Easy Baked Acorn Squash with Sausage and Apple Filling
You can whip up this easy, filling, fall-inspired meal in just one hour! It’s the perfect balance of sweet and savory. It warms you right up from the inside out and you will truly feel good after eating it!
I’m all about eating a hearty meal that satisfies my cravings but doesn’t leave me bloated, and this meal does the trick. The acorn squash is packed with vitamins and minerals, and the protein from the ground beef adds really fills up your belly. Then, that delicious layer of melty cheese on top is just for good measure. Or if you’re dairy-free, simply skip the cheese! This meal is just as delicious without it.
The sweet, tart apple combined with the cozy flavors of sage and thyme is a match made in heaven (and in your mouth). Once you try it, you will be making this meal again and again.
Easy Baked Acorn Squash with Sausage and Apple Filling
Ingredients
- 1 acorn squash
- .5 lb. ground pork
- 1 small white onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 red apple, chopped
- 2 tbsp. olive oil
- kosher salt and black pepper, to taste
- 1 tsp dried sage
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- ½ cup shredded parmesan cheese, optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Microwave acorn squash for 2-3 minutes to soften and make it easier to cut. Cut squash in half, scooping out seeds with a spoon. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake cut side up for 40 minutes or until soft.
- Heat 1 tsp olive oil in a skillet over medium heat and cook ground pork until browned. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Remove from the pan and set aside on a plate lined with a paper towel to absorb the excess fat.
- In the same pan, sauté garlic in the leftover pork fat until fragrant (about 30 seconds). Add onion and apple to the pan and continue cooking for 5-7 minutes. Add cooked pork back into the pan and add sage and thyme.
- Remove acorn squash from the oven and fill with pork mixture. Bake for 10 more minutes or until heated through. (If topping with cheese, add it for the last 5 minutes of bake time!)