Rustic Stuffed Acorn Squash
Roasted acorn squash is filled with ground pork, apples, sage and mushrooms to create a meal that’s hearty and delicious. Par-cooking the squash before stuffing it ensures it’s tender. You could prepare the filling ahead of time, then stuff and roast the squash right before you’re ready to serve.
Ingredients
- 2 acorn squash cut in half lengthwise
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoons butter
- ½ large white onion chopped
- ½ cup chopped shiitake mushrooms
- 1 tablespoon fresh sage
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme
- 1 teaspoon fresh rosemary
- ¼ cup red wine
- 1 pound ground pork
- ¾ cup chopped apples
- Toasted walnuts
- Pomegranate seeds
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
- Prepare the acorn squash by slicing them in half lengthwise. Place the squash halves on a roasting pan and drizzle with olive oil. Par-cook the squash in the oven for 20–30 minutes, or until you can prick the squash with a paring knife but it’s still slightly firm. Set aside.
- Meanwhile, prepare the filling. Over medium-high heat, add the butter to a sauté pan. Add onions, mushrooms and herbs. Cook until the onions begin to soften and the mushrooms are tender. Deglaze the pan with the ¼ cup of red wine. Simmer for 3–5 minutes, until most of the liquid has evaporated. Add the pork and the apples. Cook until the pork is browned through. Remove the filling mixture from the heat.
- Once the filling is cooked, fill each squash half with the mixture. Place the stuffed squash in the oven and roast for 30 more minutes. Remove from the oven. Top with toasted walnuts and pomegranate seeds.
