Turkey & Cranberry Stuffed Acorn Squash

Last week I wrote about hanging on to summer with this summer squash dish.  Now that it’s mid-month, I’m slowly starting to embrace October.  I even stocked up at my favorite local farm market on some fall squashes – spaghetti and acorn.  I have spaghetti squash mastered, but acorn I typically just roast and use as a side dish. This time it became the star of the meal.This Turkey & Cranberry Stuffed Acorn Squash recipe was inspired by a posting one of my girlfriend’s put up on Facebook.  The original recipe featured sausage, which is not something I eat, so I re-worked this recipe to feature a leaner meat of ground turkey.  And since I’m finally coming to terms with this whole “fall” thing, I even put a Thanksgiving spin on the dish with the addition of cranberries.

Acorn squash is bursting with antioxidants from the high amounts of vitamins A and C. Throw in some healthy B vitamins, including folate, along with a rich source of fiber, and you have the perfect base for a meal.  The ground turkey provides a lean source of protein, while the sweet cranberries add antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-cancer benefits (just make sure to use a low sugar variety).  Save the seeds from inside the squash to roast for 10-15 minutes in a 350ºF oven using a little olive oil and your favorite seasoning for a satisfying snack of protein, fiber, magnesium, and zinc.

Mr E, who is very vocal in his dislike of most things squash, gave this one 2 thumbs up.  If you have a squash hater in the house, give this one a try.  It may even make them re-think their relationship with squash!

RECOMMENDED ITEMS: chef’s knife, large non-stick skillet, measuring cups & spoon set, silicone spatula

Try out this Turkey & Cranberry Stuffed Acorn Squash for your next fall-themed dinner.  

Tell me what you think by giving a shout in the Comments below. 

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Turkey & Cranberry Stuffed Acorn Squash

Print Pin Rate

Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour hour

Total Time: 1 hour hour

Servings: 4 servings

Calories:

Ingredients

For the Squash:

• 2 acorn squash See Notes
• 2 TB extra virgin olive oil See Notes
• Fresh ground pepper for seasoning

For the Filling:

• 1 TB extra virgin olive oil
• 2 shallots chopped
• 1 tsp fresh ground pepper
• 1 tsp dried ground rosemary
• 1 cup mushrooms coarsely chopped
• 3 cloves garlic finely minced
• 1 pound ground turkey
• 1/2 dried cranberries
• 1 C seasoned breadcrumbs See Notes
• 1/2 C grated asiago cheese plus extra for topping
• 1 TB fresh chopped parsley

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 400ºF. Cut the top and bottom off of squash to create a flat surface, then cut squash in half to create to "bowls". Discard the seeds (See Notes). Pour 2 TB olive oil over the flesh of the squash and sprinkle with fresh ground pepper. Roast flesh side up for 40 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool once finished.
• While the squash is roasting, heat 1 TB olive oil on medium heat in large non-stick skillet. Cook shallots 3 minutes until translucent.
• Combine pepper, rosemary, mushrooms and cook for an additional 2 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds, until fragrant.
• Add turkey to mixture and cook 5-6 minutes until no longer pink.
• Mix in the cranberries, breadcrumbs, and asiago until combine and the cheese has melted. Sprinkle in parsley and remove from heat.
• Place 1 C of filling into the acorn squash, plus extra to create a rounded top. Sprinkle asiago cheese on top and cook in 400ºF oven for additional 20 minutes. Enjoy!

Notes

This recipe makes 4 servings. If you are going to make 2 servings on another night, roast the second squash that night for optimal freshness.

For additional flavor, use an herb infused olive oil. You can make your own or use a pre-made version, such as the rosemary olive oil from Carter & Cavero.

In place of seasoned breadcrumbs, use cornbread crumbs. Use day old cornbread and break down into crumbles to obtain 1 C.

Squash seeds make a delicious snack! Once they are removed, drizzle with olive oil and coat with your favorite seasoning. Roast in 350ºF oven for 15-20 minutes.

This recipe was adapted from BuzzFeed Video

Nutrition Info

1 stuffed squash= 479 calories, 13g fat (3g sat fat), 62g carbs, 6g fiber, 32g protein, 367 mg sodium (Source: SELF Nutrition Data)

DISCLAIMER: All opinions are my own and are not influenced or biased by any third parties. I am not compensated for mentioning any specific brands or retailers on this blog.