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Indulge in all the best flavors of fall with my Sausage Stuffed Squash recipe! With tender, savory sausage cooked in buttery squash to infuse it with flavor, this easy main course recipe is prepped in no time for a delicious treat all year.
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Tools to Make Stuffed Squash
- A heavy cutting board for slicing up the squash.
- A very sharp, large kitchen knife. You'll want the heftiest, sharpest knife you've got to cut through the squash.
- A metal spoon for scooping out the squash seeds.
- A mixing bowl for making the stuffing.
- A baking sheet.
- A cheese grater.
Ingredients in Sausage Stuffed Squash
- Italian sausage: I used sausage links, but any sort of raw Italian sausage will work. Alternatively, you can change things up by using sage sausage or hot sausage.
- Winter squash: My favorite is Red Kuri squash, which is what I've used here. However, acorn squash will work wonderfully too.
- Bread: Use fresh bread slices, not breadcrumbs. They're much softer and result in remarkably more tender, fluffy filling.
- Milk: I prefer whole milk as it has more fat for a fluffier squash stuffing.
- Garlic: Whole garlic cloves or garlic paste will work best.
- Egg: Used as a binder. You can also use Greek yogurt.
- Parsley: I recommend fresh for the best flavor and texture.
- Crushed red pepper: Leave out if you want to reduce heat.
- Cheddar cheese: Always use block cheese and grate it yourself! You can also use Monterey Jack, pepperjack, or mozzarella and parmesan cheese.
- Olive oil: For drizzling and keeping the squash from sticking.
- Salt and pepper: To taste! You will not need to add almost any salt as Italian Sausage is usually well salted already.
Optional Fillings
- Onion, sauteed or caramelized
- Chopped apples and sage
- Cooked grains such as quinoa or wild rice
- More fresh herbs like rosemary or thyme
Hi, I'm Isabel! I've been sharing my recipes online, in cookbooks, and in TV specials since 2012. The most important thing to me is Sunday supper with my family, and inspiring togetherness with my recipes!
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How to Make Stuffed Squash
How to Slice Squash and Remove Seeds
Step 1: Scrub the squash. Scrub your squash very well under running water, especially if you're using red kuri squash because the skin is edible. I recommend using a clean scrub brush to thoroughly clean the skin.
Step 2: Cut the squash in half.
First, judge the size of the squash: if they're very small, you can simply cut out the stem like a jack-o-lantern instead of slicing them in half. For larger squash, you will need to slice them in half.
Slice a small piece of skin off one side of the squash to give it a solid base. Then pierce the squash with your knife in the center and slice up and down the length of it, from stem to base. Be very careful and make sure to always cut away from yourself and hands. It will likely split naturally around the stem.
Once sliced in half, cut off another small section of skin from the bottom of the other half so both sides have a base to sit on.
Step 3: Scoop out seeds. Using a sturdy metal spoon, scoop the seeds out of the squash, giving the edges a good scrape to ensure none of the stringy squash flesh remains. Save the seeds for making roast pepitas!
Step 4: Oil and set aside. Brush a little oil on all the exposed squash flesh, including the bottom bit it will rest on. Then place the squash aside on a baking tray lined with parchment paper and set aside.
Making the Stuffing for Squash
Step 1: Soak the bread. Break 2 slices of bread up into pieces, then place them in a bowl and soak them in the milk for 5 minutes. Make sure the bread is nice and saturated with milk. This can be done with breadcrumbs, but the fluffiness of bread is truly unmatched.
Step 2: Remove the crusts for topping. Tear the crusts off the bread and chop them up, then set them aside for later. Squeeze the milk out of the rest of the bread and tear it up or mash it with a spoon into tiny pieces.
Step 3: Prepare herbs, garlic, and sausage. Mince the garlic cloves and fresh parsley. If you're using sausage in casings, remove the meat from the casings. You can skip this step if you're using sausage that doesn't have casing.
Step 4: Combine the stuffing ingredients. Place the sausage, garlic, parsley, soaked bread, crushed red pepper, and the egg in a large bowl. Mix, using your hands, for no more than 45 seconds, until well mixed but no longer. Mixing ground meat for too long breaks up the meat fibers and makes it dense and dry.
Baking Stuffed Squash
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 375°F.
Step 2: Stuff the squash. Stuff each squash half with the Italian Sausage mixture. It should heap out of the squash a bit, as the meat will shrink as it cooks and releases moisture.
Step 3: Add toppings. Top the sausage mixture with the retained chopped bread crusts, freshly grated cheese, and a drizzle of olive oil. You can also add more fresh herbs if you'd like.
Step 4: Roast! Cover the squash in aluminum foil, then roast them for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes have passed, remove the foil, and roast another 30 minutes until the squash is tender when poked with a fork. Remove, serve, and enjoy!
Stuffed Squash Recipe Tips
- Make sure to use a very sharp knife and be careful cutting the squash. Squash is heavy and hard, and it's easy to hurt yourself trying to slice it. Follow my detailed instructions to ensure safe squash slicing.
- Larger squash may take longer cook times. Make sure to test the tenderness of the squash before removing it from the oven. Stuffed butternut squash, for example, takes at least 10-15 more minutes.
- You can change up the ground meat if you prefer. Or, use any ground meat you'd like and add your own sausage seasonings.
- Make this meal gluten-free by using gluten free bread for the stuffing.
- Always shred your own cheese. Using pre-shredded cheese will result in cheese that melts poorly and looks clumpy due to the anti-caking agent sprinkled on shredded cheese.
What to Serve with Stuffed Squash
FAQ
Typically, you'll want fairly small, round squash with large cavities for stuffed squash. Acorn squash is a classic choice as it's regularly available and has a nice, mild texture and flavor. However, my favorite is Red Kuri squash, which has a chestnut-like flavor and edible skin. If you can find it, I highly recommend it.
Yes! You can fully bake the squash, then reheat them in the oven when it's time to eat. I do not recommend storing them before they're baked as the raw meat can become unsafe to eat.
Stuffed Squash Recipe
Today's recipe is a cold weather classic that I can't help but keep making no matter the season! Stuffed squash with sausage is one of those comfort foods that gets everything right. It's a filling main course packed with flavor and protein, comes together in no time, and let's not forget, stuffed squash recipes are just so much fun to serve!
This is my personal favorite way to serve stuffed squash: with Italian sausage, herbs, and fluffy breadcrumbs. This essentially turns the filling into an extra fluffy and flavorful meatball that infuses the squash flesh with flavor as it cooks so every bite is as delicious as the last.
You can use pretty much any kind of squash for this recipe, so use your favorite. I highly recommend trying Red Kuri squash, also known as Hokkaido pumpkin, but you can use acorn or delicata squash or even butternut or spaghetti squash.
Stuffed Squash
Ingredients
- 4 links Italian sausage
- 2 medium Winter squash - Red Kuri, Acorn, or other
- 2 slices bread
- ½ cup milk
- 2 cloves garlic - minced
- 1 large egg
- ¼ cup parsley
- 2 tsp. crushed red pepper
- ½ cup cheddar - freshly grated
- olive oil - for drizzling
- salt - to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F and grease a small pan with olive oil.
- Wash the squash well and slice them lengthwise, from stem to base. Check my detailed instructions below for how to safely slice squash.
- Slice a sliver off of the bottom of each squash half so the halves sit flat, then place them in the oiled pan.
- Break 2 slices of bread into pieces and soak them in ½ cup milk for 5 minutes.
- Remove the crust of the bread and break it into crumbs with your hands or a food processor. Leave the crust crumbs aside for topping. Squeeze the bread slices to wring out most of the milk and mash or slice into a paste.
- Mince the garlic and parsley, and remove the sausage from their casing. Combine in a large bowl alongside the crushed red pepper and egg.
- Mix well with your hands for 35-45 seconds, until well mixed but not so much it becomes tough.
- Stuff your squash halves with the Italian sausage mixture.
- Top with the crust breadcrumbs and sprinkle with olive oil and ½ cup grated cheddar.
- Roast in your preheated oven for about 30 minutes covered with aluminum foil, and then another 30 minutes uncovered, until the squash is tender when you poke it with a fork. The cheddar on top should be a nice golden brown.
Notes
- Make sure to use a very sharp knife and be careful cutting the squash. Squash is heavy and hard, and it's easy to hurt yourself trying to slice it. Follow my detailed instructions to ensure safe squash slicing.
- Larger squash may take longer cook times. Make sure to test the tenderness of the squash before removing it from the oven. Stuffed butternut squash, for example, takes at least 10-15 more minutes.
- You can change up the ground meat if you prefer. Or, use any ground meat you'd like and add your own sausage seasonings.
- Make this meal gluten-free by using gluten free bread for the stuffing.
- Always shred your own cheese. Using pre-shredded cheese will result in cheese that melts poorly and looks clumpy due to the anti-caking agent sprinkled on shredded cheese.
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