Stuffed Acorn Squash With Chicken & Apple Sausage and Wild Rice
1 h 25 min
|
intermediate
Recipe by Eunice
Introduction
Roasted acorn squash gets stuffed with juicy chicken apple sausage, nutty wild rice simmered in chicken broth with a touch of bouillon, and tart cranberries, so every bite hits sweet, savory, and cozy spice.
Make it for a weeknight or your holiday spread, and if you finish with the warm maple glaze you get that glossy, can't-stop-eating-it finish that feels like a full meal and reheats like a champ.
Ingredients (4 servings)
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Ingredients for the Squash:
- 2 medium acorn squash, halved lengthwise, seeds removed acorn squash 2 lb medium
- 2 Tbsp olive oil olive oil
- 1 tsp kosher salt kosher salt 0.13 oz
- ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper black peppercorns (for freshly ground black pepper)
Ingredients for the Stuffing:
- 12 oz smoked chicken & apple sausage, removed from casing smoked chicken & apple sausage links 12 oz
- 1 cup uncooked wild rice blend uncooked wild rice blend 0.4 lb
- 3 cups chicken broth chicken broth 24 fl oz
- 1 Tbsp olive oil olive oil
- 1 small onion, diced onion 1 ct small
- 2 fresh celery stalks, diced fresh celery 2.67 oz
- ½ cup dried cranberries dried cranberries 2.82 oz
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon ground cinnamon 0.05 oz
- ¼ tsp ground nutmeg ground nutmeg 0.04 oz
- 1 tsp granulated chicken bouillon chicken bouillon powder 0.17 oz
Ingredients for Optional Warm Maple Glaze:
- ¼ cup pure maple syrup pure maple syrup 4 Tbsp
- 2 Tbsp unsalted butter unsalted butter 1 oz
- ¼ tsp ground cinnamon ground cinnamon 0.02 oz
- pinch salt salt
How to Make Stuffed Acorn Squash With Chicken & Apple Sausage and Wild Rice
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Prep and roast the squash
Heat the oven to 400 F and line a sheet pan with parchment for easy cleanup.
Rub the squash halves all over with the 2 tablespoons olive oil, then season the cut sides with the kosher salt and black pepper like you mean it.
Place cut side down on the pan and roast until the flesh is fork tender and the edges caramelize, 35 to 45 minutes depending on size.
If your squash are on the small side, start checking at 30 minutes because we want tender, not slumped.
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Cook the wild rice
Rinse the wild rice blend under cold water until it runs mostly clear to remove surface starch and any dust.
Combine the rice, chicken broth, and chicken bouillon in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over medium high heat.
Reduce to a gentle simmer, cover, and cook until the grains are split and pleasantly chewy, 40 to 50 minutes, then rest off heat 5 minutes.
If a little liquid remains, drain it off so the stuffing stays bouncy, not soggy.
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Brown the sausage
Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat until it shimmers.
Add the chicken apple sausage and break it into small crumbles with a spoon, letting it brown deeply for 5 to 7 minutes because color equals flavor.
Transfer the sausage to a bowl with a slotted spoon, leaving the tasty drippings in the pan.
-
Sauté aromatics and season
Add the diced onion and celery to the skillet with a pinch of salt and cook over medium heat until translucent and lightly golden, about 5 to 6 minutes.
Stir in the ground cinnamon and nutmeg and toast 30 seconds so the spices bloom and smell like fall in the best way.
Turn off the heat and fold in the dried cranberries to plump slightly in the residual heat.
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Build the stuffing
Add the cooked wild rice and browned sausage to the skillet and fold everything together gently so the grains stay intact.
Taste and adjust with black pepper or a pinch of salt if needed, remembering your broth and bouillon already brought some salt to the party.
If it looks dry, splash in a tablespoon or two of hot broth to make it juicy, not wet.
-
Stuff and finish in the oven
Flip the roasted squash cut side up and, if the cavities are small, scoop a tablespoon or two of the flesh and mix it into the stuffing for extra body.
Pack the stuffing firmly into each half until mounded, then return the squash to the oven for 10 to 15 minutes to heat through and crisp the top slightly.
-
Optional warm maple glaze
In a small saucepan over medium heat, simmer the maple syrup, unsalted butter, cinnamon, and a pinch of salt for 2 to 3 minutes until glossy.
Drizzle the warm glaze over the hot stuffed squash right before serving so it clings instead of pooling.
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Serve like you own the kitchen
Let the squash rest 5 minutes so the juices settle, then finish with a few grinds of black pepper.
Bring to the table hot because this dish is all about temperature, texture, and that sweet-savory balance.
Substitutions
- Chicken apple sausage -> turkey apple sausage or apple-sage plant-based sausage
- Turkey keeps the same sweet-lean vibe with slightly lighter richness, while a good apple-sage vegan sausage gives you that herb and apple profile with a softer bite; brown either hard to build flavor.
- Wild rice blend -> brown rice or farro
- Brown rice stays gluten free and brings a similar nutty chew with a little less pop, while farro adds a toasty, luxurious chew; adjust liquid to 2 cups for brown rice or 2.5 to 3 cups for farro and cook to tenderness.
- Dried cranberries -> dried cherries or pomegranate arils
- Dried cherries keep that tart-sweet pop with a deeper flavor, and fresh pomegranate arils added at the end give juicy bursts and bright ruby color that feels festive.
Tips
- Score the squash bowls
- Lightly crosshatch the roasted squash flesh before stuffing so juices and glaze sink in instead of sliding off.
- Salt every layer
- Season the squash, the aromatics, and the rice independently so you build round flavor instead of playing catch-up at the end.
- Get real browning on sausage
- Add the sausage to a hot pan and let it sit before stirring so it sears; those browned bits are your built-in seasoning for the whole stuffing.
- Rest the rice
- Let wild rice sit covered off heat for 5 minutes so steam redistributes and the grains firm up, which prevents a mushy stuffing.
- Make-ahead without drying out
- Stuff the squash, cover, and refrigerate up to 24 hours; reheat covered at 350 F for 20 minutes, then uncover 10 minutes, and finish with the warm glaze.
- Grill-finish for smoky edges
- Slide the stuffed squash onto a medium hot grill for 5 minutes covered to kiss the edges with smoke and add irresistible char.
- Mind the salt if using both broth and bouillon
- Bouillon plus broth can run salty, so taste the stuffing before adding more salt and let the glaze provide the sweet counterbalance.
Nutrition Facts *
| Energy | 430 | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Protein | 17 | g |
| Total Fat | 22 | g |
| Carbohydrates | 45 | g |
| Dietary Fiber | 4 | g |
* Approximate, per serving.
Data source: USDA FoodData Central.
FAQ
- My wild rice is still firm after 50 minutes; what now?
- Add 1/4 cup hot water, cover, and simmer 5 to 10 more minutes, then rest off heat; wild rice is ready when some grains split and all are pleasantly chewy.
- The stuffing tastes dry; how can I fix it?
- Fold in 2 to 3 tablespoons hot broth or a knob of butter until the rice looks glossy and clumps lightly when pressed with a spoon.
- How do I know the squash is roasted enough to stuff?
- A fork should slide into the thickest part with no resistance and the cut edges should have light caramelization, which means flavor and structure.
- Can I make this dairy free?
- Yes, use oil instead of butter in the glaze or skip the glaze and drizzle warm maple syrup with a pinch of salt for sheen and sweetness.
- Is the sausage supposed to be cooked through before stuffing?
- Yes, cook sausage fully to 165 F in the skillet so you are only reheating when the squash goes back into the oven.
- How do I store and reheat leftovers?
- Refrigerate in glass containers up to 4 days and reheat at 350 F covered for 15 minutes, then uncovered 5 minutes; microwave works, but the oven keeps the top a little crisp.
Serving Suggestions
Serve with a sharp mustardy greens salad or garlicky sautéed kale to cut the sweetness, and pour a chilled hard cider or an off-dry Riesling to keep that apple energy going.
For a little flex, crown each half with toasted pepitas for crunch or a crumble of goat cheese for tang, or finish on the grill for a smoky edge that makes the maple glaze sing.
More pairings:
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