Sausage & Rice Stuffed Acorn Squash Recipe
Are you looking for a delicious and healthy dinner, lunch, or side dish? Try this Sausage & Rice Stuffed Acorn Squash recipe brought to you by Chef John from Food Wishes. This recipe combines the sweetness of acorn squash, the spiciness of lamb sausage, and the comforting flavors of rice. It's a beautiful and flavorful way to use those gorgeous gourds. While it may take some time to bake, the preparation is very fast and easy. The hardest part? Cutting the acorn squash in half because they are really hard. Make sure you have a sharp knife and follow Chef John's tips to cut them evenly and safely.
Once you have your acorn squash halves, scrape out the seeds and fibers, and lightly oil the casserole dish. Prepare the stuffing by removing the casing from the marigaze sausage and crumbling it up in a bowl. Add salt, freshly ground black pepper, cumin, cinnamon, finely diced red bell peppers, fresh mint, one large egg, and a little yogurt or buttermilk. Mix everything well until the meat becomes a paste-like consistency. Add cooked rice and combine thoroughly.
Next, fill the four acorn squash halves with the stuffing, packing it down evenly. Sprinkle some bread crumbs, parmesan cheese, and a drizzle of olive oil over the top for a flavorful crust. Cover the dish loosely with foil and bake it in a 350-degree oven for one hour.
After an hour, test the acorn squash's tenderness with a skewer. It should start to get tender but not be too soft. If needed, bake it uncovered for another 30-45 minutes until the top is golden brown and the squash is very soft and tender.
Once done, let the dish cool for about 15 minutes before digging in. The combination of the sweet squash, spicy sausage, comforting rice, and exotic seasonings creates a glorious and tasty meal. It's a healthy and flavorful option, perfect for any occasion.
Ingredients:
- Acorn squash
- Marigaze sausage (spicy lamb sausage)
- Salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Cumin
- Cinnamon
- Red bell peppers (finely diced)
- Fresh mint
- One large egg
- Yogurt or buttermilk
- Cooked rice
- Bread crumbs
- Parmesan cheese
- Olive oil (for drizzling)
Cooking steps:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Carefully cut the acorn squash in half.
- Remove the seeds and fibers from the squash.
- Lightly oil a casserole dish.
- Remove the casing from the marigaze sausage and crumble it up in a bowl.
- Add salt, black pepper, cumin, cinnamon, diced red bell peppers, fresh mint, one large egg, and yogurt/buttermilk to the bowl.
- Mix everything well until the meat becomes a paste-like consistency.
- Add cooked rice to the bowl and combine thoroughly.
- Fill the acorn squash halves with the stuffing mixture and pack it down evenly.
- Sprinkle bread crumbs, parmesan cheese, and drizzle olive oil over the top.
- Cover the dish loosely with foil and bake for one hour.
- Test the tenderness of the acorn squash with a skewer.
- If needed, bake uncovered for another 30-45 minutes until golden brown and soft.
- Let it cool for 15 minutes before serving.
- Enjoy the delicious Sausage & Rice Stuffed Acorn Squash!
