Sausage and Wild Rice–Stuffed Acorn Squash

Sausage and Wild Rice–Stuffed Acorn Squash

Roasted acorn squash becomes its own serving bowl in this hearty fall dinner. Ground sausage and mushrooms make the filling savory and satisfying, while Wood Parched Cultivated Wild Rice from The Secret Garden gives it a nutty bite. Dried cranberries and toasted pecans finish it with a little tartness and crunch.

Serves: 4
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: About 40–50 minutes, plus the rice's package cooking time

Ingredients

  • 2 medium acorn squash
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 3/4 cup dry Wood Parched Cultivated Wild Rice
  • Water or broth in the amount specified on the rice package
  • 1/2 lb ground pork sausage
  • 1 small onion, finely diced
  • 8 oz mushrooms, chopped
  • 1 tsp chopped fresh thyme, or 1/2 tsp dried thyme
  • 1/3 cup dried cranberries
  • 1/3 cup toasted pecans, roughly chopped
  • 2 tbsp chopped parsley, optional

Directions

  1. Heat the oven to 400°F. Halve the squash from stem to tip and scoop out the seeds. Rub the cut sides with olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and set cut-side down on a baking sheet. Roast for 35–45 minutes, until the flesh is tender when pierced with a fork.
  2. Meanwhile, cook the wild rice using the liquid amount and timing on its package. Drain any excess liquid if needed.
  3. In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the ground sausage, breaking it into crumbles, until browned and cooked through. Transfer it to a plate. Leave about a tablespoon of the rendered fat in the pan; drain off any extra.
  4. Cook the onion in the skillet for 3–4 minutes until softened. Add the mushrooms and cook for 6–8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until their moisture cooks off and they begin to brown. Stir in the thyme.
  5. Return the cooked sausage to the skillet and fold in the wild rice, dried cranberries, and toasted pecans. Taste before adding salt; sausage may already be well seasoned. Turn the squash halves cut-side up and spoon in the filling. Return to the oven for 5 minutes to heat through.
  6. Scatter with parsley if using and serve warm. Each squash half makes one hearty serving.

Make-ahead tip: Cook the rice and sausage-mushroom filling a day ahead. Roast and fill the squash just before serving, reheating the filling until hot throughout.

Shop the featured Wood Parched Cultivated Wild Rice.

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