Stuffed Acorn Squash with Buttered Sage Breadcrumbs is the perfect fall comfort dish. A filling of ground pork, celery, shallots, garlic, and apples is finished with delicious golden raisins and fresh sage and thyme. It all gets tossed with cubes of sharp Irish cheddar and stuffed inside tender roasted acorn squash. And the best part? These are topped with buttered sage breadcrumbs, which you can’t even imagine until you taste them. They are phenomenal. Caramelized squash, savory herbs, melty cheddar, crisp breadcrumbs…oh my.
Ingredients needed to make Stuffed Acorn Squash with Buttered Sage Breadcrumbs
These squash pack a lot of flavor, and therefore the ingredient list is semi-long. Don’t fret. It’s a super easy process and everything gets made in one skillet then baked on one sheet pan. Not as overwhelming as you thought, right? Here’s what you’ll need:
- Acorn squash
- Olive oil
- Ground pork
- Shallots
- Celery
- Apple
- Fresh or dried sage
- Fresh or dried thyme
- Fresh garlic
- Golden raisins
- Sharp Irish cheddar
- Salt and pepper
- Sourdough or other crusty bread
- Butter
Tools used to make Stuffed Acorn Squash with Buttered Sage Breadcrumbs
The filling for these squash comes together in one skillet, which makes for pretty easy clean-up. You’ll also need a sharp knife, large cutting board, a chopper or food processor (to make the breadcrumbs), and a sheet pan or baking dish. That’s a small list, right?!
How to make Stuffed Acorn Squash with Buttered Sage Breadcrumbs
Making these squash requires a few steps. First, we need to prep and chop our vegetables. You’ll want to wash and dry everything before use, then start by halving and cleaning the seeds out of the squash. Set those aside and finish chopping the shallots, celery, apples, and garlic. If you’re using fresh herbs, you can also take this time to mince those up.
The squash get roasted with olive oil, salt, and pepper, for about 35-40 minutes until fork tender. Moving on to the filling, begin by heating your skillet over medium heat. You’ll sauté the pork along with the shallots and celery until the pork is cooked, then add the apples, herbs, and garlic and cook for a few minutes more. Stir in the cheddar, stuff into the squash, and top with those delicious buttered sage breadcrumbs (which take about 2 minutes to make by the way). Lastly, you’ll pop them back in the oven to melt that cheese and get the breadcrumbs nice and golden. Perfection!
Looking for other flavorful autumn recipes?
Try these other comforting dishes from The Ardent Cook!
Potato, Leek, and Corn Chowder
Harvest Steak and Goat Cheese Bowls
Recipe Ingredients
For the Stuffed Acorn Squash
2 large acorn squash
1 tbsp olive oil
1lb ground pork
2 medium shallots, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
1 medium apple, diced
½ tsp dried or 2 tsp fresh sage
¼ tsp dried or 1 tsp fresh thyme
2 cloves garlic, minced
½ cup golden raisins
½ cup sharp Irish cheddar, diced into small cubes
Salt and pepper, top taste
For the Buttered Sage Breadcrumbs
2-3 large slices sourdough or other crusty bread
3-4 fresh sage leaves
2 tbsp butter
Salt and pepper, to taste
Recipe Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Cut squash in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds and strings. Drizzle each half with olive oil, then sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake, cut side down, for 45 minutes or until squash are fork tender.
- In a large skillet, brown the pork, shallots, and celery, about 5-7 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add the apple, sage, thyme, and garlic and cook for an additional 3-4 minutes, until the apple is just soft.
- Make the breadcrumbs. Pulse the bread in a food processor or high speed blender until a crumb forms. Melt butter in a skillet and add the sage leaves. Fry the sage leaves for 1-2 minutes until crispy, then add the breadcrumbs and stir to coat in the butter. Season with salt and pepper. Remove the sage leaves and set the breadcrumbs aside.
- Remove the filling from the heat and fold in the golden raisins and cheddar cubes. Spoon the filling into each half of the squash and top with the breadcrumbs. Return to the oven for another 10 minutes, or until breadcrumbs are golden brown.
- Serve immediately, or wrap tightly in foil and store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. When ready to eat, place the entire foil-wrapped squash half on a sheet tray and heat in the oven at 350 for 10-15 minutes. Enjoy!
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