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Pour in the white wine, increase heat to medium-high, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the wine has almost evaporated, about 2-4 minutes.
- Cook farro with stock: Reduce heat to between medium and medium-high. Add the toasted farro back into the saucepan. Slowly add the warmed chicken stock-water mixture one cup at a time, stirring until nearly all liquid is absorbed before adding the next cup. Continue this process, stirring often to prevent sticking, until the farro is tender but still firm to the bite, about 45 minutes. You may not need all the stock.
- Finish filling: Stir in the cooked bacon or sausage, lemon juice, half of the green parts of the scallions, and ½ cup of grated Parmesan cheese. Taste the mixture and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as needed.
- Stuff the squash halves: Lightly rub the inside of the roasted squash halves with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Generously divide the filling among the squash halves, mounding the mixture on top for a hearty presentation.
- Bake stuffed squash: Cover the baking dish loosely with foil and bake in the oven for 15 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another 5 minutes until heated through and the tops start to brown slightly.
- Serve: Remove from the oven, sprinkle with additional Parmesan cheese and fresh herbs if desired. Serve warm and enjoy!
Notes
- Sausage/Bacon options: Either bacon or sausage can be used based on preference or cost. Ground sausage works well, and Italian sausage varieties (chicken or turkey) add great flavor. Sweet, spicy, or mild varieties all work great.
- Stock warming: To warm the chicken stock and water, you can use a microwave or gently heat on the stovetop until warm but not boiling, keeping it ready to use for cooking the farro.
- Stock quantity: You might not need all of the stock mixture, depending on farro absorption.
- Make-ahead tip: Stuffing can be prepared in advance and refrigerated in an airtight container. When reheating, stir in lemon juice at the end, but add sausage/bacon and cheese fresh after warming with a bit of stock, then proceed with stuffing and baking as directed.
- Adaptation: The farro stuffing recipe is adapted from Bon Appetit.
- Nutritional estimates: The nutrition facts are approximate and based on 4 servings, varying with exact brands and measurements.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 stuffed acorn squash half
- Calories: 619 kcal
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 857 mg
- Fat: 10 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 105 g
- Fiber: 19 g
- Protein: 26 g
- Cholesterol: 8 mg
