The recipe which is going to be discussed here provides us with an end product that has roasted butternut squash halves filled with a savory mixture of sausage, apples, onions, and herbs. It's a delicious and comforting dish that's perfect for fall or winter. Plus, it's easy to make and can be customized with different types of sausage, apples, or seasonings to suit your taste.
The combination of savory sausage and sweet apple pairs perfectly with the nutty and earthy flavor of the roasted squash. It's a satisfying and wholesome meal that's sure to please everyone at the table.
HOW TO ROAST BUTTERNUT SQUASH
To roast butternut squash, you need to follow these simple steps:
- Preheat your oven to 200°c
- Cut the butternut squash in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds and stringy bits with a spoon.
- Brush the inside and outside of the squash halves with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- Place the squash halves cut side down on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or aluminum foil.
- Roast the squash in the preheated oven for 40-50 minutes, or until the flesh is tender and easily pierced with a fork.
- Remove the squash from the oven and let it cool for a few minutes before using it in your recipe.
Roasting butternut squash is a simple and easy way to bring out its natural sweetness and enhance its flavor. The roasted squash can be used in a variety of dishes, including soups, salads, and side dishes.
HOW TO MAKE STUFFED BUTTERNUT SQUASH
As we have roasted the butternut squash, before I start my recipe, I will tell you the ingredients which are needed to make this recipe tasty and nice looking. Here are the ingredients:
- Butternut squashes
- Olive oil
- Ground sausage
- Chopped onion,
- Chopped apple
- Chopped garlic
- Dried thyme
- Salt and pepper
- Bread crumbs
- Shredded parmesan cheese
Now as we have all the ingredients present to us so we can go ahead to start making our recipe by following the steps below:
- Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C).
- Cut the butternut squash in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds and stringy bits with a spoon.
- Brush the inside and outside of the squash halves with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- Place the squash halves cut side down on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or aluminum foil.
- Roast the squash in the preheated oven for 40-50 minutes, or until the flesh is tender and easily pierced with a fork.
- While the squash is roasting, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground sausage, onion, apple, garlic, thyme, salt, and pepper. Cook for 10-12 minutes or until the sausage is browned and the vegetables are softened.
- Remove the sausage mixture from the heat and stir in the bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese.
- Once the squash is done roasting, remove the baking sheet from the oven and flip over the squash halves so that the cut side is facing up.
- Spoon the sausage mixture into the hollowed-out squash halves, dividing it evenly between them.
- Return the baking sheet to the oven and bake the stuffed squash for an additional 10-15 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and the sausage mixture is heated through.
- Remove the stuffed squash from the oven and let it cool for a few minutes before serving.
GET CREATIVE WITH THE STUFFING
In this recipe, I have used apple and sausage which give a tremendous combination as far as flavor is concerned. But, as per your own choice, you can switch to any other stuffing like:
- Diced chicken can be a good replacement for sausage which also has a great taste as well.
- Meat can be replaced with quinoa or rice if someone wants to have vegan food.
- Kale or mushrooms can be used to replace Spanish.
- Parmesan cheese can be sprinkled on it if you want to make it more cheesy and waxy.
APPLE SAUSAGE STUFFED BUTTERNUT SQUASH
Ingredients
- 2 ½ pound butternut squash
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil, or olive oil
- salt and pepper, to taste
- ½ pound Italian sausage
- ½ onion, diced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 cups (lightly packed) baby spinach
- 1 apple, diced
- 1 tablespoon fresh sage, finely chopped
- ½ tablespoon fresh rosemary, finely chopped
- ⅓ cup dried cranberries, unsweetened
- ¼ cup pecans, chopped
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400 degrees fahrenheit (200 degrees celsius).
- Slice the butternut squash in half with a very sharp knife. You can also cut the ends off and microwave for 2 minutes, to make it easier to slice in half lengthwise.
- Scoop the seeds out of the butternut squash with a spoon.
- Lightly oil the butternut squash and season with salt and pepper.
- Lay the butternut squash, cut side down on a baking sheet and bake for 40-45 minutes.
- While the butternut squash is cooking, add the sausage to a saute pan on medium heat. Use a spatula to break up the sausage and cook until it's just browned.
- Add the onions, garlic and baby spinach to the pan and stir for 2-3 minutes, or until the spinach is wilted.
- Add the apple, sage and rosemary and cook for another 2-3 minutes, or until the apple has softened slightly.
- Turn off the heat and stir in the cranberries and pecans.
- When the butternut squash halves are cooked through, remove them from the oven, flip them over and remove some of the flesh (but leave plenty to enjoy!) to make room for the filling. Save this removed flesh and turn it into mashed butternut squash to enjoy later!
- Fill the butternut squash with the apple sausage filling.
- Turn the top broiler on the oven and bake the filled butternut squash for 5 minutes, or until they're golden on top. Serve immediately.
LISA'S TIPS
- Depending on the size of your butternut squash, you may have leftovers of the sausage apple filling. This is great mixed with sauteed cauliflower rice for a nourishing lunch.
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