Can you believe Thanksgiving is only a week away? I can’t. It seems like just October was just last week. It’s getting to be crunch time, and if you’re still not sure what’s going to be on your Thanksgiving table, let me introduce the third recipe in this year’s Easy Thanksgiving Sides series here on Flurries of Flour, Stuffed Acorn Squash! Seasoned turkey and sausage is mixed with greens, wild rice, and pine nuts, all nestled in a nest of roasted acorn squash. And, as with all the dishes in this series, there are only a handful of ingredients that don’t require much prep, giving you more time to focus on other aspects of your Thanksgiving feast!
You can also make this recipe vegetarian by taking out the meat. Yes, it will lose certain flavors, but with the rice and the veggies, it’s still fantastic! I actually served this a few years ago to my mom’s boyfriend’s family when they flew in for Thanksgiving. They’re vegetarians and I wasn’t quite sure what to make for them—I did a few searches, saw some recipes for stuffed squash, and this came up! It was a big hit, and something I’ve made ever since.
This recipe makes enough for two people, but it is easily doubled, tripled, etc.!
There really isn’t much more to say about this squash, except that it would be a fantastic addition to our Thanksgiving table, with meat or without! And it’s also the perfect dinner dish for cold fall and winter nights—hearty, warming, simple, and delicious!
- 1 acorn squash
- ½ lb. ground turkey
- ½ lb. ground sweet or spicy Italian sausage
- 1 cup kale or spinach
- 1 cup cooked wild rice
- ½ an onion, diced
- 2 cloves of garlic, diced
- ¼ C. pine nuts
- 1 Tbsp. olive or grapeseed oil
- 2 tsp. cumin
- 1 tsp. cinnamon
- 1 tsp. pepper
- ½ tsp. salt, or to taste
- Preheat oven to 350°.
- Roast the acorn squash until soft, 30 to 45 minutes. Take out of the oven and set aside.
- While the acorn squash is cooling, heat the oil in a pan over medium heat.
- Once the oil is hot, add the onion and garlic and sauté until fragrant and translucent.
- Add the turkey and Italian sausage and sauté until cooked through.
- Add the greens, pine nuts, and spices and sauté until greens are wilted.
- Remove the meat mixture from the pan into a bowl, then add the rice and stir to combine.
- Cut the acorn squash open, scrape out the seeds, and fill the cavities with the meat mixture.
- Serve!
So there you go! Another simple Thanksgiving side dish that doesn’t require much prep or work on your part!
Don’t forget to check out the other recipes in the easy Thanksgiving side series: easy smashed potatoes; Mediterranean butternut squash and sweet potato salad; Brussels sprouts with bacon.
‘Till next time!