Raise your hand if you are excited to see all the squash and pumpkins in the markets now. Although it’s sad to say goodbye to another beautiful summer, I’m raising both of mine and then using them to create this Stuffed Acorn squash.
Fall has always been and always will be my favorite season. The crisp air, the brilliantly colored leaves, Halloween, fresh apple cider, pumpkins… everything I love.
I don’t know what it is about Fall that makes me want to stuff things. Probably because it’s a shame to waste the colors and shapes of all the lovely squash and other vegetables by chopping them up into pieces. Preserving the shells to fill them with delicious mixtures of meat and veggie varieties seems like the better and prettier option.
Stuffed vegetable recipes only look complicated and impressive. However, once you get the hang of it, you’ll find it simple, creative and a great way to clean out leftover items in your fridge. This acorn squash recipe is so easy and so delicious, you’ll fill up and bake every squash and veggie from now on.
I used shredded sharp cheddar in the recipe that was left over from our last summer barbecue. Substitute shredded swiss or mozzarella. I also had stray herbs in the fridge. A combination of basil, rosemary, dill, and parsley was added. Plus, a stray chopped scallion. There’s no set mix of herbs here, add what you like or have on hand. Sage would also be a beautiful addition but I was too lazy to go out into the garden to pluck a few leaves.
You can also easily substitute ground turkey, pork or chicken for the beef.
The sweet flavor of the acorn squash works perfectly with the cheese, herb beef mixture. This is a hearty meal. When cut in half, each stuffed acorn squash serves two people.
Happy Fall!
Cheesy Herby Beef Stuffed Acorn Squash
Ingredients
- 2 acorn squash
- 1 large sweet onion
- 1 tablespoons butter
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1/4 cup mixed chopped fresh herbs (your choice)
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 cup shredded cheddar or Swiss cheese
- Salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
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Place the whole acorn squash in a small baking dish. Place in oven and bake for 45 minutes. Remove and let cool.
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Peel and dice the onion
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In a large skillet, heat the butter and olive oil.
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Add the onions and cook, stirring until the onion turns transparent.
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Stir in the ground beef and cook, stirring until just brown.
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Mix in the herbs and sprinkle with garlic salt.
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Mix in the shredded cheese.
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Season with salt and pepper to taste.
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Remove from heat and set aside.
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Cut the tops off of the squash and reserve them.
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Remove the seeds and set aside for roasting or discard.
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Scrape the flesh out of the acorn squash leaving about 1/8 inch shell.
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Chop the squash flesh and toss with the ground meat mixture.
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Stuff the hollowed-out acorn squash with the meat and cheese mixture. Replace them in the baking dish with the lids. (Reserve any extra stuffing for serving on the side)
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Bake the squash at 350 for 20 minutes.
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Remove from oven.
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Slice each squash in half and serve. Use lids for decorative garnish.
